FEBRUARY FIRST FRIDAY + SATURDAY with the Circle City Industrial Complex Artists

+Saturday also overlaps the Winter Farmers Market in the south end of the building.

+Saturday (pronounced “Plus Saturday”) was created by the CCIC Artists in recognition of the demand of alternatives to First Friday. As the evening can become very crowded with many events throughout the city, having additional time to appreciate art and interact with artists has become a priority. Together, the two events become “First Friday + Saturday,” and allow visitors to the CCIC time to take in the work of the 90 artists throughout the building.

The Circle City Industrial Complex has become a destination for art appreciators and supporters of local work, with the total number of artists working within the CCIC to around 90. Just northeast of the Mass Ave. Art and Theatre Cultural District, at 1125 Brookside Ave., the CCIC Artists First Friday programming is a must-see stop, while events and viewable hours continue throughout the month.

The Main Entrance of the building (identified by its black marble façade) provides easy access to both the South Studios and the North Studios (with a wheelchair accessible ramp and elevator). Maps of the building are also available in several locations to help visitors find all that the building has to offer.

For more listings and event updates please visit https://ccicindyartists.wordpress.com, or the CCIC Artists Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ccicartists

Events:

Schwitzer Gallery
Todd Matus will present “Scenes from a Novel,” an exhibit based on a book written and illustrated by Matus, bearing the same name. “Set in 1988, the book follows a couple on their summer road trips,” Matus said. “Because of all the dying trees they see, they conclude that the world is ending due to global warming, but what is ending is equally complicated and sad, and sometimes funny.” Matus will perform two readings of several chapters during the evening, at 7:30pm and 8:30pm. In the nearby LITMUS gallery, Matus’s usual space, there will be a memorial exhibit of the work of Debra Siewert, a photographer and clothing designer. Siewert was the Curator of Costume at the Indiana State Museum in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and was the basis for the character “Cindy” in “Scenes from a Novel.” The Schwitzer Gallery is located on the second floor of the North Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY.

Jeffrey Allen & Cutting Edge Craftsmen
Metal sculptors Jeffrey Allen and the Cutting Edge Craftsmen have practiced the craft of welding and sculpting for over 20 years. Allen, a former active duty Marine, has traveled the world and his art is influenced by the world’s beauty and mythology. Jeffrey Allen and the Cutting Edge Craftsmen are located on first floor, in the back corridor.

Joseph Arens
Joseph Arens will show paintings from his Panel Work and Arches series, along with additional one-off works and a back catelog for visitors to leaf through. Arens is an Indianapolis-based artist with a Bachelor of Fine Art from Calvin University, focusing on sculpture and contemporary installation, and attending the New York Center for Art and Media Studies. Joseph Arens is located on the second floor of the North Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY
wwww.josepharens.com

Arts & Images by Anthony Armstrong
Anthony Armstrong presents a collection of paintings and additional photographic prints for his “Pulse 317—Images Capturing Everyday Life in My City: Indianapolis” series. Armstrong is a self-taught abstract painter and photographer. “Often times, we are moving through the day so quickly, we forget to look at our surroundings and how every beat creates the pulse of the city,” Armstrong said. Anthony Armstrong is located in Studio B11 of the South Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY.
http://armstrongartsandimages.com

BEBITO Toys
Collage Valentine Card-Making: Artists Rachel Hedges and Vanessa Monfreda will host an all-ages activity outside the Bebito Studio during the February First Friday. Visitors are encouraged to create their own unique Valentine card using paper collage techniques. Demonstration and collage materials are provided and free of cost. Rachel Hedges presents an independent toy-maker and designer in Indianapolis since 2006. BEBITO Toys are created from re-purposed, up-cycled, and found materials, along with intricate hand embroidery and applique to create a unique product of outstanding quality. BEBITO Toys is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
http://www.bebitotoys.com

Lydia Burris Studio S-09
Lydia Burris is a mixed media artist working with surreal mythic imagery and dark themes, experimenting with various forms of materials and media—from traditional painting to collage and 3D assemblages. She presents in her studio a series of altered vessels and “Bottles of Weird,” magic potion bottles with unique and strange labels, along with new work, such as “Carousing with Destiny,” a collage piece recently on display in Chicago and now returned home. Burris teaches studio art classes at Ivy Tech and often vends at fantasy and horror conventions. She graduated from IU Bloomington with a double major in Fine Art and “Illustration of Mythology” through the independent major program, and she achieved her masters of Fine Art from the Norwich School of Art and Design in Norwich, England in 2005. Lydia Burris is located on the second floor of the South Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY

Chelsea Rene/CRScribbles
Chelsea Rene presents “A Flower by Any Other Name: an abstracted collection in bloom,” an experimental series attempting to broaden Chelsea’s ‘doodle’ style. “I’m drawn to nature more for color inspiration but as these evolved from sketchbook to paper,” Chelsea explained. “They started looking more and more like flowers and I just ran with it.” An Indianapolis native, Chelsea studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before going on to nursing school, always doodling in the margins of her notebooks. After a time in rehab and recovery, Chelsea Rene has now approached doodling for its meditative styling, and has begun to explore different inks and media. Chelsea Rene/CRScribbles is located on the second floor of the North Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY

Matthew Cooper
Matthew Cooper presents “Expressions,” a show showcasing historical events and figures of the African American community, allowing viewers to see a new colorful perspective of the outstanding, resilience and determined history of the African and African-American people. “My work is my energy,” Cooper said. “I feel my work allows people from all age groups to understand history through a more creative and colorful lens, allowing us to begin to have a conversation to break down barriers.” Matthew Cooper is located on the second floor of the North Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY.

