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Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

Westerly Museum of American Impressionism

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Westerly, RI
Westerly Museum of American Impressionism

A new art museum in Westerly, RI. Open Thursday-Sunday 10:00-4:00.

09/07/2026

The last of our inaugural Summer Speaker series events is this week! While all in-person tickets for this presentation have been reserved, you can still join us virtually.

On September 10 at 5:00 PM, Erin Monroe, Krieble Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, will discuss the work of Charles Ethan Porter (1847-1923), a celebrated Connecticut-based painter. Monroe examines Porter’s relationship to American Impressionism through his innovative use of light, color, and surface; while also addressing the racial barriers he navigated as a Black artist working in the post–Civil War era.

The live stream is free for members and $5 for non-members. *Registration is required through our website to receive a viewing link for live stream access.
Access for this event will be available at 5pm on September 10th.

In-person tickets for this event are sold out.

09/04/2026

Only two weeks left to experience “Walter Griffin: Artistic Transformations.” 🎨🖌

Walter Griffin’s style evolved significantly throughout his career. Initially, his paintings were defined by softer details and earthy tones influenced by Realism and the Barbizon School in France. Later, he embraced Impressionism as a prominent member of the Old Lyme Colony alongside Childe Hassam. Ultimately, his mature style moved beyond Impressionism to include heavy impasto and thick application of paint using palette knives.

This gallery showcases work from each stage of the artist’s career and will be on view through September 13th.
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1. Walter Griffin (1861-1935), “Millet’s Home,” 1889. Oil on canvas.
2. Walter Griffin (1861-1935), “Provence, France,” 1926. Oil on canvas.

08/29/2026

New Exhibition Announcement 🎨

"When Her Eye Met the Sea: Women of the Ogunquit Art Colony"

Opening September 24, this special exhibition explores the women artists who found inspiration and artistic community along the coast of Ogunquit, Maine, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Featuring 17 paintings by Gertrude Fiske, Anne Carleton, Mabel May Woodward, Susan Ricker Knox, Beatrice Whitney Van Ness, and Nellie Augusta Knopf, “When Her Eye Met the Sea” highlights the important role women played in shaping one of New England’s most vibrant art colonies.

“When Her Eye Met the Sea: Women of the Ogunquit Art Colony”
September 24, 2026–March 7, 2027
All artworks generously lent by the Darin R. Leese Family Collection
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Mabel May Woodward (1877-1945), “On the Rocks,” c. 1910s-1920s. Oil on board. Darin R. Leese Family Collection

08/20/2026

We have had an amazing response to our 2026 Summer Speaker series! While all in-person tickets for this presentation were reserved during our Member Pre-Sale, you can still join us virtually!

On August 22nd, Mark D. Mitchell, Holcombe T. Green Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture, Yale University Art Gallery will dive into discussing expansive artistic opportunities and inspirations on the New England coast in his lecture, “Impressions of Rhode Island: Discovering the Artists of the Ocean State, 1880–1930.”

The live stream is free for members and $5 for non-members. *Registration is required through our website to receive a viewing link for live stream access. Access for this event will be available at 5pm on August 22nd.

In-person tickets for this event are sold out.
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John La Farge (American, 1835–1910), "The Muse of Painting," 1870. Oil on canvas, 49 1/2 x 38 1/4 inches, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan and Henry Walters, 1909

08/15/2026

Staff Favorite!

Jenney, our Museum Assistant, has chosen “Die Freundinnen (The Girlfriends)” by Edward Cucuel as her favorite painting in the collection. She adores the way the artist handles light; how sunlight peeks through the tree canopy creating variations of color in the foliage and cast shadows on their dresses which read as white but are painted with light yellow, purple, and blue hues.

“Die Freundinnen (The Girlfriends)” is on view in the American Impressionists Painting Abroad gallery.
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Edward Cucuel (1875-1954), “Die Freundinnen (The Girlfriends),” date unknown. Oil on canvas.

08/09/2026

We are excited to have made the best “First Impression” with Rhode Island Monthly !

08/05/2026

We have had an amazing response to our 2026 Summer Speaker series! While all in-person tickets for this presentation were reserved during our Member Pre-Sale, you can still join us virtually.

On August 6th, Faith Andrews Bedford, great-grand daughter and leading scholar on Boston artist Frank W. Benson will explore Benson's artistic journey and the influences that shaped his evolution into one of America’s leading Impressionists.

The live stream is free for members and $5 for non-members. *Registration is required through our website to receive a viewing link for live stream access. Access for this event will be available at 5pm on August 6th.

In-person tickets for this event are sold out.
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Frank W. Benson (1862-1951), "Firelight," 1893. Oil on canvas.

07/31/2026

In front of the Museum is a native wildflower meadow 🌿🌾🌼

Designed by Tupelo Design Studio this view connects the museum to its surroundings and pays homage to the landscapes that inspired the American Impressionist artists represented in our collection.

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07/23/2026

"Firelight" on view now! 🖼

WMAI has acquired a significant painting by Frank W. Benson, one of the most celebrated artists associated with the American Impressionist movement. The work, "Firelight" (1893), is the final canvas in Benson’s series of glowing light-themed interiors and is on view now in our Boston Impressionism gallery.

The acquisition was made possible through a generous gift from collectors and philanthropists Heidi and Tom McWilliams. Their donation was given in memory of Tom’s parents, Betty and Jamie McWilliams.
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Frank W. Benson (1862-1951), “Firelight,” 1893. Oil on canvas.

Eric Dush Photography

07/14/2026

Happy 162nd Birthday to Charles Woodbury! 🎂

Woodbury (1864-1940) was a prominent American Impressionist painter and influential teacher whose founding of the Ogunquit Summer School of Drawing and Painting in 1898 helped establish Ogunquit as one of the nation’s leading art colonies. He favored direct observation of nature over strict studio practices and encouraged his students to “paint in verbs, not in nouns.” “Flood Tide” and “Coming In” are examples of his dedication to capturing motion and atmosphere.
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1. Charles H. Woodbury (1864-1940), “Coming In,” 1926. Oil on canvas.
2. Woodbury, “Flood Tide,” date unknown. Oil on canvas board.
3. John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), “Portrait of Charles Herbert Woodbury, 1921.” National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Address

79 Watch Hill Road
Westerly, RI
02891

Opening Hours

Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+14017739767

Website

http://www.wmairi.org/

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