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BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL NEWSLETTER
Welcome to our Bridgeport Art Trail newsletter, providing a listing of arts and cultural events.
There’s plenty of cultural events happening to fill up the last of the long summer days.
Downtown Thursdays comes to its season close with a special location at Bluefish Arena for “Old School Hip Hop n’ R&B” night. Come out for this free event! During the day don’t miss the Downtown Farmers Market. This week artist Liz Squillace will be live painting on McLevy Green from 12-2pm. Learn about how you can win one of her paintings!
Made In Bridgeport presents: “Bring The Junk From Your Trunk” Workshop. Redesign your old or broken gems and jewels. Repair what you love! Learn jewelry making techniques all at City Lights Gallery.
Walrus + Carpenter host their monthly Brewgrass event featuring music from BrewGrass players Dan Carlucci, David Kaye, Peter Kaufman, and Kenny Owens. And the Downtown Cabaret Theatre presents tribute concert “Forever Motown”.
Did you miss City Lights Gallery’s 6th Annual SAMESEX exhibit reception and BRIDGEPORT PRIDE MARCH? It’s still on view at City Lights Gallery!
New Paradigm Theater presents “Oliver Reinvented” This “Oliver” production highlights the social justice issues of hunger, poverty, violence in the script. The classic story of Oliver, with the faces of today. Doors will open one hour prior to the show with our “Prologue Bazaar” (local artists, singers, performers, à la Times Square).
Our August 2016 Artist of the Month Marcella Kurowski also assisted with set design in partnership with artists Jahmane West, Michael Clocks and Iyaba Ibo Mandingo. When asked about the collaborative experience she shared “It’s inspiring to work with such talented artists of different styles. We are all standing back and letting each individual style shine through. It’s diverse, colorful and laid back.”
Learn more about her role in this project and her individual work in our monthly feature!
CALL FOR IMAGES: Bridgeport Art Trail 2016!
All artists living or working in Bridgeport are invited to submit images to help promote themselves and the upcoming Bridgeport Art Trail. Selected images may be used (with attribution to the artist) for the Bridgeport Art Trail brochure, for publicity in the press and on social media, and/or on invitations and promotional material.
Learn more about these and other great events below!
Visit the full calendar of Bridgeport Art listings at the Bridgeport Art Trail Website.
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SPECIAL EVENT: 2016 Downtown Farmers Market
Thursdays, 12-4pm
McLevy Green
Live Artist this week: Liz Squillace
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
KICK-OFF OF 2016 DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET SEASON
The Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District’s (DSSD) Downtown Farmers Market will be open every Thursday from 12-4pm until October 27th.
VENDORS
In addition to returning farms Smith Acres and Killam & Bassette Farmstead, DSSD will welcome many new vendors, including:
- Whisk+Brush’s Dixie Donuts
- Leisha’s Bakeria,
- Elegantly Casual Cuisine
- Riverside Banking Company
- Hot Chicks Eggs
LIVE MUSIC AND ART
In addition to live music at each market, new this year is the addition of a weekly demonstration and feature of a local artist in collaboration with The Bridgeport Art Trail.
GUEST ARTIST this week: Liz Squillace
This Thursday August 18th from 12-2pm, artist Liz Squillace will be live painting at the Downtown Bridgeport Farmers Market! Come visit, buy some veggies, & learn about how you can win one of her paintings!
BRIDGEPORT BUCKS PROGRAM
In an effort to help Bridgeport residents and employees eat healthy and stay fit, DSSD has partnered with the Bridgeport Farmers Market Collaborative to offer the BridgeportBucks Program. BridgeportBucks is a coupon that can be used to purchase fruit and vegetables at any one of the seven Bridgeport farmers markets. Businesses, community-based organizations and non-profit organizations may purchase BridgeportBucks as incentives or rewards to provide to clients, employees, or community groups. For more information or to purchase BridgeportBucks contact: moore.dssd@infobridgeport.com.
More Info
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LIVE MUSIC: DOWNTOWN THURSDAYS
CLASSIC HIP HOP & RnB
Thursday, August 18th, 5:30-9pm
Bluefish Stadium
500 Main Streeet
Bridgeport, CT 06604
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Downtown Thursdays is BACK! Thanks to the team at I Luv BPT, the free concert series is back for a 7th season. Downtown Thursdays is the premier FREE Concerts series serving the City of Bridgeport and all our neighboring friends. #WeareBridgeport #iluvbpt #DowntownThursdsays
CLASSIC HIP HOP & RnB
STADIUM STATUS!
