October FIRST FRIDAY with the Circle City Industrial Complex Artists

As the CCIC follows state and county regulations, masks are no longer required for vaccinated visitors but are highly encouraged, and individual artist studios may continue to require masks within their space. The CCIC is a 500,000 square foot building, making social distancing somewhat easier than other venues, but the smaller studios may also maintain limitations on visitor numbers at times.

Open Studios and Galleries

Several studios and gallery spaces will be open throughout the building. This list is not all-encompassing; some artists may decide to open that night based on current information and comfort levels.

The Schwitzer Gallery
Located on the second floor of the North Studios, the Schwitzer Gallery will host the University of Indianapolis Art Therapy Program in Factotum: Art Therapist & Artist. Art therapists understand that art is inherently healing and life enhancing, but can easily forget to heed their own advice when it comes to self-care and wellness. Art is a multifaceted tool in an art therapist’s personal arsenal as a way to process vicarious trauma from their work as mental health clinicians, digest their own struggles in their personal lives, or provide release and joy through self-expression. This show displays work from Indiana Art Therapists and Art Therapy students who continue to find ways to explore the many faced identities as art therapist as well as artist.

Arts & Images by Anthony Armstrong
Anthony Armstrong presents an array of abstract paintings and fine art framed photography. Armstrong’s abstract paintings highlight bold colors, deep textures and layers in his mixed media presentations. Armstrong is a self-taught abstract painter and photographer. His photography tries to capture the essence of life from his various European destinations. Anthony Armstrong is located in the South Studios.

Bruce Armstrong
Anthony Armstrong’s father Bruce joins the South Studios, presenting his own abstract, minimalist and collage art for the first time in the Circle City Industrial Complex. Bruce Armstrong is located in the South Studios.

Aurora PhotoCenter
Aurora PhotoCenter is a nonprofit that serves Central Indiana photographic artists with exhibitions, residencies, workshops, visiting artist talks, and access to creative tools. As the only nonprofit in Indiana devoted exclusively to photography, Aurora is an essential hub for the medium in our arts community. Aurora also serves as a bridge between local artists and the greater photographic community, with a regional, national, and international scope, and is passionate about photography’s emotional and social power as an art medium in its own right. Aurora PhotoCenter is located on the first floor in the corridor.

Roberta Avidor
Roberta Avidor is an illustrator who creates representational art, dealing primarily in oils and watercolor. Avidor trades in a wide variety of themes and subjects from local, salt-of-the-Earth scenes to intriguing glass bottle paintings, to bicycle-themed compositions. Be ready to live again, on her artistic adventure. Roberta Avidor is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Bebito/Rachel Hedges
Bebito Toys understands the needs to have something soft and cuddly to handle at all times; after all, it’s a harsh world out there! Bebito features handmade plush toys from up-cycled and repurposed materials. They are cute, quirky, one-of-a-kind and created from original patterns by Rachel Hedges. Bebito Toys is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Stan Blevins
Stan Blevins is a painter living and working in Indianapolis. His work ranges from abstract to still life. Using a range of materials, primarily oil and enamel, his work has been described as “whimsical” and “pop surrealist.” Stan Blevins is located in the South Studios.

Aimee Bruno
Aimee Bruno is a mixed media artist who has a passion for vibrant colors and all that is abstract. Her works are thought-provoking and full of stories. Her focus is not only on the outcome of her process but also on trying new techniques and the overall journey of creation. She will be showcasing The Canvas, pieces created on wooden canvases and artwork that is canvas-less, featuring works of fiber art. Bruno says she’s proud of the pieces on display this month because the process to create them was such a fun journey. “I always enjoy talking about the work with patrons and I can’t wait to get their thoughts on this month’s works,” Bruno said. Aimee Bruno is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Daily Epiphany Studio: Michele Burns and Kurt Kriese
A duo for the ages. Michele Burns and Kurt Kriese hit with a double whammy of the experimental and the grounded; geometry and political commentary, the new and the old, and more besides. Be it patterns and texture or figure painting and stained glass, this has something for everybody. Burns uses photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) minerals that create a second “nightlight composition,” whereas Kriese deals in experimental mediums and is a gifted original landscape and figure painter. Daily Epiphany is located in the South Studios.

