The Bridgeport Art Trail is a citywide arts venue open house celebrating its 10th year!
Attendees are invited to mingle with creative community and see how industrial and storefront spaces have been repurposed as artists studios, gallery spaces, and pop-ups. The Bridgeport-art-trail.org website and guide will provide the full weekend calendar of events to tour arts venues throughout the city: studios, gallery spaces, temporary pop-ups, receptions, artists demos, performances of music, spoken word, theatre, and more!
DOWNLOAD THE 2018 BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL GUIDE PDF
THURSDAY
NOVEMBER 8, 5:30 – 9:30
READ’S GROUND FLOOR GALLERY
1042 BROAD STREET
BRIDGEPORT CT 06604
The weekend begins with a Downtown BAT Kick-Off/Artists Party at the Read’s Ground Floor Gallery in the ArtSpace building.
Once the Read’s department, an anchor of the downtown shopping experience, it is now an artists’ living and working space. Artists, patrons, arts enthusiasts and the general public celebrate community, view art, and enjoy live music from the Park City All Stars a line-up of popular Bridgeport musicians organized especially for the BAT Artists’ Party by John Torres of Color Fields and Oh, Cassius!. John will be jamming with other all-star musicians and Bridgeport’s own Symphonic Bodega as the BAT house band, Christopher Cavaliere; Composer/Guitar/Vocals, Mike Colvolpe; Guitar, Kenny Owens; Drums, Alex Swift; Bass.
Exhibit: opening reception for Artists Choose Artists featuring new artwork from the Read’s community, as well as work chosen by Read’s artists.
Enjoy our community, music, art, food and beverages.
Special thanks to our party sponsors and partners City Lights, the City of Bridgeport, the Downtown Special Services District, Spread Music Now and the Donor Advised Fund of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.
This is a party not to miss!
SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 8-11
1. NEW!: Art-To-Go Billboard Project
2. NEW EVENT: Latin America-NA Live Music at The Bijou Theatre
3. NEW VENUE: Mongers Market
4. NEW VENUE: City Lights Vintage
5. NEW EVENT: Downtown Block pARTy
6. NEW VENUE: Bridgeport Art Trail Artists Pop-Up at AMFAB II
7. NEW EVENT: Thomas Mezzanotte “I See What You Meme” & Open Studio
8. NEW EVENT: Pechakucha Storytelling & Closing Party
9. A SPECIAL TRIBUTE: Peter Konsterlie: A Retrospective
10. NEW PROGRAMMING: Bridgeport Audio Trail (BAT)
NEW!: Art-To-Go Billboard Project
CALL FOR BRIDGEPORT ART:
“ART TO-GO” Billboard on I-95
ART TO-GO, on I-95 Digital Billboard is a collaboration with the city of Bridgeport to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bridgeport Art Trail by monthly showcasing a local artist.
Executive Director Suzanne Kachmar thanks the city for this partnership and says, ““ The arts and culture are a natural resource of humanity that needs to be protected, just as we protect forests, air and water supplies. Artists and cultural traditions demonstrate how resilience can be transformed into beauty, solve problems, pass down heritage and build community. Bridgeport artists epitomize this. They are a cultural resource from diverse backgrounds, specializing in a variety of artforms. This billboard project reflects the creativity and potential that is rejuvenating Bridgeport.
ART TO-GO billboard graphic design is contributed by Hatch 130. City Lights is a grateful recipient of the Hatch Initiative.
CALL FOR BRIDGEPORT ART – “ART-TO-GO” BILLBOARD PROJECT
NEW EVENT: Latin America-NA Live Music at The Bijou Theatre
Friday, November 9th at 8 p.m.
Rick Reyes of the Cosmic Jibarros has crafted an eclectic fusion of Latin, Bluegrass, Blues, Country and Folk performed by a line-up of outstanding musicians even adding some ‘Beatnik-style’ spoken word by poet Iyaba Ibo Mandingo, accompanied by bassist Rich Zurkowsky. Other musicians include, Dan Carlucciof Hitch and Giddy-Up with vocals and guitar, Jordan Jancz on cello, Chris Stanley ‘Gospel’ drums and more.
