August FIRST FRIDAY at the Factory Arts District
The Factory Arts District, formerly known as the Circle City Industrial Complex, will host a First Friday art tour on August 7th, 6-9pm. Admission and parking are free.
The Factory Arts District is comprised of two buildings, Factory Arts North (1125 Brookside Ave) and Factory Arts South (1011 Massachusetts Ave). For First Friday purposes, all of the listed galleries and studio spaces are located in Factory Arts North.
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 AIGA Indy with “Creatives in Color: The Art Show,” a celebration of BIPOC and underrepresented artists in Indianapolis. The Chapter 5 Fellowship Art Show centers on the idea of “third space”—those in-between places where community is built, identity is explored, and belonging takes root outside of home or work. This exhibition invites artists to interpret what it means to find or create a third space—whether physical, cultural, or emotional—and how those spaces shape who we are. Through a range of mediums and perspectives, the show highlights the quiet power of connection and the environments that allow creativity to thrive.
Marmon Hall
Marmon Hall, near the 500 Festival office, will showcase the Indianapolis Zoo’s Naturally Inspired Paint Out, celebrating the beauty of wildlife and the natural world through the eyes of talented artists. Every purchase supports the Indianapolis Zoo’s mission to protect nature and inspire people to care for our world.
Stokel Gallery
The Stokel Gallery, located on the first floor of the North Studios, will host Tiffini Allen with “Bark to School—A Canine Yearbook.” Allen translates the same nostalgia of kids’ back-to-school portraits to four-legged friends, placing dogs in familiar the framework of school picture day, complete with posed expressions and hints of personality that suggest everything from ‘model student’ to ‘class clown.’ The result is a playful blend of tradition and whimsy, inviting viewers to see dogs not only as animals but as characters rich with humor, presence, and calm.
Anthony Armstrong
Anthony Armstrong will feature new large-scale pieces, focusing on bold colors, texture, and movement. As a mixed-media artist, Armstrong wants the art collector to be engaged with the pieces, hoping to garnish new perspectives and elements of design with each viewing. His love of working on large canvases allows him to expound on free-flowing boundaries and to create multiple pockets of emotions characterized by spontaneity and intuition. Anthony Armstrong is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Arondite Vintage and 1979 Co.
1979 Co. specializes in 100% hand crafted custom leather goods like bags, wallets and belts that will last a lifetime. Arondite Vintage specializes in vintage and repurposed clothing, jewelry, accessories, small home goods, found art and stationery. Also available, a selection of vintage belt buckles and an offer from 1979 Co. to create a custom belt to match. Arondite Vintage and 1979 Co. are located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Aurora PhotoCenter
The Aurora PhotoCenter will host an artist talk with Chris Hill and Joshua A.M. Ross as part of the 2026 Local Lens Speakers Series. In this interactive talk, the Indianapolis-based artists will discuss their latest work while also encouraging a larger communal conversation around art practice and images.
Aurora PhotoCenter will also host Thomas Boivin and Place de la République, a collective portrait of youth, vibrancy, and hope found in the famous Paris square. Capture the Flag, by photojournalist and documentarian Robb Hill, continues and features photographs that investigate how Americans project personal ideas on a national symbol. Often playful and fun, sometimes quiet and profound, Capture the Flag offers a diverse portrait of Americans and their relationship to the Stars and Stripes. Aurora PhotoCenter is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
C & E Gallery
C & E Gallery is a space showcasing the works of Joseph Crone and Joseph Eakins along with guest artists throughout the year. Joseph Crone is an Indianapolis-based artist whose primary focus is photorealistic drawings exploring narratives of the mind using cinematic storytelling as a focal point. Joseph Eakins is also an Indianapolis-based artist, primarily focusing on oil paintings of interiors and urban landscapes that turn the familiar into compositions that balance realism with an underlying appreciation for the abstract. C & E Gallery is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Curio Constructs
Curio Constructs is an artisan crafts business run locally by two Hoosiers, David Nguyen and Brandon Williamson, that love to make handcrafted candles and resin polyhedral dice. The pair are 100% involved in production, from designing and pouring dice to painstakingly sanding our sets to a near glass finish. They also hand paint the recessed numbers and spend time appraising the quality of their finished sets to ensure they meet extremely high standards. For candles, Curio Constructs curate and rigorously test fragrances for the best possible scents and combinations for soy wax candles and melts, and hand pour and finish each piece to ensure as smooth of a candle burning experience as possible. Curio Constructs is on the second floor of the North Studios.
