NEST Arts Factory
COMING SOON!
The 14th Annual
Bridgeport Art Trail November 10-13, 2022
NEST Open Studios
Open Studios, art sale, hands-on activities, great family fun! The NEST Arts Factory is the longest-running working artists studio in Bridgeport, marking over 30 years. Meet the artists, tour their studios, and experience the variety of art and music created in this working studio space. The weekend program offers several hands-on, interactive programs; many are great family-fun activities. Artists’ work of all sizes and materials will be on sale, just in time for the holidays. Also view the work of guest artists, including the Black Rock Art Guild #36, the Bridgeport Portrait Project, and artists in the exhibit “Reconstructed/Deconstructed Still Lifes.” Activities taking place throughout the NEST include busker-style music, hands-on art activities like aromatherapy, mosaic, demos of the ‘lamp work’ technique of glass-blowing, and screenings from the Bridgeport Film Fest #28.
SATURDAY
Event: NEST Open Studios & Art Sale
Saturday, November 12; 11 am to 5 pm / Sunday, November 13; 11 am to 5 pm
Meet the NEST artists, tour their studios, and experience the variety of art and music created in this collaborative space. The artists will have work of all sizes for sale, just in time for the holidays.
Event: Reconstructed/Deconstructed Still Lifes
Saturday, November 12; 11 am to 5 pm / Sunday, November 13; 11 am to 5 pm
Art will be on view throughout the building along with this exhibit featuring NEST Arts Factory artists Ellie Mesa, Strive Glass, Stella Whittle, and invited artists Maralyn Adlin, Larry Morse, Miranda Updike showing paintings and 3D art, whimsical pottery, glass and upcycled furniture, curated by NEST artist and City Lights Gallery #20 director Suzanne Kachmar. This exhibit dusts off an old concept of still lifes, through a conglomeration of creations, on and off the canvas, presenting representational works that are abstracted, imaginary, kinetic and breathe with process, exploring materials, marks, shapes and scrapes, line, form, color and fantasy. Historically in painting the glorification of the object could represent religious and philosophical concepts, joys of domestic life, wealth and status. For some, art based on still-lifes may seem trite. But for the art student and the many artists who explore painting and the principles of design, still lifes are the building blocks for new visual ideas and ways to work. This exhibit dusts off an old concept of still lifes, on and off the canvas, presenting representational works that are abstracted, imaginary, kinetic and breathe with process, exploring materials, marks, shapes and scrapes, line, form, color and fantasy. There is an immediate energy to these works, although complete and well executed, they have a sense that the artist just stepped away and may return to keep working. Representational paintings that abandon logic, toy with realistic rendering in the exchange for the passion of painting. The viewer is present, experiencing the physical application of paint, sensing the artist’s thoughts, process and feelings. “It’s like a musician riffing on a classic Jazz standard, translating the beautiful arrangement of notes with the artist’s specific character,” says curator Suzanne Kachmar. “As a painter I find it cathartic to make still lifes with objects that signify a feeling or current event.” Continuing the playful exploration of the still-life concept, Kachmar includes actual still-life objects, the fantastic pottery by Ellie Mesa, mini abstract sculpture/maquettes that painter Larry Morse builds for the visual reference of his large abstracted still life creations and the fantastical manipulation of stretched and twisted glass bottles by Strive-Glass. Event: Black Rock Art Guild #36 Members’ Art in the Brick
Event: Black Rock Art Guild #36 and NEST Artists’ Reception Saturday, November 12; 4 pm to 6 pm
Talk with the artists, enjoy light refreshment, acoustic music by Steven Gilbert, poetry by BRAG #36 poets, Janet Krauss, Heidi St Jean, guest poets Iyaba Ibo Mandingo #6 and Larry Morse. Poetry and Live Music 4:00-6:30 pm
Event: Swamp Hogs Concert, Community Room
Saturday, November 12; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Pandemic born, The Swamp Hogs are a 5-hog band with an experimental inclination towards jam/funk, rock, folk, stoner doom and feral psychedelia. Emerging from the swamps of the Greater Bridgeport Area, the Hogs deliver a welcoming high energy mix of covers and originals that will surely get you off your feet for a funky good time. The Hogs consist of the Casey brothers (Catfish crooning lead vocals/ rhythm guitar & Jimmy “Professor Casey” wigglin fingers on lead), Brian “Bowski” Grabowski slapping bass and singing backup, Garrett “G-Hal” Halstead bangin’ beats on the drum kit, and Owen “Squirrels” Nelson tenderly ticklin’ on them Conga skins and assisting vocals.
