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BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL NEWSLETTER
Welcome to our Bridgeport Art Trail newsletter, providing a listing of arts and cultural events.
It’s officially Fall and we at the Bridgeport Art Trail have plenty for you to fill up your calendars with including art openings, live theatre, an artists/arts enthusiasts mixer and more!
Don’t miss an opening reception TONIGHT at The Housatonic Museum of Art for “Body & Soul”: prints, paintings, photographs, and sculpture from the Ben Ortiz and Victor P. Torchia, Jr. Collection.
The Mayor’s Gallery @ 999 presents “Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month” with a special exhibit assembled by City Lights Gallery. Edwin Rivera will provide music at the opening reception Friday, September 23rd, 5:30-7:30pm.
305 Studios hosts a Boathouse Bash inviting all Bridgeport artists and creative minds, lets come together for a night of social fun and togetherness.
Plus, on view at The Nest don’t miss SPUN juried innovative fiber exhibit. Juror Dr Linda Wolk-Simon, director and curator of the Fairfield University Art Museum, choose works by 20 artists from across the US and Canada.
You can’t stop the beat at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre with performances of “Hairspray”. At The Klein Greater Bridgeport Symphony Presents: Dvorak – And Beyer’s Back!
WE’RE FEATURING A SPECIAL TRIBUTE THIS MONTH.
Artists participated in the segment “Artists Remember Karen Loprete”
After her sudden passing last month we celebrate her life, her creativity, and her kind and happy spirit.
City Lights Gallery is hosting a special exhibition “The Fibers of Her Being”.
“The walls of City Lights are bursting with color, pattern, whimsy, joyful exuberance a bit of controlled chaos- counter balanced by deep thought. These works are a testament to the nature of the artist and her approach to living. We invite you to stand in the existential presence of Karen Loprete. Be surrounded by her fabric artworks and soak in her vision and vitality and pass the positivity forward.” -Suzanne Kachmar, City Lights Gallery
Visit the full calendar of Bridgeport Art listings at the Bridgeport Art Trail Website. |
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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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Red and Blue States by Ruben Marroquin Cotton and bamboo yarns embroidered over canvas, 32″ X 50″
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VISUAL ART: “Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month”
Artists Reception: Friday, September 23rd, 5:30-7:30pm
On View: September 23rd-October 15th, 2016.
The Mayor’s Gallery at 999
Margaret Morton Government Center
999 Broad Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604
Event Description: Come celebrate Hispanic Heritage month with a special exhibit assembled by City Lights Gallery. Edwin Rivera will provide music at the opening reception Friday, September 23rd, 5:30-7:30pm.
The exhibit features local latino artists Benjamin Casiano, Rosa Colon, Carlos Davila, Carolina Gumarey, Ruben Marroquin, Ricky Mestre, Yoanada Vasquez Petrocelli. The countries represented include: Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, US Venezuela
More Info
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SPECIAL EVENT: 2016 Downtown Farmers Market
Thursdays, 12-4pm
McLevy GreenEVENT DESCRIPTION:
2016 DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET
The Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District’s (DSSD) Downtown Farmers Market will be open every Thursday from 12-4pm until October 27th.
LIVE MUSIC AND ARTIn 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.
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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SPECIAL EVENT: 305 Studios: Boathouse Bash
Saturday, September 24th, 6pm-12am
Doors open at 6pm
305 Knowlton Street, Bridgeport, CT
Event Description: To all Bridgeport artists and creative minds, lets come together for a night of social fun and togetherness.
We are extending a big welcoming invitation to the neighboring Art buildings: American Fabrics, Reads Building, The Nest, Citylights, as well as others, to bring together local Artist and have a little Pre Art Trail Bash…
So BYOB, BRING your favorite artist friend — But please DON’T BRING your own car! CARPOOL if possible, as parking is great, but maybe the turnout better!
