Notable Alumni
Michael Rose, BA 2013
Michael Rose graduated in 2013, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History. Rose spent the subsequent year in the public relations and development field where he has worked with Rhode Island non-profits on communications and fundraising initiatives. As a writer, Rose has contributed to Art New England, Big Red & Shiny, SOCO Magazine, the Taunton Daily Gazette, and the Rhode Island Small Business Journal. Rose currently works as Gallery Coordinator at The Providence Art Club. He manages all aspects of the gallery operations at the second oldest art club in the nation. Rose is responsible for administration of the Club’s three in-house galleries as well as a satellite space at 1 Financial Plaza in Providence.
Michael has recently completed his new website. His business, Michael Rose Fine Art is a boutique Art Appraisal and Advisory Services firm working with individual collectors, institutions, corporations, and art-makers throughout New England. Check out his new website at https://www.michaelrosefineart.com.
Helena Gomez, BA 2012
Helena Gomez graduated in 2012 with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art History. She worked as an exhibition coordinator and curatorial assistant for Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico in August 2013. She then received her Masters of Arts in Art History (Drawing, Representation and Circulation of Knowledge in the Global 18th Century) from The Courtauld Institute of Art in London, England in 2013. Gomez worked as an intern at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. She taught public middle and high school students in Rhode Island about the Holocaust and Jewish Heritage through classroom visits and leading groups visits in the Museum. Later that year she worked as a gallery assistant at Bert Gallery in Providence, Rhode Island. At the gallery she was responsible for curating a summer project. Gomez has now been hired as the Exhibitions Coordinator at the Museo de Ponce in Puerto Rico. She wrote about her new position, “As the Exhibitions Coordinator I am in charge of the logistics of bringing everything together for the exhibition, from creating the labels, editing and writing text panels, aiding in the designing of the brochure and invitation, coordinating with the different departments such as registration and the conservation lab when the artworks are ready to be installed. I also deal with rights and reproduction requests. As curatorial assistant, I also attend to the correspondence coming into the department, from liaising with artists to replying to various letters/requests. Upcoming projects include the Collections Committee where I have been involved in preparing the documents that will be reviewed, having to deal with issues of de-accessioning artworks, approval of works being donated and loan requests.”
Althea Ruoppo, BA 2011
Althea graduated in 2011 with a degree in Art History. She has completed her oral exams for the Ph.D in Art History at Boston University and is in the early stages of her dissertation. She is writing on global travel and tourism in German art since 1960, and is preparing to teach Contemporary Art: 1980 to Now remotely during BU’s summer term in July and August.
Hannah Johnson, BA 2010
Hannah graduated in 2010 with a degree in Art History, and is now having the time of her life. She is currently stationed in Madrid where she does embassy work. However, she has had ample opportunity to travel, and does so frequently with her husband. After working with the Peace Corp in Mali, Hannah took a job in DC working for the Peace Corp administration, where she met her husband. They have since taken the State Department exams and moved into embassy work which has stationed them in Frankfurt (2 years), and now Madrid (July 2018).
Samantha Cataldo BA, 2010
Samantha Cataldo graduated in 2010 from Providence College with a degree in Art History, earning a certificate in Business Studies and minoring in Women’s Studies. She is Curator of Contemporary Art at the Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH. Cataldo was the Koch Curatorial Fellow at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA. There, she curated exhibitions including The Social Medium, a survey of social photography, and managed sculpture park commissions such as Oscar Tuazon’s Partners. She is also the editorial assistant for Public Art Dialogue, a peer reviewed journal which serves as a forum for critical discourse and commentary about the practice of public art. Among her writing credits are essays and editorial projects for deCordova exhibitions, including those mentioned above and The 2013 deCordova Biennial, as well as contributed essays in Art for Rollins: Volume II (forthcoming). Cataldo holds an MA in Art History and Museum Studies from Case Western Reserve University’s joint program with the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Molly O’Brien, BA 2009
Molly O’Brien creates opportunities for curatorial projects and collaborations between artists and students of all ages in New York public schools, directly connecting artists and arts organizations with the local community. Since 2010, she has served as Education Director at NURTUREart, a not-for-profit art organization and gallery in Brooklyn. Additionally, she is a Teaching Artist at the Guggenheim Museum in New York where she works with elementary school students in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Molly has taught in various institutions including galleries, museums, public schools, and community centers of NYC, in addition to running programs with at-risk youth in Haiti, Kenya and Nicaragua. Molly advocates for the importance of art in education and works to create greater access to the arts for all audiences. She received her BA in Art History from Providence College in 2009. Molly returned to the PC Art and Art History department in April of 2016 to give a lecture titled “Museum Education in the Guggenheim Art Museum, NYC, Learning Through Art.”