Daily Epiphany Studio: Michele Burns and Kurt Kriese
Michele Burns will present a large-scale (“sofa-sized”) photoluminescent collection of simple color studies by day, coupled with explosive “nightlight” compositions when the lights go out, along with a collection of glowing mirror-tile works and a fun dragon-inspired glow-in-the-dark series. Burns’s art is inspired mostly by pattern, color and texture, and incorporates photoluminescent (light-absorbing) minerals that create a second "nightlight" composition. She makes the toy-safe glowing pigments herself for maximum luminance. Kurt Kriese’s art is an eclectic mix of styles, He is experimental with media and is a gifted abstract, landscape, and figure painter, and also a stained-glass artist with a unique use of color. Daily Epiphany Studio is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Gracen Dorsch
Indianapolis based artist Gracen Dorsch is an abstract expressionist painter who often uses her background in psychology and art therapy to fuel her work. Her subject matter often reflects collective memories and invokes a variety of emotional responses. Dorsch uses her work as an art therapist to inspire playfulness and free-association in her pieces to invoke curiosity in her viewers and often relies on the process of painting rather than the final product itself to determine when each piece is finished. This style of art making allows her to create a wide variety of finished works that stand out from typical mono-schematic collections. Dorsch’s personality shines through each piece with her intricate use of color and inventive technique to create a one-of-a-kind piece each time. Gracen Dorsch is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Dream House
A staple of First Fridays, Dream House will be selling vintage clothing and will welcome visitors in their space on the first-floor corridor of the North Studios.
Mirvia Sol Eckert
Celebrating beauty is the fundamental concept unifying all of Mirvia Sol Eckert’s work. Common themes of her work are her Puerto Rican heritage, love of family, friends, spirituality and her fascination with nature. These ideas can manifest themselves in bright, vibrantly colored compositions, or in dramatic grayscale pieces with her stylized technique and putting lines and shape into movement and harmony. Mirvia Sol Eckert is on the second floor of the North Studios.
Five Seasons Studio
The Factory Arts District’s longest resident artist, Martha Nahrwold presents “THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED.” This series lets viewers imagine what would happen if we go down that other road. What is behind the curve in the band, what is beyond the rise in the hill? What adventures lie there? The musings are some of Nahrwold’s favorite topics to explore, working in her marbled impressionism technique, and always featuring her iconic overhanging tree branch imagery. Five Seasons Studio is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
Full Circle Nine Gallery
The Full Circle Nine Gallery (FC9) will feature new member Lindsay Mack in “Connection to Color.” Lindsay Mack, an abstract expressionist, makes her debut as a member of FC9 in August, along with her featured show. For her, art is life. “I cannot NOT be an artist,” Mack said. “It’s who I am, and I am at my healthiest when regularly creating. I intuitively create mixed-media paintings to evoke emotions while frequently portraying elements of nature, movement, and energy.” The Full Circle Nine Gallery is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Glenn Fuller
Glenn Fuller will debut new floor lamps featuring exotic veneers and Japanese Kozo paper shades. Fuller is an artist, designer, and explorer of materials and processes that he applies to new forms and applications. Glenn Fuller is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Victoria Gillieron
Victoria Gillieron painted one painting, which turned out pretty good, and decided to get a studio. Not having any idea what she was doing, she quite amazingly found artist friends who took her under their wings and basically turned her into an artist. After many years studying with big name, extremely talented artists, attending workshops, and trying to learn how to correct the billions of problems she encountered, she finally feels like she can paint! Gillieron feels that art is a subject that can never be mastered and will always be a challenge but that she can, now and then, knock out a doozy of a painting! This month, Gillieron presents new work featuring landscapes and a few animal paintings. 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 and promote emerging and established artists; to participate in events to increase the knowledge and appreciation of glass arts with Indiana residents; to host fun, interesting and educational events; increase appreciate and understand 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.