The Savorcity group meets up next door at Eat Noodle before going to the Bijou. Or visit neighboring restaurants Trattoria A’Vucchella or Milano Wine & Pizza Bar, all on Fairfield Avenue.
Admission $12 to benefit the BAT, Bijou and WPKN.
WPKN radio will broadcast live on 89.5 fm.
NEW VENUE: Mongers Market
1155 Railroad Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605
Business Hours: Sundays 10 am – 4pm
203-326-0904 / info@mongers-market.com / mongers-market.com
Newly opened this summer! A palatial 75,000-square-foot market filled with antique, vintage and salvaged objects from a collection of mongers (aka dealers). Items are uniquely displayed and you’ll discover authentic, reclaimed inventory including doors, windows, light fixtures, lumber, furniture, architectural elements, wrought iron, sinks, lockers, bins, fireplace mantels, machine legs, shutters, etc. The inventory is ever changing and new pieces are brought in weekly.
Mongers Market will get your creative juices flowing and very likely inspire DIY projects for your home, workspace or gardens. Use an antique door for a headboard, or bowling alley lanes for a table top, or reclaimed wood for a shelf. Buying salvaged and reclaimed materials helps our environment by keeping usable artifacts out of our landfills.
Come on in to shop or rent a booth to sell with like-minded mongers/dealers. Free parking on premises.
NEW VENUE: City Lights Vintage
265 Golden Hill, Bridgeport CT 06604
Create your style with vintage clothes, accessories, radios, camera, toys, antiques, collectibles, nostalgic art and housewares – the inventory is always changing.
Event: Shop and Munch
Saturday, November 10; 12 pm to 4 pm
Sunday, November 11; 12 pm to 4 pm
Enjoy a nostalgic shopping experience in downtown Bridgeport. Find pieces that reflect your personal interests and tastes.
NEW EVENT: Downtown Block pARTy
Friday, November 9th, 5-10 p.m.
On Friday, November 9th, the pARTy begins on Main Street between Fairfield Avenue and Elm Street (stops #24-25), 5pm-10pm. The Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Council, BLENDS gallery, Design Night Out and I Luv Bpt join forces to activate a block full art, conversation, music good vibes, vitality, networking, friend-making, food and drink. Congrats to BLENDS Gallery (Stop #25) celebrating its one year anniversary in downtown Bridgeport.
Design Night Out, 1135 Main Street
Friday, November 9; 6 pm to 9 pm
Design Night Out is an event series that takes a creative theme and explores how great design is transforming that theme here in Connecticut. The featured topic this year is “PAINT”. Enjoy an evening with an open bar, food, music, networking friend-making, and fun! Check dnoct.com for more information.
NEW VENUE: Bridgeport Art Trail Artists Pop-Up at AMFAB II
Saturday, November 10; 11 am to 5 pm
Sunday, November 11; 11 am to 5 pm
Local artists gather to create and exhibit and vending space.
The Bridgeport Art Trail welcomes AFII in its 1st year of Open Studios, showcasing a new community of artists in their studios where the creative process happens in this recently renovated factory building near the Bridgeport/Stratford line. AFII’s group of artists are engaged in diverse practices, offering affordable art for sale. Am Fab II artists include: Carole McClintock, Diane Dunne, Janet Rathert and Anna Hill.
Christina Blais Art Quilter: Christina uses fabric that others have cast off to create art quilts that reflect the physical, social, spiritual and historic worlds as she perceives them in all their beauty, complexity, simplicity and emotion. Christinablais.com
Veronica Martins: Brazilian, artist specializing in drawing faces graffiti and teaching art to children. She also can be commissioned for large scale works. veronicaartscenter.com
Jay Misencik & Geralene Valentine at AFII
Photographers
The Bridgeport Portrait Project is a photo/audio/video documentary style, cultural heritage project that introduces you to the people who are Bridgeport. Event: The Bridgeport Portrait Project Saturday, November 10; 10 am to 5 pm Sunday, November 11; 10 am to 5 pm Jay Misencik and Geralene Valentine present slide shows/videos from their ongoing Bridgeport Portrait Project and other Bridgeport-based photo projects they have produced. The Bridgeport Portrait Project is a documentary-style cultural heritage project that will introduce you to people who make the City of Bridgeport much more than just a place. Jay and Geralene invite you to come share your memories of Bridgeport and volunteer to be included in their project.