Daily Epiphany Studio
Michele Burns and Kurt Kriese will share the evening in Studio B17. Kriese will show landscapes, large abstract paintings, and stained glass, while Burns will feature “Nightlight Art,” photoluminescent paintings and mobiles painted with her own photoluminescent paint recipe that retains its glow all night long. Burns experiments with all-over layors of photoluminescence on canvas (as opposed to pattern or representational art), and with changing viscosity and tint in my photoluminescent paints, and discovering how they drip on vertical canvases. “I love the surprise of having one composition by day and a second that appears when the lights go out,” Burns said. “I retreat from time to time, as I create, to a windowless bathroom where I can see what the nighttime artwork will be.” Daily Epiphany Studio B17 is located in the South Studios.
https://www.instagram.com/daily_epiphany_studios_
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9fFO9vMU

Darkroom Revelations – Gallery C7A
Darkroom Revelations will present “Men of the Riviera.” This exhibit features a variety of images by men from the Riviera Camera Club. Their work, both color and black and white subjects, has received recognition by jurists throughout Indiana and beyond. Darkroom Revelations – Gallery C7A located on the first floor of the North Studios.

Stephanie Doty
​Stephanie Doty, artist and faculty at Herron School of Art and Design, will explorations in ceramics tied to her paintings. “I am interested in trying to translate the textures I use in my paintings into ceramics and glaze,” Doty said. Stephanie Doty’s studio is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Five Seasons Studio
Five Seasons Studio hosts James Hubbard, an Indianapolis printmaker, who also practices at the Thorntown Press @ Sugar Creek Art Center, in Thorntown, Indiana. “Monotypes & Mixed Media by James Hubbard” will present new landscapes, waterscapes, and floral printed works. “Magic happens in the print studio,” Hubbard said. “Being responsive to my process, materials, and subject is a large part of that magic. Art is about the creative process. The more organic a work, the greater it resonates with both myself, and the viewer. A viewer completes the creative process that I put into motion.” Beyond the First Friday opening, the Five Seasons Studio will be open on Saturday, February 15th and Saturday, February 22nd, 12 -4pm. Five Seasons Studio is located on the first floor of the North Studios, across from Lick Ice Cream.
www.jhubbardprints.net

Full Circle Nine Gallery
Nathan Winship Smith and his show “Tinctured Imagery: Precious Art Objects & Other Funny Jokes,” a collection his pottery and ceramics, will be featured at the Full Circle Nine Gallery (FC9). “We have a lot of serious stuff to tackle as a human species,” Winship Smith said, of his latest pottery and ceramic work. “So hopefully the color and fun will lighten folks up and make a little more room within themselves and within their relationships for unpacking some of that more serious stuff that really needs tending to.” Full Circle Nine Gallery is located in the South Studios, in B21. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY.
fullcirclenine.com

Matt Hurdle Fine Art
Matt Hurdle Fine Art presents “This Is the Modern World,” new mixed media abstract artwork. “My new exhibit is a departure from my atmospheric contemporary landscapes,” Hurdle said. “These new abstracts illicit a feeling of fun and energy and are much more whimsical, yet can coexist within my calm and serene landscapes.” Beyond First Friday, Matt Hurdle will be opening his studio on weekdays, 10am-2pm. Matt Hurdle is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Indy Artsy & Project Lia
Indy Artsy and Project Lia celebrate their new combined space, just down the sidewalk from Indy Artsy’s previous location. Home to ceramics artist Julie Edwards, Indy Artsy gathers together an eclectic collection of handmade items, from clothing, to jewelry, to soaps and snacks; making it easy to find the perfect gift. Project Lia provides employment and job training to formerly incarcerated women, creating unique finds all made from locally sourced and reclaimed materials. Indy Artsy and Project Lia are located on the first floor of the North Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY.
https://www.facebook.com/Indyartsy1

LadArt
Dr. Larry Lad finds his own style in his studio space at the CCIC with “Replication.” Larry Lad works in recycled cardboard, Masonite, and plywood while collecting unique materials and assembling them “in different ways.” “From music to visual art, we learn by imitating those we admire,” Lad said. “It’s part of the path to finding our own voice and style.” LadArt is located in the first floor corridor of the CCIC, accessible through both the North and South Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY.