Event will be held in the Boathouse building behind 305 Knowlton Street, Bridgeport CT
*Please note:
This event has a small cover at the door to help fund this and future events. Also, remember your ID as they will be checked at the door.
$5 Entrance Fee: 6-7pm, $10 after
More Info
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LIVE THEATER: HAIRSPRAY
Downtown Cabaret Theatre Company, Bridgeport, CT
Friday, September 23, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Shows: September 23rd-October 16th
Winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, HAIRSPRAY is a family-friendly musical piled bouffant high with laughter, romance, and deliriously tuneful songs. It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire — to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network, all without denting her ‘do!
Director: Christy McIntosh-Newsom
Musical Director: Eli Newsom
Choreographer: Lindsay Johnson
More Info
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LIVE MUSIC: GREATER BRIDGEPORT SYMPHONY PRESENTS: DVORAK — AND BEYER’S BACK!
The Klein
Saturday, September 24th, 7pm
Event Description: The season premiere concert marks the triumphant return of piano virtuoso Alex Beyer, who recently won the bronze medal in the Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels, over dozens of pianists from around the globe; later this year, he will compete as one of only five national finalists at the year-long American Pianists’ Award competition in Indianapolis. Beyer will join GBS to perform Beethoven’s joyous Second Piano Concerto. This is a homecoming for Beyer, a native of Fairfield, who in addition to achieving world acclaim as a pianist in his 22 years, is a senior mathematics major at Harvard, with his eyes on the stars – he’d like to become an astronaut.
The concert also features the lively sounds of Shostakovich’s Waltz from Jazz Suite #2, a mid-20th century work, and concludes with Dvořák’s celebratory 8th Symphony. “It’s a very full evening of music, and it just radiates joy,” says GBS Music Director Eric Jacobsen.
DATE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016
VENUE: THE KLEIN
TIME: PRE CONCERT LECTURE AT 7:00PM CONCERT AT 8:00PM
TICKETS: $15, $29, $39, $49, $59
More Info
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| VISUAL ART: “The Fiber of Her Being, the Art of Karen Loprete””
City Lights Gallery
Exhibit Description: City Lights Gallery hosts “The Fiber of Her Being the Art of Karen Loprete”.
The walls of City Lights are bursting with color, pattern, whimsy, joyful exuberance a bit of controlled chaos- counter balanced by deep thought. These works are a testament to the nature of the artist and her approach to living. We invite you to stand in the existential presence of Karen Loprete. Be surrounded by her fabric artworks and soak in her vision and vitality and pass the positivity forward.
Regretfully the artist will not be present at the reception that is being planned for a date in October. She passed suddenly last month. We will celebrate her life, her creativity, and her kind and happy spirit.
City Lights thanks Karen’s devoted husband John Loprete and family and close friend Christina Blais for their generosity of time and act of love to create this exhibit and celebrate an artful life although too short, well lived. Reception Details to be come: www.citylightsgallery.org
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“Opening” by Wen Redmond from the SPUN innovative fiber exhibit at the NEST Arts Factory Gallery
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VISUAL ART: SPUN Juried Innovative Fiber Exhibit
The Nest Arts Factory
On View: Sept 10 – Oct 3, 2016Event Description:
SPUN is a juried innovative fiber exhibit. Juror Dr Linda Wolk-Simon, director and curator of the Fairfield University Art Museum, choose works by 20 artists from across the US and Canada. Now in its 4th year, this acclaimed exhibit is an international survey of cutting edge work made of fiber or that references fiber in a wide array of techniques, materials, and methods. Please join us for a drink and a bite to eat to celebrate the opening.
The NEST Arts Factory featured member of the month in September is Barbara Dierolf, a portrait artist and fiber artist. Barbara’s work will be displayed in the NEST’s West Hall Gallery and includes a series of ice-dyed mandala tapestries.
The NEST Arts Factory is located at 1720 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport. The NEST Gallery is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 12-4 pm and by appointment. For more details about the NEST Arts Factory, the Gallery, or about this or future events, please visit www.nestartsfactory.com |
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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 Bridgeport Art Trail 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.