NEW EVENT: Thomas Mezzanotte “I See What You Meme” Exhibit & Open Studio
Art Trail attendees will have the unique opportunity to view the one person exhibit of the work of Tom Mezzanotte at City Lights Gallery. Get a peek behind-the-scenes with a tour of his studio in the American Fabrics Arts Building on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 10 & 11, 2018.
About the Exhibit
Viewers are prompted to consider the history of photography, the camera obscura, and the process of sight. In this digital age, photographic imagery is ubiquitous. This provocative exhibit focuses on the basics of vision and how it has been influenced by the invention of the camera and mathematical perspective. Thomas’s mind-bending photography represents his extensive exploration into the evolution of visual cognition.
This exhibit focuses on work made exclusively with pinhole cameras and film. The rudimentary tools that he makes himself, harken back to the origins of photography. By manipulating the shape and orientation of the negative in the camera he creates provocative distortions of the human form. He is intrigued by the curvature of the retina in the human eye and what this suggest about how we see the world. The exhibit poses this question, “Why do we imagine the world as if it is projected onto a flat plain, when in fact the image of the world we see is projected onto a curved surface at the rear of the eye?”
Open Studio – American Fabrics Building
Bridgeport Art Trail visitors will have the rare opportunity to view the exhibit at City Lights Gallery and then tour Thomas’s working studio at the American Fabrics Building (#1). Thomas will host an open house on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 10 &11 where the public can further discuss Thomas’s perspective and process and view more of his art and his impressive collection of antique cameras. Attendees can enjoy the gallery exhibit coupled with a studio tour experience, only scheduled during the Bridgeport Art Trail weekend.
http://www.thomasmezzanotte.com/
NEW EVENT: Pechakucha Storytelling & Closing Party
Come cheer on your artist friends, tell your story, chit chat… The Art of Conversation and Community, PechaKucha – Bridgeport, Storytelling, and the BAT Closing Party Sunday November 11; 6 pm to 9 pm.
PechaKucha Night Bridgeport brings people together from diverse backgrounds to listen to great personal stories and learn from each other in a casual and authentic atmosphere. PechaKucha means “chit-chat” in Japanese. Speakers present their stories accompanied by 20 slides, shown for 20 seconds each, resulting in a total time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds. This licensed format keeps presentations focused and fastpaced.
PechaKucha nights are organized by local community members and described as “live events with real people telling real srtories.” Talks are uploaded to an international website including 1000 participating cities.
Bridgeport Art Trail artists will be among the presenters at this Sunday evening gathering, also serving as the closing party of the BAT weekend, celebrating the art of conversation and community. Confirmed presenters are: Ina Anderson, Michelle Blacksmith, Alicia Cobb, Lauren Coakley Vincent, Iyaba Ibo Mandingo, Tom Mezzanotte, Thomas Patsaneka, Liz Torres.
$1 contribution goes to the international PechaKucha organization. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2102310943338181/
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE: Peter Konsterlie: A Retrospective
Thursday, November 8; 11 am to 4 pm
Friday, November 9; 11 am to 4 pm
Opening Reception
Saturday, November 10; 3 pm to 5 pm
This exhibition celebrates the life and works of Peter Konsterlie. Peter was the Gallery Director of the Schelfhaudt Gallery for the past 15 years. As Director of the University’s Schelfhaudt Gallery, he produced exemplary exhibitions for the school and broader community. Peter was a prolific and passionate visual artist. He brought a unique perspective to his paintings integrating several visual styles from pop art to abstract expressionism. His drips of paint combined with spray paint formed patterns, becoming a structure on the canvas for his metaphysical themed abstracts.
NEW PROGRAMMING: Bridgeport Audio Trail (BAT)
On Sunday, November 11, from noon to 2 pm, tune into WPKN while traveling the many venues of the Bridgeport Art Trail. WPKN radio programmers David Golden & Joseph Celli present an Audio Open House with Bridgeport composers, songwriters, electronic musicians, and more with a Live Audience. This WPKN broadcast features the diverse and eclectic range of creative music being produced in Bridgeport including acoustic and electronic music. Take WPKN with you on your Art Trail tour and sample the growing community of Bridgeport composers and musicians at WPKN 89.5FM.