Nancy Lee Designs
Jewelry and metal artist Nancy Lee will be presenting bespoke gifts and will include new designs in sterling silver and gold. Nancy Lee Designs is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
ndesignsmetal.com

Sara Love & Sylvia Gray Art Studio
The Sara Love and Sylvia Gray Studio presents Sara Love’s “Snap Shots,” paintings of land and sky from the highways across America. Sylvia Gray will have a collection of her silk work. “I love the freedom of painting on silk. My silk wearables and paintings will be on display. Hope you will enjoy my work as much as I have creating it,” Gray said. Sara Love is an artist and graphic designer born in Indianapolis and graduated from Herron School of Art and Design with a BFA in visual communications. Sara Love and Sylvia Gray Studio is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Katrina J. Murray Studio and Gallery
Katrina J. Murray Studio and Gallery will feature ceramic sculpture, collage and oil paintings. Murray considers all of her works to be collage. Educated at the Herron School of Art and Design and Ivy Tech, Katrina Murray studied art history in Italy and lived for a time in Germany. A native of Brown County, Indiana, Murray now makes her home in Indianapolis and has held a longtime studio at the CCIC. Katrina J. Murray Studio and Gallery is hidden away with beautiful light and windows on the second floor of the North Studios. Click here to read the latest review: https://bit.ly/2DcUnZ0

Genna Pianki | SO2 |
Impressionistic contemporary painter Genna Pianki will be showing a collection of work from throughout the previous year of urban landscapes.  Genna Pianki | SO2 | is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
gennainblue.com

Kristy Quinn
Sculptural artist Kristy Quinn turns any texture that meets her hands into a work of art, giving visitors a peek into her process. Kristy Quinn is located in S30 on the second floor of the North Studios.

Amelia Rose
Amelia Rose presents an exploration of color, inspired by flowers and atmosphere, with her contemporary paintings in oil and acrylics. This University of Tennessee grad cherishes memories of her grandmother’s greenhouse, gardens and love of growing flowers. “Hopefully, my work will provide some joy and peace in the exploration of color and light and give an overall impression of a moment of time,” Rose said. Amelia Rose is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Katie Sahm
Become a New Creation artist Katie Sahm presents “Healing Waters,” a collection of mixed media work. Experience her reflections on the complete reliance we have on water for our total well-being and very life, both physically and spiritually. Katie uses vibrant and high-contrasting colors, lines, and textures creating compelling compositions and movement within each piece. “I have been wanting to focus on this theme for a while now and am finally getting to it! ‘I Thirst’ keeps echoing in my mind and each painting is a reflection of the deep longing we have inside for intimacy, healing, belonging, and peace,” Sahm said. Katie Sahm is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Steiner Studios
Steiner Studios presents “Kismet.” “Kismet means fate, or destiny,” Radie Steiner said. “We have been told how we met was ‘kismet.’ We met through our art. So it’s fitting that we have an exhibit that merges our art. We love creating art for inspiring and uplifting people.” Evan Steiner is an abstract painter and Radie Steiner is a photographer, and both enjoy showing their work and how complimentary it is to each other, much like the artists themselves. One wall in their space is dedicated to Indianapolis art, exotic art, abstract art, and Indiana landscapes. Steiner Studios is located on the first floor of the North Studios. ALSO OPEN +SATURDAY

Weeds and Wonder
Lauren Reiner describes her art as ethereal, spiritual, and energetic. “I feel that it connects to a part of us that is beneath the surface, continually shaping and reforming, a part of us that is unattached to our social constructs,” said Reiner. She enjoys working with watercolor, acrylic, chalks, pencils, pens, and image transfers of her own photography, to explore the limits and range of each medium. An IU grad raised in Indianapolis, Reiner has a background in black and white photography and digital video, and also teaches creative classes and workshops that incorporate breathe work, movement, self-care, and intentional creative habit strategies. Her show will provide “glimpses of ever-changing layers of being and the space between where we are, and where we want to be.” Weeds and Wonder is located in S37 on the second floor of the North Studios.

Cindy Wingo @ Wingo Studio
Cindy Wingo presents “Abstract Narratives” in her studio, showing stories told through abstraction. After beginning her career as a graphic designer, Wingo has been painting for over 28 years. “Years ago, my work was tightly realistic but after a few years, I began expressing myself through abstraction and never looked back,” Wingo said. “I’ve found abstraction to be a sanctuary in which I can communicate so many things without exposing myself completely. Each painting tells a story.” Cindy Wingo and Wingo Studio is located on the second floor of the South Studios, to the left when using the center stairs and entry.

About the Circle City Industrial Complex Artists

The Circle City Industrial Complex (CCIC) is a nearly half-million square foot industrial building, located at 1125 Brookside Ave., and was formerly home to the Schwitzer automotive company. Its industrial appeal remains and artists and artisans have made the space their home, carving cozy studio, work, and show spaces from the concrete and steel structure, and the CCIC Artists have grown in number to over 50 galleries, individual artists and artisans. The main artist entries are the North Studios entrance and the South Studios entrance, each marked with signage along Brookside Avenue. The CCIC provides free parking in a large lot, and is accessible by the Pogue’s Run Trail, connecting to the Monon Trail and the downtown Cultural Trail system. The complex also offers other art-supporting destinations such as the Centerpoint Brewery, Lick Ice Cream, and Eighth Day Distillery.

For more information on the building, please visit: http://circlecityind.com
For more information on the artists please visit: https://ccicindyartists.wordpress.com/