Darkroom Revelations
Darkroom Revelations is a gallery displaying the photography of its three owners—Tom Potter, Nancy Frass, and Gayle Moore—as well as exhibiting guest photographers from time to time. This month they will feature the outstanding landscape photography of Carmel resident Michael Jack in The View/My View. The Palouse region of Washington State is either a bucket list destination for photographers or an unknown name and location. This exhibit is a story of that area: Some of the beauty as well as some of the deterioration resulting from the consolidation of farms. Darkroom Revelations is located on the first floor of the North Studios.

Taylor Figg/Oliver Upside-Down
Oliver Upside Down is perfect if you’re “feline fine” on the October First Friday. The artist presents a collection of unique and playful cat-themed art, as well as catnip-filled toys. Figg also uses her art to give back where it’s most needed, with a portion of profits donated to local animal organizations. She has everything for furry friends and their human companions, including kickers, keychains, magnets, and stickers. The best way to support animals in need, while getting handmade artwork in exchange. Taylor Figg/Oliver Upside-Down is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Five Seasons Studio and Gallery
Martha Nahrwold creates her art with a centuries’ old technique of floating paints on water. Her marbled impressionism is known for her trees, landscapes and animals. An original CCIC Artist, Nahrwold has had her studio in the building for over 30 years! Nahrwold’s marbled impressionism is an ancient art form she manipulates into modern takes. “My art is created by floating acrylic inks on water, applied with an eye dropper, whisk, or glass rod,” Nahrwold said. “My landscapes often feature a path or road meandering through. Where will it take us? What’s on the other side? I look for peace, calmness, and serenity. I create those in my paintings and hope to share that with others in this crazy world.” Five Seasons Studio and Gallery is located on the first floor of the North Studios.

Full Circle Nine Gallery
Robin Frost-Bess’ Sisterhood – The Beauty and Strength of Women comes to the Full Circle Nine Gallery in October, best placed to impart the wisdom and understanding that the mother of three daughters, and herself the daughter of a family of artists could provide. The artist uses mixed media—acrylic paint, paper, and acrylic paint pens on canvas or board—to highlight the importance of women’s strength; as mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. The exhibition runs the gamut of issues inherent in a woman’s life and journey, from whimsical, to nature, to travel, and to important social issues. “I have been thinking lately about how strong we have to be in life… We women need to support each other. This show reflects strong, diverse women,” Robin Frost-Bess said. The Full Circle Nine Gallery is located on the first floor of the South Studios.

Victoria Gillieron
Victoria Gillieron decided that one day she wanted to become an artist. She got a studio and soon found she had absolutely no idea what she was doing. Other artists quickly came to her rescue, took her under their wings, and mentored her, providing not only painting instruction, but also information on where to buy supplies, frames, how to enter juried shows, etc. After years of intense study fixing millions of mistakes, and painting well over a couple of thousand paintings, Gillieron has developed an impressionistic style that allows her to capture brief moments of beauty with oil paints and a few brushes. Victoria Gillieron is located on the first floor of the South Studios.

Glass Arts Indiana, Inc.
Glass Arts Indiana creates a collaborative glass community to support emerging and established artists; host fun, interesting and educational events; increase appreciation and understanding of the glass arts; and promote glass-related opportunities in Indiana and the U.S. Finished works are available and visitors will get to see glass-blowing in action. Glass Arts Indiana, Inc. is located on the first floor, in the corridor.

Sylvia Gray and Sara Love
Sylvia Gray presents silk painting and unique silk scarves. She uses bright colors in her images and fine quality silk. She studied Art at the Herron School of Art and Design and learned silk painting from Stephanie Lewis Robertson. She is a member of the Indiana Artisans. In her own words, her displayed work is “gestural figures painted on silk, figures in motion on silk; go with the flow of dye on silk.” Sara Love is a painter and designer. Her work explores observations of the ordinary. Love received her BFA from Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis. Sylvia Gray and Sara Love are on the second floor of the North Studios.

Chuck Horsman Art
Chuck Horsman is an impressionistic oil painter working in oil on canvas. He brings his work that focuses on Indianapolis to October’s First Friday. Chuck says he is extremely excited to present his new work this month. His paintings are often described as a dynamic mix of realism and expressionism. His work is bold and contemporary with rich textures created with brush and palette knife. There are many things to discover in the depths of the paint he puts on the canvas. Chuck Horsman is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Larry Lad, LadArt
Larry Lad is a painter who covers the spectrum of abstract and representational work. He likes to add dimension to his paintings using additional canvas, cigar boxes, collage, and other materials to layer his work. His show Replication traces his journey as an artist as he searches for his own style by borrowing from the works of artists he admires. Lad also creates large sculptures and installations. Larry Lad, LadArt is located in the corridor on the first floor.

