WAC Announces New Artists Collective and Pop-Up Show

The Westport Arts Center has announced the formation of the Westport Artists Collective. Created by Visual Arts Director Helen Klisser During, the Artists Collective will bring local artists together to develop artistic forums and Pop-Up exhibitions that focus on public engagement.

The Arts Center is known for bringing together art on both global and local scales with exhibitions featuring well-known artists like Chuck Close and Christo to group member shows such as Foodies and SOLOS. Klisser During is looking forward to expanding the Arts Center's role as a local arts organization a step further by providing a place for artists to come together and create their own community. "The Artists Collective will be a vital artery for artistic discussion, support, and growth. It is meant to be a community for artists, by artists, that will also engage the community at large," she said.

She invited five local artists -- Nina Bentley, Miggs Burroughs, Duvian Montoya, Jahmane West, and Tammy Winser -- as the founding members to collaborate on the establishment of the Collective. The Artists Collective will host its first Pop-Up exhibition on June 5th at the Westport Arts Center. "Imagine a hub of creative talent that will reflect the vibrancy of art in Fairfield County; that is what we are trying to develop as the Westport Artists Collective," says Winser.

The Artists Collective is open to artists in pursuit of expanding their careers and in developing a strong, diverse arts community. "The Westport Artists Collective is an opportunity for any active artist in Fairfield County to take part in a new, exciting movement that will cross-pollinate individuals, ideas, and art through creative forums and member pop-up shows," says Jahmane West.

The inaugural, one-night-only, Pop-Up exhibition will take place on June 5th from 6 – 9pm. "It's like a flash mob for artists. One very intense, fun night," says Klisser During. The exhibition will feature artwork by the 5 founding members, who have also each selected two additional artists to exhibit: Nina Bentley, Miggs Burroughs, Claudine Madique, Ruben Marroquin, Alia Metke, Duvian Montoya, Dale Najarian, Reuben Negron, Tom Reilly, Katherine Ross, Rebecca Ross, Terry Tannen, Joel Werring, Jahmane West, Yves Wilson, Tammy Winser, and Pam Zaremba. Nina Bentley expressed her excitement about the Artists Artists and the Pop-Up, saying, "These people are without a doubt, the warmest, coolest group of artists I have ever had the good fortune to hang with!"

The Artist Collective is looking to engage artists from the Fairfield County area by providing more opportunities to exhibit their artwork. "I would love to see the Artist Collective be the unifying factor for all the regional artists and associations," says Duvian Montoya. "Fairfield county artists need to unify and speak together to make a statement that here is great talent, here are progressive ideas, and here is where you can see and purchase dynamic artwork."

The Collective is open to any artist who is a member of the Westport Arts Center. For a $25 membership fee to the Artists Collective, artists will be invited to monthly discussions and critiques, with the opportunity to exhibit in a pop-up exhibition. The Artists Collective will hold three to four pop-up exhibitions each year, including a small works show open to all Artists Collective members.

"We are looking beyond the familiar gaggle of artists in the area, to give them, and the public, a venue for less formal exhibitions, dialogue and camaraderie. Isn't life just one huge popup event, anyway?" reflects Miggs Burroughs.