Raymond Gray
Leatherworking artist Raymond Gray presents a collection titled “Shift, Shaping Fibers,” a presentation of caftans in different geometric shapes, and hand-beaded necklaces and bracelets with Vicuna charms and pendants. Gray uses repurposed garments, primarily leather, cashmere, and Vicuna, to create his magical pieces. Raymond Gray is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Carmen Hurt
“Internationally unknown artist” Carmen Hurt is one of the earliest artists in the building. Her bright, abstract, and often poignant paintings have held court in the South Studios for over a decade. Carmen Hurt is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Indy Fused Glass
The artist instructors at Indy Fused Glass (IFG) create fused glass art for sale in a retail gallery. IFG teaches introductory fusing sessions, guided by artists to learn to create with fusible glass. IFG offers 14 different fusing projects to select from. These can be fused or “slumped” (another method of using fusible glass to create functional forms). The Indy Fused Glass, LLC Gallery has newly created fused glass art each week on display and available for purchase. For First Friday, IFG Glass Artists either offer hands-on sessions or feature a working glass artist, doing a demonstration. Indy Fused Glass is on the first floor of the North Studios.
Scott Johnson / Studio F60
Scott Johnson operates a contemporary art and design studio with a mix of painting, collage, and digital art. He blends representational and figurative artwork as well as selected forms of abstraction. There’s also a pool table. Scott Johnson 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.
Cindy Lory
Cindy Lory works in a variety of mediums creating paintings, drawings, and digital artworks. She has had a lifelong love of fine arts and music and attended Herron School of Art in Indianapolis. Having recently returned to pursuing the visual arts, she enjoys working and creating in her studio. Cindy Lory 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. Making unique jewelry with precious metals and gemstones has been both a challenging and rewarding career choice. 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. Grace M Design is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
Leigh Miller
Leigh Miller is an expressive oil painter who creates textured, and vibrant landscapes. Her hope is for the viewer to always see something new in her work, and to feel the joy and peace when viewing her work. She does enjoy painting larger, so the viewer can feel immersed in the painting. Miller primarily studied graphic design in college but was completely drawn to oil painting during her prerequisite studies at Herron school of Art. The desire to create art never left and with much encouragement from her late Pastor Paul Mooney, she has continued on the journey of creating and evolving her practice. “I’m an extremely happy person who loves life and I try to bring hope, joy, and inspiration to anyone I meet,” Miller said. “My hope is that my work reflects that part of me, and brings joy into the spaces where they go to live.” Leigh Miller is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Mass Ave Mudroom
Mass Ave Mudroom, a community-centric ceramics studio providing workspace for professional, hobby, and new artists to grow, collaborate, and create, is celebrating one year in operation. Members of the Mass Ave Mudroom seek to make ceramic arts accessible to everyone from all backgrounds by fostering a welcoming, safe, and inspiring space for those seeking community and creativity. They offer wheel-throwing and hand-building classes, studio memberships, private events and more. As part of this month’s celebration, the Mass Ave Mudroom will have a “rage wall” until there’s no more pottery to smash. Pottery can be purchased and thrown against a designated wall, with proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. The Mass Ave Mudroom is located in the first-floor corridor.