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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A SPECIAL ARTIST OF THE MONTH TRIBUTE
ARTISTS REMEMBER KAREN LOPRETE
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Kristina Blais
How did you know Karen Loprete and how would you describe her?
I met Karen at my first Studio Art Quilt Association meeting in 2012. At that meeting I learned that Karen was known for sharing unique work that included many forms of embellishment. She talked to me after the meeting, told me we were neighbors, and invited me to get together. For the past four years we have been great friends, and travel and quilting companions. |
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How did she impact you as an artist?
Karen was my first art quilting friend and mentor.
Karen encouraged me to not give up, to explore, and provided constructive criticism and helped me to see things as they were.
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Do you have a favorite memory you would like to share?
Karen was with me the day I picked up a rescue dog. I was driving and it was Karen’s job to keep the dog in the back seat. We laughed and laughed as the dog did the opposite of whatever we wanted him to do, and I was so happy to have her helping me negotiate his first day home.
Anything else you’d like to include?
Karen took a very serious approach to her whimsical work. I remember her saying that when a piece was near completion, she would determine if it was “worthy” of her “stitchery,” meaning would she put in the hours to bead or embroider over the top of it. We are so blessed to have her work in the world, and I truly miss my friend.
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Iyaba Mandingo
How did you know Karen Loprete and how would you describe her?
I meet Karen at The Nest several years ago…I would describe her as a walking talking flower. I love her sense of color and form and her technical skills were awesome…her smile was 100% authentic.
Do you have a favorite memory you would like to share?
There is always music playing from my studio…be it Reggae Afrobeat or me playing my bongos and as long as my Sista Karen was in the building I could expect her to knock on the door and dance in with her smile…I’m smiling writing this now…miss your vibrations Sista!!!
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“Empty Can of Worms” oil on canvas 50”x70”
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Jane Davila
How did you know Karen Loprete and how would you describe her?
I’ve known Karen for over 10 years. She was a delightfully warm, kind-hearted, funny, and beautiful soul.
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How did she impact you as an artist?
It was a pleasure to see how fearless she was in her use of color and form. Her compositions exploded out of the fabric with texture and vibrancy. Her joy in her art and artmaking process was infectious and it inspired me and everyone else around her to find the same joy.
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Do you have a favorite memory you would like to share?
In 2006 Karen’s work had been accepted into the first iteration of the innovative fiber art show, SPUN, which I am the director of. Karen, her husband John, son Sam, and her mom and dad came to the opening reception. The pure happiness that she felt at the reception shown on her face and the love and pride that her whole family had for her and felt in her accomplishment that evening was beautiful to behold.
Anything else you’d like to include?
Karen’s wit, intelligence, talent, and free spirit will be missed by the Bridgeport art community and especially by her art family at the NEST Arts Factory. You couldn’t help but smile and laugh when you talked to her and you can’t help but smile when you see her work.
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VISUAL ART: “The Fiber of Her Being, the Art of Karen Loprete””
City Lights Gallery
Exhibit Description: City Lights Gallery hosts “The Fiber of Her Being the Art of Karen Loprete”.
The walls of City Lights are bursting with color, pattern, whimsy, joyful exuberance a bit of controlled chaos- counter balanced by deep thought. These works are a testament to the nature of the artist and her approach to living. We invite you to stand in the existential presence of Karen Loprete. Be surrounded by her fabric artworks and soak in her vision and vitality and pass the positivity forward.
Regretfully the artist will not be present at the reception that is being planned for a date in October. She passed suddenly last month. We will celebrate her life, her creativity, and her kind and happy spirit.
City Lights thanks Karen’s devoted husband John Loprete and family and close friend Christina Blais for their generosity of time and act of love to create this exhibit and celebrate an artful life although too short, well lived. Reception Details to be come: www.citylightsgallery.org
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