August 18th is devoted to all fans of Classic Hip Hop, RnB, Break beats and Funk! Here the original songs of what makes music still lives today! It’s a full night of DJs, dance and performances.
Classic Hip Hop & RnB night was designed with one thing in mind, “EXCITEMENT”. From a host a superior DJ’s with creative skills & technics, to live performances of artists who helped pave the way with the Hip Hop & RnB songs that we all can remember to this day. These great DJ’s and Artists always find a way to bring everyone to that one great moment with an ultimate classic song. The Downtown Thursdays is in its 7th year and officially the Classic Hip Hop & RnB night is the largest night out of the concert series with an estimated 6,000+ from last year’s event. Who’s ready for 2016 in Downtown Bridgeport Concert Series?
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ARTS WORKSHOP: Bring the Junk from your Trunk
A Made in Bridgeport Jewelry Making Workshop
Thursday, August 18th, 6-8pm
More Info
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SPECIAL EVENT: Brewgrass
Walrus + Carpenter
Thursday, August 18th, 7:30-12am
2895 Fairfield Avenue
Bridgeport, CT
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Whole Hog Pig Roast
+ Craft Beers
+ Bluegrass Music
= BrewGrass
Load your plate up with hog and sides, grab a beer and sit-back to the sounds of bluegrass.
Featuring music from BrewGrass players Dan Carlucci, David Kaye, Peter Kaufman, and Kenny Owens.
More Info
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LIVE THEATER: Oliver Reinvented
Saturday, August 20th, 1pm
New Paradigm Theatre/Fairfield Theatre Company
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Can’t get tickets to Hamilton? Be a part of a Musical Theatre Movement right here in Fairfield! OLIVER “Reinvented” combines The New Paradigm Theatre’s professional Broadway/Film/TV performers and directors with local non profits- Bridgeport Council, KEYS, City Lights, and other partners for a PRODUCTION, MENTORING, COMMUNITY INVOLVED happening!
Multi-ethnic, Multi-gendered and Multi-generation – we feature youth and local adults alongside our Broadway pros! Paul Bogaev – Grammy and Oscar Winning musical director and arranger (also playing the part of “Fagin”) from the movie Chicago, Dreamgirls, Across the Universe. Scott Bryce – Emmy Nominated TV, Film and Broadway performer as director. From the popular TV show “Orange is the New Black” Gina Naomi Baez as “Nancy”.
This “Oliver” production highlights the social justice issues of hunger, poverty, violence in the script. The classic story of Oliver, with the faces of today.
Doors will open one hour prior to the show with our “Prologue Bazaar” (local artists, singers, performers, à la Times Square). Be sure to arrive early to walk around and become a “part of the show”! Special request: Please bring a healthy non-perishable food item as part of your admission fee. That donation will go to the pantry in Bridgeport connected with the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport!
More Info
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LIVE MUSIC: Forever Motown
Saturday, August 20th, 5pm/8:15pm
The Downtown Cabaret Theatre
EVENT DESCRIPTION: Sing, dance & celebrate the music of your life to songs like “My Girl”, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, “Reach Out”, “Shop Around”, “Dancin’ In The Street”, “Stop, In The Name Of Love”, “Ain’t Nothin’ Like The Real Thing”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” & “Uptight” – nearly 30 non-stop hits in all! Each song captured visually, vocally and choreographically down to the slightest unique nuanced Motown detail.
Performed by a cast of veteran entertainers, including former members of The Jones, Main Ingredient, The Temptations, The Spinners & The Marvelettes, peppered with Broadway savvy performers who had leading roles in “Dream Girls”, ” Your Arms Too Short to Box With God”, “Porgy & Bess” and “Showboat”, Forever Motown resumes its successful theater tour that broke box office records in 2011.
More Info
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CALL FOR IMAGES: Bridgeport Art Trail 2016!
All artists living or working in Bridgeport are invited to submit images to help promote themselves and the upcoming Bridgeport Art Trail. Selected images may be used (with attribution to the artist) for the Bridgeport Art Trail brochure, for publicity in the press and on social media, and/or on invitations and promotional material.
Submissions will be accepted until October 31, but images submitted early will have a better chance of being published. Images submitted before August 27, 2016 will be considered for inclusion in the BAT directory.
