Thursday evening reception at Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council

The BACC Gallery in the Historic Arcade Mall
1001-12 Main St., Bridgeport, (203) 552-4154
Pam Lacey: My Father's Stuff II—Unfinished Works
Jan. 10—Feb. 13, 2013.
Opening reception, Thurs. Jan. 10, 5—7 p.m.

Press release from Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council

My Father's Stuff II: Unfinished Works, from fiber artist and Connecticut resident, Pam Lacey, opens at the Bridgeport Arts + Cultural Council on Jan. 10, with a reception from 5—7 p.m. The exhibition will run from Jan. 10 to Feb. 13, 2013.

In her current work, Lacey is using fiber, chemical processes and objects of significance to record the residue of emotional events, while also revealing evidence of personal transformation. Sometimes organic and spontaneous, sometimes intentional and planned, the end result of transformation shares the message of the transformed. My Father's Stuff II: Unfinished Works, is a body of work Lacey created to sort and process the deeper spiritual and personal truths of her father's passing, using rusted objects he left behind.

Pam Lacey: "The Great Goodbye Usher"

Lacey was one of 46 artists awarded the 2012 Artist Fellowship Grant in the state of Connecticut, funded by the Connecticut Office of The Arts, and is the only recipient for the City of Bridgeport. She is also The Bridgeport Arts + Cultural Council's December "Artist of The Month." Her work has been exhibited in galleries and open studio events in Connecticut, Georgia and New Mexico.

Artist talk and brown bag luncheon with James Reed at Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council on Wednesday

The BACC Gallery in the Historic Arcade Mall
1001-12 Main St., Bridgeport, (203) 552-4154
James Reed: (Mostly) Crows
Through Sept. 29, 2011.
Artist's Talk & Brown Bag Luncheon: Wed., Sept. 21, 12:30—1:30 p.m.

Press release

The works in the exhibit (Mostly) Crows were created during James Reed's residency at I-Park in December 2010. I-Park is a non-profit organization devoted to fostering excellence in the fields of music composition, the visual arts, and creative writing. It is located on a 450-acre nature park in East Haddam, CT.


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. To become a member, to make a donation, or to learn more about the BACC call 203.522.4154 or email info@bridgeportarts.org

Art show opening next Wednesday at Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council

The BACC Gallery in the Historic Arcade Mall
1001-12 Main St., Bridgeport, (203) 552-4154
A Unique Perspective
June 29—July 8, 2011.
Opening reception, Wed., June 29, noon—2 p.m.

Press release

The A Unique Perspective Art Exhibition features Unique Perspective calendar artists and talented clients from The Kennedy Center. Opening reception is on Wed., June 29, noon—2 p.m. This free exhibition runs from June 29—July 8 at BACC. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m.—3 p.m.


The Kennedy Center is a nationally accredited, non-profit, community-based rehabilitation organization that currently serves over 1,800 individuals annually. The agency actively responds to the needs of the community by offering innovative, comprehensive service options to persons with disabilities and special needs, from birth to senior years. The Kennedy Center operates 21 community experience programs, 16 group homes, an industries program composed of six businesses, supported and competitive employment and job placement services, a family support and respite service, travel training, and a variety of children's programs.

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.

Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Council "Paper or Plastic?" show opens Thursday evening

The BACC Gallery in the Historic Arcade Mall
1001-12 Main St., Bridgeport, (203) 552-4154
Paper or Plastic?
Mar. 3—Apr. 8, 2011.
Opening reception, Thurs. Mar. 3, 5—7 p.m.

Press release

When we purchase something it is usually inspired by some combination of need and desire. The ratio between the two shifts depending on our relationship to the object or service. When we buy toilet paper, the needle leans toward need, when we buy a dress the action might be primarily linked to desire. Purchasing a car might fall somewhere in between, perhaps balancing the practical needs of a family car with our yearning for a lifestyle promised in a car company’s ad campaigns.

The artists in Paper or Plastic?, curated for the Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Council by Terri C. Smith and Eileen Walsh, are in tune with the range of activities and motivations surrounding consumer culture. Their works appropriate, reference, and harness materials, branding strategies, symbols, and themes found in the market. Artists in the exhibition include: William Corprew (Web), Mark DeRosa, Diane DiMassa (Web), Jahmane, Richard Killeaney, Marcella Kovac, Philip Lique, Alan Neider, Rita Valley and Kevin Van Aelst (Web).

Everything from a historic figure to an ecosystem can be branded. With Jahmane’s "MLBK JR" and "Malcolm Exxon," images of historic figures (who are often appropriated to brand political causes, campaigns, etc.) are combined with the logos and slogans of Burger King and Exxon, reading “Malcolm Exxon” and “Martin Luther Burger King.” As a graphic designer, Marcella Kovac rebrands found artworks with stenciled letters. In the shoreline community of Connecticut, seaside paintings abound as a reaffirmation of that region’s environmental appeal. With Kovac’s piece, the word “Porn” is spray painted on a reproduced seascape painting. Through this juxtaposition the human desire to capture, possess and objectify beauty—whether the female figure or a picturesque landscape—is highlighted.

Sensitivity to the metaphorical and formal power of materials also weaves its way into Paper or Plastic?. In Rita Valley’s beaded credit cards, a seamstresses craft meets purchasing power – a durable plastic rectangle meant to be swiped, stored and swiped again becomes a fragile tapestry. With the title "Fur: Coat," artist Philip Lique cites a soft luxury item made from animals. Lique’s coat, however, is made out of the synthetic material of mass-produced insulation. It is not luxurious (in texture or look) or rare, creating a tension between naming and the formal qualities of the object itself. Richard Killeaney’s pillows are made of recycled men’s tweed suits. With these household comfort/design objects, public (work) and private (home) are joined through reattribution.

With Paper or Plastic? the signs and symbols of consumer culture are torqued, critiqued, appropriated, and recontextualized, providing new lenses through which to see the everyday activities of consumption. Of course, art is also a consumer product, as are art institutions and exhibitions, making it impossible to fully separate these artworks or this exhibition from the very systems it addresses.

There will be an opening reception for this show on Thurs., Mar. 3, from 5—7 p.m.