Thursday evening reception for "Bridgeport Prints"

The BACC Gallery in the Historic Arcade Mall
1001-12 Main St., Bridgeport, (203) 552-4154
Bridgeport Prints
May 12—June 23, 2011.
Opening reception, Thurs. May 12, 5—7 p.m.

Press release

The Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Council (BACC) is pleased to present Bridgeport Prints: An Exhibition of Original Prints from May 12-June 23, 2011. The works in the exhibition were selected by Master Printer, Artist and Collector, James Reed.

The public is invited to meet Mr. Reed and the artists at the opening reception on Thurs., May 12th from 5—7 p.m. At 6 p.m., Mr. Reed will give a talk about printmaking and the selected works. The BACC is located inside the historic Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in Bridgeport.

Featuring 24 artists, Bridgeport Prints gives the public a snapshot of the variety of fine art printing techniques and styles used by artists. Historically, "printmaking" refers to the process of using a matrix, or a single original surface, which is used to apply a medium, such as ink, to its surface; the medium is then transferred, or pressed, onto another surface creating an impression of the original on the final surface. Although an artist can make more than one impression or print, each print is considered original due to the nuances of the printing process that creates "multiple originals."

When selecting the pieces for the exhibition, Mr. Reed wanted to show a range of talent from young emerging artists, such as Perry Obee and Andrew Murdoch, to more established artists, such as Ann Chernow, Michael Torlen and Alberta Cifolleli. The thread that ties all of these works together is that all of the artists work, live, or print their artworks in Bridgeport. Other artists included in the exhibition are Roland Becerra, Kelly Bigelow Becerra, Thurston Belmer, Janine Brown, Richard Byrnes, Helen Cantrell, Xenia Fedorchenko, Andre Junget, Kate Larocca, James Meyer, Gus Moran, Brechin Morgan, Misty Morrison, Yolanda Petrocelli, Ronnie Rysz, Nomi Silverman, Tyson Skross and Liz Squillace.

Mr. Reed, who holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Missouri and a Master of Arts from San Francisco State University and Tamarind Institute, is the owner and Master Printer at Milestone Graphics in Bridgeport, CT. As a master printer, he has worked at print shops throughout the United States, Mexico and France and has collaborated with over two hundred artists during a career that spans over forty years. Also an accomplished artist, Mr. Reed's personal work is included in the collections of IBM, General Electric, Tamarind Institute, Achenbach Print Foundation, New York Public Library, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among others. He has received a Ford Foundation Fellowship and a Rockefeller Research Grant.

The Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Council, a non-profit organization, was founded to advocate for cultural and arts organizations by promoting participation of the community in arts and cultural activities in Bridgeport. In addition, the BACC provides exhibition opportunities and promotion for area artists and artisans. Exhibitions and events at the BACC are sponsored by private and public funding partners.