Suggestions for images: finished artwork, the artist posed in his/her studio, visitors at a venue, the artist at work on a piece of art or during a performance, a glimpse into the artist’s process, images from previous Art Trails.
More Info
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VISUAL ART: “Body & Soul” Exhibition
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 22nd, 5:00pm
Housatonic Museum of Art
More Info
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VISUAL ART/SPECIAL EVENT: 6th Annual SAMESEX Art Exhibit
On View
City Lights Gallery
855 Main St. Downtown Bridgeport, CT.
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Sponsored by “Triangle Community Center and David Ivanko & John Brannelly”
City Lights will hosted the 6th annual Same Sex exhibit reception and Pride March on Thursday July 21, 2016. This annual SameSex exhibit explores LGBTQ themes, same-sex attraction, related feelings and issues of 2016. Artists need not be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender to participate. The prospectus is designed to be open to interpretation, encouraging artists to respond to the current events and zeitgeist of the year. This year we decided to extend the submission deadline a few weeks to support artists who would like to express their solidarity, condolence, pride, outrage in response to the most recent tragedy in Orlando Fla.
Admission is free and open to the public. View this year’s provocative art exhibit.
City Lights is a nonprofit arts organization located in downtown Bridgeport CT. that serves the community through art, easily accessible by Metro-North, Port Jeff Ferry, I-95 and the Merrit Parkway via the Route 25 Connector.
For more info please email us at: clgallerybpt@gmail.com our website: www.citylightsgallery.org City Lights Gallery, 855 Main St, Bridgeport, CT. 06604 (203) 334-7748 Regular gallery hours are W-F 11:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Saturday 12-4. Thursday we are open until 7p.m.
Exhibiting artists include: Wayne Banks, Patrice Barrett, Sue Czark, Michael Corey, Emily Derr, Allan Dudek, Jeanine Esposito, Thomas Evans, Ken Hopkins, Angelina Kendra, David Kent, Phyllis Lee, Cassandra Mendoza, Ricky Mestre, Maia Mneimne, Stefan Novotny, Hilary Opperman, Valerie Riveras Rhodes, Ellen Schindermann, Richard Taddei.
More Info
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CONCERTS AND EVENTS AT WEBSTER BANK ARENA
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LIVE MUSIC: KISS – Freedom to Rock Tour
September 7th
Tickets on Sale Now
Webster Bank Arena
EVENT DESCRIPTION: KISS is regarded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time. They remain one of America’s top gold-record champions and have recorded 37 albums over 40 years, selling more than 100 million albums worldwide.
More Info
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ARTIST OF THE MONTH
AUGUST 2016
MARCELLA KUROWSKI
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“War Paint” 46″x46″ acrylic and paint marker on canvas 2016
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Q. How would you describe your artwork/style?
A. Surreal character style
Q. What medium do you work in? A. Paint and Clay
Q. What inspires you?
A. Everything
Q. How do you think you’ve changed or developed as an artist?
A. I take life and myself a lot less seriously.
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“Empty Can of Worms” oil on canvas 50”x70”
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What is your process like?
I start with an uninhibited mess and I go through a process of building up and breaking down what I see in the organic shapes and forms. Bringing it to conclusion by detailing what appears, which is usually one or two central characters.
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“Empty Can of Worms” oil on canvas 50”x70”
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Q. Can you tell me about your experience collaborating with Jahmane West, Michael Clocks and Iyaba Ibo Mandingo creating a set design environment for the production of Oliver Reinvented?
A. It’s inspiring to work with such talented artists of different styles. We are all standing back and letting each individual style shine through. It’s diverse, colorful and laid back.
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Q. How is working in a theater environment different from you individual work? Have you learned anything new through this experience?
A. My individual work is completely uncensored and not preconceived, working in an environment where you are being asked to create something particular, that can be a tuff way to approach. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do my thing for our large collaborative piece. I needed to do characters, kids specifically. So I decided where they would be placed and made a couple of small controlled messes and built the characters out from that. This way I didn’t interfere too much with what every one else was doing. So I guess I got practice in learning some self control :]
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“Spector” 28″x 54″ acrylic, tinted gesso and paint marker on canvas 2015
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“Scrap” Acrylic, tinted gesso and paint marker on canvas 2015
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Q. Any other upcoming news, events, or anything else you’d like to share?
A. I have a lot more artwork coming your way. Stay tuned.
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