campus
location & campus overview
South County Art Association is located on Kingstown Road in the heart of Historic Kingston Village, just three doors east of the University of Rhode Island entrance.
Our campus includes two primary buildings with parking in the rear.
gallery & office hours
Wednesday-Sunday from 1-5
Wednesday - Sunday from 1 - 5 pm
(except holidays & our holiday sale has extended hours)
call: (401) 783-2195
Email: info@southcountyart.org
visit: 2587 Kingstown Rd, Kingston, RI
the Helme house &
old school house
the Helme house
The Helme house-our main building is home to:
The gallery and gallery store (first floor)
Administrative office (first floor)
Accessible via the front entrance or back door. The ADA accessible ramp is located on the west wall of the building.
Private artist studios - not open to the public (upper floors).
old school house
The old school house houses our instructional spaces:
Pottery Studio is located on the lower level and second floor. Accessible via the back door entrance.
Painting Studio is located at the rear of the property in the red building. Accessible through the barn doors or via the rear entrance of the Pottery Studio.
Printmaking studio is located on the second floor. Access is via the rear pottery studio ramp and up one flight of stairs from the wheel room.
garden
Our garden backyard is often used for events including:
The spring quality seconds Sale
Dinner Under the Trees
The Great Art Heist
Visitors and students are welcome to take breaks in the garden and enjoy the picnic table.
Wood firings take place outdoors adjacent to the garden, along the side of the parking lot.
Helme house galleries
The Helme house building is home to our main galleries, where we showcase a variety of exhibitions throughout the year—including open juried shows, media-specific exhibitions, member invitationals, and our All Members Annual. It’s also a lively hub for openings, art talks, gallery tours, and our Annual Holiday Pottery & Art Sale—a public favorite we have been hosting for over 50 years.
gallery store
The SCAA Gallery store has long been an important part of our campus and a meaningful connection between our artists and the community. Featuring work by SCAA member artists, the store offers a wide range of handmade pottery, jewelry, paintings, prints, woodwork, cards, and more.
The gallery store is directly connected to our exhibition space, where rotating shows highlight the work of regional artists. All artwork on view is available for purchase, supporting both the artists and SCAA’s mission. Our staff are nearby in the adjoining office and are always happy to welcome visitors and help in any way.
pottery studios
SCAA Pottery Studio is by far our busiest studio. It has served our community for decades. As a hive of activity this past year 200 students and 80 pottery studio members used the studio to create and learn.
It is one of the largest and longstanding community pottery studios in the region.
Annual output in 20206 was 9 tons of clay
323 kilns loads and 4 woodfire & raku.
paint studio
The red repurposed carriage house is home to our painting studio and serves as the primary space for painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, and general art classes. This communal studio is equipped with a sink, tabletop easels, and additional shared equipment to support a wide range of creative practices.
printmaking studio
The printmaking studio is equipped with one etching press and supports a wide range of printmaking processes. Instruction and studio use emphasize eco-friendly alternatives to traditional methods while still allowing for technical depth and experimentation. Artists working in the studio produce etchings, solar plate (photo polymer plate) etching, as well as monoprints and monotypes.
Open printmaking studio sessions provide opportunities for students to work independently outside of class hours and are currently offered once or twice each month.
wood fire and raku
Wood-fired and raku pottery firings take place several times throughout the year and are open to SCAA members, non-members, and pottery studio members.
Staff and volunteers help load the kiln and stoke the fire to maintain the desired temperature. Wood firings are informal, community-centered events, with participants often bringing food and drinks to share while gathering around the fire.
Raku firing is offered as an 8 week class, with multiple opportunities to fire.
the garden
The garden offers visitors and students a quiet place to enjoy lunch or take a short break in nature, with seating available at our picnic table.
As the seasons change, the garden transforms into an outdoor event space. It hosts our annual Quality Seconds Pottery Sale in May during the Kingston Village Fair; Dinner Under the Trees and the juror talk in June, celebrating our members; and in September, the much-anticipated Great Art Heist—if you know, you know.
parking
A small parking lot is located at the rear of the property and is accessible via the driveway between our two buildings. The lot includes a designated accessible parking space, and an ADA-compliant ramp provides access to the pottery studio.
Parking spaces are reserved for faculty, staff, students, and visitors. During exhibition openings and special events, visitors are encouraged to use the church parking lot across the street.
visit us
South County Art Association is located on Kingstown Road in the heart of Historic Kingston Village, just three doors east of the University of Rhode Island entrance.
Our campus includes two primary buildings with parking in the rear.
visit: 2587 Kingstown Rd, Kingston, RI
gallery & office hours
Wednesday-Sunday from 1-5
Wednesday - Sunday from 1 - 5 pm
(except holidays & our holiday sale has extended hours)
call: (401) 783-2195 or email us.
what sets us apart
Integrity, creativity, and empathy shape the way we work. A community that is friendly safe, and supportive is a priority. We value building genuine relationships, that making it easy for you to excel creatively and get the results you’re looking for.