Nate Olp
Nate Olp will be breaking in a new studio space for July’s First Friday, now located off the corner of the Schwitzer Gallery. A leatherworking artist, Nate Olp will have new handmade leather goods, each extremely small batch, original pieces including bags, wallets, belts, and other small accessories. Each piece is hand stitched, hand cut, and hand burnished and made from the highest grade full-grain leather, yet sold at reasonable prices. Everything is done ‘the old way’ and without the use of electrical tools, to ensure top quality and to stick it to mass production, and offer quality and style over fast fashion and corner-cutting, greed-obsessed luxury brands. Nate Olp is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
REDEFINITION Clothing
Tendai Phillips brings REDEFINITION Clothing, where global influences converge to create a unique fashion experience and designs transcend time. “We believe fashion should be a universal language, and that's why we design clothing that transcends borders,” Phillips said. “Every stitch tells a story, weaving together the threads of inspiration from around the world. Our pieces are more than garments: they're a fusion of art and personal expression.” Born at the intersection of K-Pop’s vibrant energy, the rhythmic beats of Hip-Hop, the colorful vibes of Afro-pop, the avant-garde aesthetics of Japanese street style, and the pulse of current trends, REDEFINTION is a celebration of diverse cultures. REDEFINITION Clothing is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Susan Semenick
Susan Semenick is a watercolor artist deeply immersed in the beauty of landscape and architectural art and will introduce a new series of small pieces. “My creations often spring from the depths of my imagination, drawing inspiration from the world around me,” Semenick said. “I thrive on the challenge of using a limited color palette to create pieces that resonate with impact and emotion.” An award-winning watercolorist, Semenick has achieved success as a portrait and figure artist as well. Her hard work in the studio is shown in her unusual use of color and her sense of composition. Susan Semenick is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Strawberry Studio
Maya Smith-Custer creates a colorful and eclectic environment, with art inspired by travels, foods and nature. By using pastels and bright colors, she is hoping to remind others to not shy away from colorful expression. Strawberry Studio is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
The Factory Arts District 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 Factory Arts District
Located just east of downtown Indianapolis, the Factory Arts District (formerly the Circle City Industrial Complex) encompasses a 16 acres and houses two buildings: Factory Arts South (1011 Massachusetts Avenue)—a 95,000 square foot facility—and Factory Arts North (1125 Brookside Avenue)—a 420,000 square foot facility—as well as two free parking lots. The property was previously home to the Schwitzer Corporation, a pioneer in automotive technology. This location is the gateway of the Mass Ave/Brookside Industrial Corridor, which encompasses more than 300 acres of vacant or underutilized commercial and industrial property.
In 2014, with much of this area suffering from deterioration and environmental issues, it became a focus for revitalization for the City of Indianapolis. In 2015, the City awarded a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant to the Factory Arts District; funds that were used to renovate, repair, and ultimately stabilize the property. Today, the Factory Arts District provides a case study for successful industrial reuse in an urban environment.
For more information, please visit https://www.factoryartsdistrict.com/
The Factory Arts District is comprised of two buildings, Factory Arts North (1125 Brookside Ave) and Factory Arts South (1011 Massachusetts Ave). For First Friday purposes, all of the listed galleries and studio spaces are located in Factory Arts North.
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 AIGA Indy with “Creatives in Color: The Art Show,” a celebration of BIPOC and underrepresented artists in Indianapolis. The Chapter 5 Fellowship Art Show centers on the idea of “third space”—those in-between places where community is built, identity is explored, and belonging takes root outside of home or work. This exhibition invites artists to interpret what it means to find or create a third space—whether physical, cultural, or emotional—and how those spaces shape who we are. Through a range of mediums and perspectives, the show highlights the quiet power of connection and the environments that allow creativity to thrive.
Marmon Hall
Marmon Hall, near the 500 Festival office, will showcase the Indianapolis Zoo’s Naturally Inspired Paint Out, celebrating the beauty of wildlife and the natural world through the eyes of talented artists. Every purchase supports the Indianapolis Zoo’s mission to protect nature and inspire people to care for our world.
Stokel Gallery
The Stokel Gallery, located on the first floor of the North Studios, will host Tiffini Allen with “Bark to School—A Canine Yearbook.” Allen translates the same nostalgia of kids’ back-to-school portraits to four-legged friends, placing dogs in familiar the framework of school picture day, complete with posed expressions and hints of personality that suggest everything from ‘model student’ to ‘class clown.’ The result is a playful blend of tradition and whimsy, inviting viewers to see dogs not only as animals but as characters rich with humor, presence, and calm.
Anthony Armstrong
Anthony Armstrong will feature new large-scale pieces, focusing on bold colors, texture, and movement. As a mixed-media artist, Armstrong wants the art collector to be engaged with the pieces, hoping to garnish new perspectives and elements of design with each viewing. His love of working on large canvases allows him to expound on free-flowing boundaries and to create multiple pockets of emotions characterized by spontaneity and intuition. Anthony Armstrong is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Arondite Vintage and 1979 Co.