Mary Pelletier, BA 2009
Mary Pelletier graduated in 2009 with a degree in English and Photography. Pelletier studied Historical and Contemporary Photography at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, earning an MA. After graduating she resided in London as a photographic historian and dealer. She worked with the Bonhmas Photography Department and managed the James Hyman Gallery which specialized in nineteenth-century French and contemporary British photography. In March 2018, Mary accepted a position as Senior Photography Specialist at the Qatar Museum in Doha, Qatar.
William Ruggiero, BA 2008
William Ruggiero is an art historian, curator, and administrator working in Chicago, Illinois. His main area of research is in contemporary Latin American art, focusing on critical theory, media, urbanization and the dynamics of the state. He accepted a position in 2018 as Coordinator/Assistant at the Trust for Public Land in Chicago, IL. Along with J. Gibran Villalobos, William is part of a curatorial collaborative JGV/WAR, an experimental duo that use an agonistic model of “shadow curating” as a form of exhibition making. Recently, they finished a year-long HATCH Projects curatorial residency at the Chicago Artists Coalition. Additionally, in collaboration with Liz Munsell they organized the Chicago iteration of “Cuban Virtualities: New Media Art from the Island,” first exhibited at Tufts University, and the first exhibition of its kind outside of Cuba. Upcoming projects for William include a partnership with MAC/SAN at the Havana Biennial 2015, where he will be a co-organizer of a transitory project situated in San Agustin, a town outside Havana. He will pursue doctoral study in modern Latin American art history, specifically in the history of Venezuela’s petroleum economy and its relation to cultural production. As a passionate cook, William can be found making process-laden meals in his leisure, when he is most likely discussing any of the above.
Will Hutnick, BA 2007
Will Hutnick received his BA in Painting, Art History and Music from Providence College in 2007 and his MFA in Painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in 2011. He is based in Wassaic, NY where he is currently the Residency Director at The Wassaic Project. Recent exhibitions include DEMO Project (Springfield, IL), SPRING/BREAK Art Show (New York, NY), The Java Project (Brooklyn, solo), Ground Floor Gallery (Brooklyn), Grizzly Grizzly (Philadelphia, PA), Circuit 12 Contemporary (Dallas, TX), Momenta Art (Brooklyn), TSA (Brooklyn) and The Center for Contemporary Art (Bedminster, NJ, solo). Hutnick has also curated numerous exhibitions at Ortega y Gasset Projects, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Trestle Projects, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn Fire Proof, Loft 594 and LaunchPad (Brooklyn). His work has been featured in New American Paintings, Maake Magazine, LVL3 Media, Beautiful/Decay and Whitehot Magazine’s “Best Artists List for 2013”. Hutnick has been an artist in residence at Yaddo (Saratoga Springs, NY), The Wassaic Project (Wassaic, NY), Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, VT) 4heads on Governors Island (Governors Island, NY), and recently completed a year-long curatorial residency at Trestle Projects (Brooklyn).
Hendrick Paul, BA 2003
Hendrick Paul is a native Californian who earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Photography from Providence College in 2003. After graduating from PC, Mr. Paul traveled to Europe where he created an extensive collection of photographic works. He then returned to San Francisco, CA where he received a Post Baccalaureate Certificate and a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2007 and 2009 respectively. His work has been featured at the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Gallery Route One in Point Reyes, The Rayko Gallery, and the Evergold Gallery in San Francisco and at the Creative Center for Photography in Los Angeles. He has received numerous awards for his photographs including an honorable mention in the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art’s 2009 national photography show, two judges awards for Art in the Redwoods 2008 national juried show, and a third place in the Paul Sack Building Award 2008 contest.
Mark Mazzenga, BA 2002
Mark Mazzenga graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in Art History. He went on to receive his Masters in Art History from University of Massachusetts at Amherst and subsequently taught art courses at Princeton day school in New Jersey. After teaching, Mark returned to school and earned his Master’s in Creative Writing from Lesley University. He currently lives in London, England and works as a reader for Penny Marshall’s Parkway Productions. Mark has also found success as a playwright. His debut play A Feeble Mind was recently accepted and produced on stage by The Brown Box Theatre in Boston, MA. Mark has remained actively involved with his alma mater. He has served PC as a guest lecturer, visiting an Art History class to speak on Modern Art, and most recently he returned to give a lecture on the nature and value of creativity as a resource in today’s economy.
Mary Tinti, BA 2000
Mary M. Tinti received her Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 2008. She is an art historian and curator specializing in modern and contemporary art, with a focus on public art. Mary Tinti recently became the Associate Curator at the Fitchburg Museum of Art in Fitchberg, Massachusetts. Prior to this in 2011, she has worked as the Koch Curatorial Fellow at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Prior to joining the staff at deCordova, Tinti was the first-ever Public Art Fellow at the New England Foundation for the Arts (2010-2011) and the Deputy Artistic Director of WaterFire Providence (2008-2010). An inaugural officer of the Public Art Dialogue (2008-2011), Tinti is currently the Artists’ Projects Liaison for the organization’s peer reviewed journal. Her writing credits include essays and editorial projects for deCordova exhibitions, articles for Collections and Woman’s Art Journal, entries for the Grove Encyclopedia of American Art, and blog posts for WGBHArts. Since the fall of 2009 she has chronicled her adventures in public art and material culture in her own blog, Dress for Sports.