Jared Landberg/ Karst Inc.
Karst Inc. is a fabrication firm specializing in fine-art presentation materials and furniture. Karst Inc.’s products and services include custom hardwood frames and framing, canvas stretchers and panels, cloth-bound portfolio boxes, small-edition bookbinding services, and studio and gallery furniture. Jared Landberg is an artist employing photography, space, constructions, and performance. This month Jared Landberg will be showing a several pieces from his ongoing photographic series Incantations, as well as selling hardwood picture frames for cheap to make room in the shop. Jared Landberg and Karst Inc. are located in the corridor on the first floor.

Nancy Lee Designs Studio
Nancy Lee is a metal smith and artisan jeweler. She specializes in alternative wedding and engagement rings in a warm and inclusive space. Her offerings include copper sculpture and kiln-fired enamel landscapes on copper, and she presents new work, Body Language, for October’s First Friday. “I’m excited to celebrate my fifteenth year at the CCIC,” Lee said. “Fifteen years as a full-time artist. To have been here to bear witness to the enormous transformation of the building and nearby neighborhoods has been a joy. In Body Language, I’ll be focusing on the human form and the topaz gemstone. Topaz is the gemstone for celebrating the fifteen-year anniversary, and I’ll use it in shades of blue and gold for the body adornments and in new enameled pieces incorporating those same shades.” Nancy Lee Design Studio is located on the first floor of the North Studios.

Wendell Lowe Fine Art
Wendell Lowe has a unique style of abstract expressionism finger painting. Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2009, Lowe’s style has evolved from detailed chalk pastel landscapes and photography to his current work. His work evolves from deep in his soul and documents his Parkinson’s journey. “My finger paintings deal with my Parkinson’s and my Parkinson’s Psychosis,” Lowe said of his work that sometimes combines his finger-painting techniques with prints of his own photography. Wendell Lowe Fine Art is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Grace Marshall, Grace M Design
Grace Marshall has always had a passion for using her hands to create beautiful and functional designs. As a certified jeweler and gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America, making unique jewelry with precious metals and gemstones has been both a challenging and rewarding career choice. Besides showing her own collection of fine jewelry, Indianapolis-based Marshall is now offering Permanent Jewelry, having a gold or silver chain welded around a wrist or ankle. Grace M Design is located on the first floor of the North Studios.

Tendai Phillips – REDEFINITION Clothing
REDEFINITION Clothing is the place to be if you want your togs influenced by the best of pop culture, the most up-to-date streetwear and all other prevailing current trends. Phillips is a bold, daring, courageous designer, with alluring approaches to color and print. Phillips also presents the most daring hints of masculinity, femininity, and everything in between. Ultimately REDEFINITION is in the name: There is no definition of fashion, it is up to you to define what it means. Tendai Phillips – REDEFINITION is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Susan Semenick, Sue’s Fine Art
Susan Semenick is an award-winning watercolor artist. She has achieved success as a portrait and figure artist, but also a landscape painter. Susan has seen success as a finalist for the cover competition of Watercolor magazine. She has also served as one of the very first Artists in Residence at Crater Lake National Park, Crater Lake, Oregon. She has studied with some of the leading watercolor artists in the country. Her hard work in the studio every day is shown in her unusual use of color and her sense of composition and she will present new work in Landscape in Watercolor. Susan Semenick, Sue’s Fine Art is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Strawberry Studio
Maya of Strawberry Studio creates abstract art, texture paintings, and custom digital portraits. Strawberry Studio is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

Jake Walker
Jake Walker is a photographer and digital artist whose work is beautifully unique and thought provoking. Some of his pieces are bold and vibrant while others give a sense of nostalgia. Recently he has begun incorporating AI into his artwork as well. Jake Walker is located on the second floor of the North Studios.

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The CCIC is open during regular business hours, and the Schwitzer Gallery is accessible throughout the week. A number of the city’s most varied and exciting artists and galleries will remain open for their regular hours, with many of them available on weekends, posted on their own websites and social media. Some studios will be open by appointment.

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., just northeast of the Mass Ave Art and Theatre Cultural District, 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 100 galleries, individual artists and artisans. The CCIC Artists First Friday programming is a must-see stop, one of the most authentic Indianapolis experiences, 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 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. 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, Eighth Day Distillery and The Fowling Warehouse.

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