1979 Co. specializes in 100% hand crafted custom leather goods like bags, wallets and belts that will last a lifetime. Arondite Vintage specializes in vintage and repurposed clothing, jewelry, accessories, small home goods, found art and stationery. Also available, a selection of vintage belt buckles and an offer from 1979 Co. to create a custom belt to match. Arondite Vintage and 1979 Co. are located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Aurora PhotoCenter
The Aurora PhotoCenter will host an artist talk with Chris Hill and Joshua A.M. Ross as part of the 2026 Local Lens Speakers Series. In this interactive talk, the Indianapolis-based artists will discuss their latest work while also encouraging a larger communal conversation around art practice and images.
Aurora PhotoCenter will also host Thomas Boivin and Place de la République, a collective portrait of youth, vibrancy, and hope found in the famous Paris square. Capture the Flag, by photojournalist and documentarian Robb Hill, continues and features photographs that investigate how Americans project personal ideas on a national symbol. Often playful and fun, sometimes quiet and profound, Capture the Flag offers a diverse portrait of Americans and their relationship to the Stars and Stripes. Aurora PhotoCenter is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
C & E Gallery
C & E Gallery is a space showcasing the works of Joseph Crone and Joseph Eakins along with guest artists throughout the year. Joseph Crone is an Indianapolis-based artist whose primary focus is photorealistic drawings exploring narratives of the mind using cinematic storytelling as a focal point. Joseph Eakins is also an Indianapolis-based artist, primarily focusing on oil paintings of interiors and urban landscapes that turn the familiar into compositions that balance realism with an underlying appreciation for the abstract. C & E Gallery is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Curio Constructs
Curio Constructs is an artisan crafts business run locally by two Hoosiers, David Nguyen and Brandon Williamson, that love to make handcrafted candles and resin polyhedral dice. The pair are 100% involved in production, from designing and pouring dice to painstakingly sanding our sets to a near glass finish. They also hand paint the recessed numbers and spend time appraising the quality of their finished sets to ensure they meet extremely high standards. For candles, Curio Constructs curate and rigorously test fragrances for the best possible scents and combinations for soy wax candles and melts, and hand pour and finish each piece to ensure as smooth of a candle burning experience as possible. Curio Constructs is on the second floor of the North Studios.
Daily Epiphany Studio: Michele Burns and Kurt Kriese
Michele Burns will present a large-scale (“sofa-sized”) photoluminescent collection of simple color studies by day, coupled with explosive “nightlight” compositions when the lights go out, along with a collection of glowing mirror-tile works and a fun dragon-inspired glow-in-the-dark series. Burns’s art is inspired mostly by pattern, color and texture, and incorporates photoluminescent (light-absorbing) minerals that create a second "nightlight" composition. She makes the toy-safe glowing pigments herself for maximum luminance. Kurt Kriese’s art is an eclectic mix of styles, He is experimental with media and is a gifted abstract, landscape, and figure painter, and also a stained-glass artist with a unique use of color. Daily Epiphany Studio is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Gracen Dorsch
Indianapolis based artist Gracen Dorsch is an abstract expressionist painter who often uses her background in psychology and art therapy to fuel her work. Her subject matter often reflects collective memories and invokes a variety of emotional responses. Dorsch uses her work as an art therapist to inspire playfulness and free-association in her pieces to invoke curiosity in her viewers and often relies on the process of painting rather than the final product itself to determine when each piece is finished. This style of art making allows her to create a wide variety of finished works that stand out from typical mono-schematic collections. Dorsch’s personality shines through each piece with her intricate use of color and inventive technique to create a one-of-a-kind piece each time. Gracen Dorsch is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Dream House
A staple of First Fridays, Dream House will be selling vintage clothing and will welcome visitors in their space on the first-floor corridor of the North Studios.
Mirvia Sol Eckert
Celebrating beauty is the fundamental concept unifying all of Mirvia Sol Eckert’s work. Common themes of her work are her Puerto Rican heritage, love of family, friends, spirituality and her fascination with nature. These ideas can manifest themselves in bright, vibrantly colored compositions, or in dramatic grayscale pieces with her stylized technique and putting lines and shape into movement and harmony. Mirvia Sol Eckert is on the second floor of the North Studios.