Eric Schofield, BA 1996
Eric Schofield was a double major in English and studio art, hosted his own radio show on WDOM-FM, worked on the senior class video, and presented an art thesis exhibition while at PC. Now, married to Erin Piorek Schofield ‘96, they own and operate Frog and Toad, two Providence gift shops located on Hope and Westminster Streets. They have a passion for creating and supporting local businesses, and at Frog and Toad one can find artworks by local artists, fun and silly t shirts, patches, and hats, greeting cards, you name it. The Current PC Magazine gives an in depth look into their lives. Go see their wonderfully weird stores for yourself!
Stephen Forneris, BA 1990
Stephen Forneris graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History. He then went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Architecture at Syracuse University and a Degree in Architecture from the Universidad of Guayaquil. Forneris is a principal and board director at the global architecture firm, Perkins Eastman. Stephen Forneris and the Perkins Eastman firm have constructed the newly designed Ruane Friar Development Center at Providence College.
In addition, Forneris maintains close ties with Central and South America, frequently travelling between the United States and Ecuador where he is engaged in numerous architecture projects. After the 2001 El Salvador earthquake, Forneris met with the US Senator Christopher Dodd to discuss safety recommendations for new construction projects based on current US building codes to improve buildings in Latin America. Forneris has taught classes and conducted seminars at Yale University School of Architecture, NYU and at the University of Bath, United Kingdom. He has also published numerous books and guides to building earthquake resistant housing. Forneris began producing films in 2014 and continues to use this medium as a way to better communicate a projects intent and purpose.
Overall, Forneris makes connections between various countries and cultures to improve building structures and standards of living. His relationship with Providence College is a microcosm of that. His structures on the PC campus work hard to encourage relationships between and among the Friar family and capture the spirit of Friartown. Forneris is responsible for the Calabria Plaza Torch Concept and Design which is the centerpiece of the Providence College campus.
Maura Reilly, BA 1990
Maura Reilly earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Providence College in 1990. She is now Chief Curator, National Academy of Art, NY. While at PC, Ms. Reilly took many Art History courses and formed a close relationship with Professor of Art History and Women’s Studies, Deborah Johnson. In the years following her graduation from PC, Ms. Reilly went on to earn both her Master’s and Doctorate Degrees in Art History from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. In addition to notable scholarly work and writing, Ms. Reilly also served as the founding curator of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum from 2003-2008. During her tenure at the museum she was responsible for Co-Curating the critically acclaimed exhibition Global Feminisms with noted Feminist Art scholar Linda Nochlin. She also oversaw the permanent installation of Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party, an important installation piece in the history of Feminist Art. Since her departure from the Brooklyn Museum in 2008, she has held Senior Curator positions at American Federation of Art and Location One. Most recently, she has taken on the role of Professor of Art Theory at Queensland College of Art, Griffith University in Sydney, Australia. She now works as the Chief Curator for the National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts in New York City.
The Board of Trustees of the Linda Pace Foundation recently announced the appointment of Dr. Maura Reilly as its new Executive Director. As director, Reilly will manage the Foundation’s art collection, implement exhibitions and recommend acquisitions.
Stephan Brigidi, BA 1973
Stephan Brigidi is a photographer, professor, and writer based in Bristol RI. One of the very first graduates of what was then the new art program at Providence College in 1973, Stephan has felt the impact of his time at the college far into his life. Brigidi, a Providence native, attended PC on a full scholarship provided to him by the knights of Columbus while he was attending nearby Lasalle Academy. Originally a history major, Stephan was drawn into the newly founded Art Department in part due to the dedicated faculty. Stephan cites Fr. Richard McAlister, Professor Emeritus of Studio Art, as a major influence in his development as an artist. Mr. Brigidi notes that the faculty members were both honest and sincere and that the atmosphere in the intimately sized Department was highly nurturing. During his time at PC, through the lens of a liberal arts education, Stephan was able to develop a strong understanding of and appreciation for the context in which historical works of art were made, and why context was so integral to the art making process. Mr. Brigidi cites the emphasis by the faculty of the Department on meaningful critiques and dialogues as a foundational element to his art practice. It was due to these strong critical and practical foundations that Brigidi chose to pursue a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Rhode Island School of Design after his departure from PC. Since moving into the professional sphere, Brigidi has pursued a career of professor, having taught at a wide variety of institutions, from the University of Hawaii, to the University of Connecticut as well as RISD and even a short time teaching at his alma mater. Stephan feels that he brings with him to teaching the same nurturing spirit he saw in his own professors at Providence College. In his work he seeks to draw out the creativity in all of his students, most particularly those who do not come from an art background.