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SUNDAY
Event: Munch, Mingle, Music, and Mimosas
Sunday, November 13; 11:30 am to 1 pm
The NEST is transformed into an artful piano bar with music by Rob Foley, light bites, coffee and mimosa bar. Once the Mimosas start flowing, stick around for an impromptu artists walk and talk.
STUDIO EVENTS + DEMOS
Event: cARTie #39 Museum Pop-Up
Sunday, November 13; 11 am to 2 pm
Mobile art museum bus presenting a juried exhibit of CT high school student artists, by cARTie #39.
Event: Boosting Creativity with Aromatherapy Sunday, November 13; 11:30 am to 1 pm
Create your very own signature scent with Nest artist, Kerry Gale, and learn about the impact of scent on mood and spirit and its ability to enhance creativity. Kerry is the founder of Floraco, a company focused on small batch, hand-crafted botanical products rooted from a passion for clean ingredients
Event: Figure Drawing at the NEST
sponsored by City Lights/Bridgeport Art Trail #20, Community Room
Ongoing on the first two Tuesday of each month; 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Sketches in charcoal, ink, watercolor and pencil are informally presented, (unframed with pushpins) seemingly fresh from the open sketch workshop. Tables, easels are provided, bring drawing board and materials. Work in a comfortable, yet serious and supportive atmosphere. $15 for model fee and studio time. RSVP to attend to clgallerybpt@gmail.com
Artists of the NEST
NEST Arts Factory
Vic Mulaire
Nest Executive Director
Lori Bloom
Mixed media/paper flower artist bloomingcolorsart.com / blooml@hotmail.com
Instagram @bloomingcolorsart
Gussie Bradford, #24
Crafts
Elisha Brockenberry
Garment specialist & community organizer righteouspath2002@gmail.com righteouspath2002.life
Instagram @righteouspath.2002
Reb Carlson, #15
Mixed media painter
rebcarlson.com
John Carnright, #2
Mixed media photo chemical primitivefuturisms.com
Marcella Kurowski-Cavaliere (Looketha)
Visual artist, painter, sculptor looketha.com Jason Coombs Film artist/Bridgeport Film Fest bridgeportfilmfest.org
Quinn Costantini
Multi media artist quinncostantini@gmail.com
Kat Evans, #30
Abstract painter kevansart.com Francine Fanali, #29 Painter / sculptor francinefanali.com
Jane Gilman Fleischner, #23
Painter, prints, pen & ink
Instagram: @JaneGilmanFleischner
Robert Foley, #2A
Musician
Vanessa Gaddy, #6
Musician
Kerry Gale
Murals/painting
kerrygale.com / hellofloraco.com Instagram @kerrygale_ @hellofloraco
Carolina Guimarey, #22
Contemporary fine artist carolinaguimarey.com
Jimmi, #25A
Glassblower / lampworker
Instagram @strive_glass
Kat Jetson, #25A
Mosaics, enamel pins, stained glass, commission
marvelousmrsmosaic.com/
Suzanne Kachmar
Painter / curator
Rebecca Kaplan-Stone
Printmaker
Igor Kuznetsov
Jewelry designer, goldsmith & writer
Instagram @igorkuznetsovdesigns
Luis Lopez, #31
Painting / murals/ photography / graphic design
Instagram @luis_lopez_art
Sabrina Lewis
Music
Colby Mazzoni
Knitwear & Fashion Design colbylmazz@gmail.com
Eliana Mesa, #25
Painter
Instagram @ellie_messsa
Trish Monahan, #1
Painter
trishmonahan.com
Caitlin O’Brien
Rick Reyes, #39
Latin world musician
Instagram @rickreyesmusic
Michele Riche, #27
Painter
micheleriche.com
Laurie Rivera, #18
Jewelry artist
azizidesigns.com
Instagram @azizidesignsjewelry
Ray Rivera, #31
Photographer
Sharon Smalls, #34B
Mixed media artist
Instagram @smallsdesign
Linda Smith, #34A
Mixed media artist
LindaCSmith.com
Instagram @Laughing_linda
Kristopher Studebaker
Musician
Instagram @Krisstudebaker
Swamp Hogs Musicians Catfish
Instagram @swamp.hogs / bcaseyksc@gmail.com
Guest Artists
Black Rock Art Guild #36
the Bridgeport Portrait Project
Artists in the exhibit:
“Reconstructed/Deconstructed Still Lifes.”