Five Seasons Studio
The Factory Arts District’s longest resident artist, Martha Nahrwold presents “THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED.” This series lets viewers imagine what would happen if we go down that other road. What is behind the curve in the band, what is beyond the rise in the hill? What adventures lie there? The musings are some of Nahrwold’s favorite topics to explore, working in her marbled impressionism technique, and always featuring her iconic overhanging tree branch imagery. Five Seasons Studio is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
Full Circle Nine Gallery
The Full Circle Nine Gallery (FC9) will feature new member Lindsay Mack in “Connection to Color.” Lindsay Mack, an abstract expressionist, makes her debut as a member of FC9 in August, along with her featured show. For her, art is life. “I cannot NOT be an artist,” Mack said. “It’s who I am, and I am at my healthiest when regularly creating. I intuitively create mixed-media paintings to evoke emotions while frequently portraying elements of nature, movement, and energy.” The Full Circle Nine Gallery is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Glenn Fuller
Glenn Fuller will debut new floor lamps featuring exotic veneers and Japanese Kozo paper shades. Fuller is an artist, designer, and explorer of materials and processes that he applies to new forms and applications. Glenn Fuller is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Victoria Gillieron
Victoria Gillieron painted one painting, which turned out pretty good, and decided to get a studio. Not having any idea what she was doing, she quite amazingly found artist friends who took her under their wings and basically turned her into an artist. After many years studying with big name, extremely talented artists, attending workshops, and trying to learn how to correct the billions of problems she encountered, she finally feels like she can paint! Gillieron feels that art is a subject that can never be mastered and will always be a challenge but that she can, now and then, knock out a doozy of a painting! This month, Gillieron presents new work featuring landscapes and a few animal paintings. 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 and promote emerging and established artists; to participate in events to increase the knowledge and appreciation of glass arts with Indiana residents; to host fun, interesting and educational events; increase appreciate and understand 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.
Raymond Gray
Leatherworking artist Raymond Gray presents a collection titled “Shift, Shaping Fibers,” a presentation of caftans in different geometric shapes, and hand-beaded necklaces and bracelets with Vicuna charms and pendants. Gray uses repurposed garments, primarily leather, cashmere, and Vicuna, to create his magical pieces. Raymond Gray is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Carmen Hurt
“Internationally unknown artist” Carmen Hurt is one of the earliest artists in the building. Her bright, abstract, and often poignant paintings have held court in the South Studios for over a decade. Carmen Hurt is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Indy Fused Glass
The artist instructors at Indy Fused Glass (IFG) create fused glass art for sale in a retail gallery. IFG teaches introductory fusing sessions, guided by artists to learn to create with fusible glass. IFG offers 14 different fusing projects to select from. These can be fused or “slumped” (another method of using fusible glass to create functional forms). The Indy Fused Glass, LLC Gallery has newly created fused glass art each week on display and available for purchase. For First Friday, IFG Glass Artists either offer hands-on sessions or feature a working glass artist, doing a demonstration. Indy Fused Glass is on the first floor of the North Studios.
Scott Johnson / Studio F60
Scott Johnson operates a contemporary art and design studio with a mix of painting, collage, and digital art. He blends representational and figurative artwork as well as selected forms of abstraction. There’s also a pool table. Scott Johnson 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.
Cindy Lory
Cindy Lory works in a variety of mediums creating paintings, drawings, and digital artworks. She has had a lifelong love of fine arts and music and attended Herron School of Art in Indianapolis. Having recently returned to pursuing the visual arts, she enjoys working and creating in her studio. Cindy Lory 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. Making unique jewelry with precious metals and gemstones has been both a challenging and rewarding career choice. 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. Grace M Design is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
Leigh Miller
Leigh Miller is an expressive oil painter who creates textured, and vibrant landscapes. Her hope is for the viewer to always see something new in her work, and to feel the joy and peace when viewing her work. She does enjoy painting larger, so the viewer can feel immersed in the painting. Miller primarily studied graphic design in college but was completely drawn to oil painting during her prerequisite studies at Herron school of Art. The desire to create art never left and with much encouragement from her late Pastor Paul Mooney, she has continued on the journey of creating and evolving her practice. “I’m an extremely happy person who loves life and I try to bring hope, joy, and inspiration to anyone I meet,” Miller said. “My hope is that my work reflects that part of me, and brings joy into the spaces where they go to live.” Leigh Miller is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Mass Ave Mudroom
Mass Ave Mudroom, a community-centric ceramics studio providing workspace for professional, hobby, and new artists to grow, collaborate, and create, is celebrating one year in operation. Members of the Mass Ave Mudroom seek to make ceramic arts accessible to everyone from all backgrounds by fostering a welcoming, safe, and inspiring space for those seeking community and creativity. They offer wheel-throwing and hand-building classes, studio memberships, private events and more. As part of this month’s celebration, the Mass Ave Mudroom will have a “rage wall” until there’s no more pottery to smash. Pottery can be purchased and thrown against a designated wall, with proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. The Mass Ave Mudroom is located in the first-floor corridor.
Nate Olp
Nate Olp will be breaking in a new studio space for July’s First Friday, now located off the corner of the Schwitzer Gallery. A leatherworking artist, Nate Olp will have new handmade leather goods, each extremely small batch, original pieces including bags, wallets, belts, and other small accessories. Each piece is hand stitched, hand cut, and hand burnished and made from the highest grade full-grain leather, yet sold at reasonable prices. Everything is done ‘the old way’ and without the use of electrical tools, to ensure top quality and to stick it to mass production, and offer quality and style over fast fashion and corner-cutting, greed-obsessed luxury brands. Nate Olp is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
REDEFINITION Clothing
Tendai Phillips brings REDEFINITION Clothing, where global influences converge to create a unique fashion experience and designs transcend time. “We believe fashion should be a universal language, and that's why we design clothing that transcends borders,” Phillips said. “Every stitch tells a story, weaving together the threads of inspiration from around the world. Our pieces are more than garments: they're a fusion of art and personal expression.” Born at the intersection of K-Pop’s vibrant energy, the rhythmic beats of Hip-Hop, the colorful vibes of Afro-pop, the avant-garde aesthetics of Japanese street style, and the pulse of current trends, REDEFINTION is a celebration of diverse cultures. REDEFINITION Clothing is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Susan Semenick
Susan Semenick is a watercolor artist deeply immersed in the beauty of landscape and architectural art and will introduce a new series of small pieces. “My creations often spring from the depths of my imagination, drawing inspiration from the world around me,” Semenick said. “I thrive on the challenge of using a limited color palette to create pieces that resonate with impact and emotion.” An award-winning watercolorist, Semenick has achieved success as a portrait and figure artist as well. Her hard work in the studio is shown in her unusual use of color and her sense of composition. Susan Semenick is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
Strawberry Studio
Maya Smith-Custer creates a colorful and eclectic environment, with art inspired by travels, foods and nature. By using pastels and bright colors, she is hoping to remind others to not shy away from colorful expression. Strawberry Studio is located on the second floor of the North Studios.
The Factory Arts District 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 Factory Arts District
Located just east of downtown Indianapolis, the Factory Arts District (formerly the Circle City Industrial Complex) encompasses a 16 acres and houses two buildings: Factory Arts South (1011 Massachusetts Avenue)—a 95,000 square foot facility—and Factory Arts North (1125 Brookside Avenue)—a 420,000 square foot facility—as well as two free parking lots. The property was previously home to the Schwitzer Corporation, a pioneer in automotive technology. This location is the gateway of the Mass Ave/Brookside Industrial Corridor, which encompasses more than 300 acres of vacant or underutilized commercial and industrial property.
In 2014, with much of this area suffering from deterioration and environmental issues, it became a focus for revitalization for the City of Indianapolis. In 2015, the City awarded a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant to the Factory Arts District; funds that were used to renovate, repair, and ultimately stabilize the property. Today, the Factory Arts District provides a case study for successful industrial reuse in an urban environment.
For more information, please visit https://www.factoryartsdistrict.com/
Where is it happening?
1125 Brookside Ave, 46202, 1125 E Brookside Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202-0041, United States
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Host or PublisherFactory Arts District
