Studios at Porter Mill

Open Call to North Shore Artists

2012-01-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

The Gallery at Porter Mill and North Shore Art*Throb are teaming up! We're calling on all artists who currently reside on the North Shore of Massachusetts to submit their work to the juried, co-sponsored spring exhibit: Transformation. Susan Halter, Executive Director of LynnArts, will be jurying submissions and curating an exhibit that embodies the idea of transformation. Additionally, all submitting artists have the chance to be featured on the cover of North Shore Art*Throb's May issue! For more information about the Gallery at Porter Mill and to read the prospectus, visit the Gallery tab. To download the prospectus and learn more about this collaboration click here.

We look forward to your submissions!

For this call, the following cities are considered the "North Shore":

Salisbury
Newburyport
Newbury
Rowley
Ipswich
Essex
Rockport
Gloucester
Manchester-by-the-Sea
Beverly
Danvers
Salem
Peabody
Marblehead
Swampscott
Nahant
Lynn
Revere

In the Gallery: Bound and Written

2012-01-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

Book Design by Montserrat Student Ashley Lamoureux

The Gallery at Porter Mill will be hosting an exhibit in collaboration with Montserrat College of Art's student run Bear Gallery titled "Bound and Written." This exhibition features book arts and letterpress work from the students at Montserrat's celebrated and inventive Book Arts and Printmaking program.

Join us on Thursday, February 2nd from 6:00 - 8:00 to celebrate the opening of this exciting exhibition. Exhibit runs through February 26th.

Gallery Hours:

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 5:00 - 7:00pm

Saturdays 11:00 - 2:00

And by appointment.

Find This Event on Facebook!

Montserrat College of Art is a four-year, residential college of art and design offering the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree educating the creative problem solvers of tomorrow.

A 2011 Year End Re-cap

2012-01-04T07:05:00.000-08:00

2011 was a big, big year for Porter Mill – mainly because it was our first! Here’s a recap of the year.

January – The 1895 factory building located at 95 Rantoul Street Beverly, MA and formerly known as RedBrick Art Center is purchased by George Vernet of Vernet Properties, located in Salem, MA Options under consideration include conversion of the entire building to condominiums.

Porter Mill, before it was Porter Mill in 2008. Photo Credit Unknown.

February – George reconsiders the condo option in favor of turning the building into a vibrant artist community. Construction and cleaning begin. Bea Modisett is hired to manage the artists’ studios. The name of the building is changed from Red Brick to Porter Mill – a throwback to Porter Sewing Company, which occupied the building in the 1980s.

March – Lease signing begins! Artists from throughout the area begin to hear about this exciting new project and commit to being a part of it.

April – Workers scramble to get the building up to code. Walls are built, wiring is updated, and installation of an elevator begins. A goal is to fill the first floor with artist related businesses, and Pressbound, a letterpress shop, agrees to be the first! Mystic Athletics soon follows. Three-quarters of the studios are already leased – word is spreading quickly!

May – The original move-in date of May 15^th has to be postponed; elevators are tricky business. Workers continue to clean and renovate the building to get it into shape. The last of the studios is leased and we are officially at full capacity! The first floor now has a Barber Shop and a group of three artists committed.

June – The studios are ready, with fresh coats of paint and renovated bathrooms, but we are still waiting for the city to grant us our occupancy permit. This comes at the end of the month when the building is declared up to code. Porter Mill artists participate in Beverly Arts Fest and continue spreading the word about our beloved building.

July – Artists move into Porter Mill!!! The studios are filled with energy as keys are handed out and people start to bring in their paintings, sculptures, art supplies and furniture. Doors and hallways soon fill with art, and the artists meet new friends and many realize they are now neighbors with artists they already know. The elevator is finally completed at the end of the month.

August – We have our first artist meet-up. Porter Mill artists get the chance to officially meet each other and see inside their neighbor’s studios. September 25^th is set as the date for the 1^st Open Studios and Grand Opening Celebration.

September – Porter Mill artist Adam Ziskie revitalizes the artist entrance with a beautiful mural. The gallery is installed with Inaugural: The Artists of Porter Mill – a group exhibition. The building and the upcoming event are featured in an article in the Salem News. On September 25^th over 250 people attend the Open Studios Event and Grand Opening Celebration. SWAY provides live music while we celebrate in the gallery.

October/November – Artists continue to settle into their spaces and ready themselves for the upcoming Holiday Open Studios. Owner George Vernet begins talks with an architect to build out the undeveloped second floor into 13 additional studios and a classroom. The waiting list for a space at Porter Mill continues to grow. The first Open Call to artists to participate in the upcoming small works exhibitions in the Gallery at Porter Mill is sent out. Maggie Cavallo of the galleries at Montserrat College of Art agrees to jury the submissions. Two new beautiful awnings are put up on the building and the words “Porter Mill” and “Artists” are finally there for all to see! Jesse Stansfield Photography moves into the first floor.

December – The 1^st Annual Small Works Exhibition is installed in the gallery. Juror Maggie Cavallo combs through over 200 images and narrows them down to 45 to create a beautifully coherent and exciting exhibition. On December 1st over 80 artists and art supporters attend the Opening Reception for the exhibition. On December 3^rd the public is welcomed once again into the studios to see what the artists of Porter Mill have created and to celebrate the holidays.

This was a fantastic year, and everyone involved in the project is eagerly looking forward to what 2012 will bring. The gallery is booked with exciting exhibitions through September, planning is already in full swing for a June Open Studios Event, the classroom will be up and running, the new studios will be complete and 13 new artists will be joining us!

So here’s to an exciting and art-filled 2012.

Happy New Year!!!

1st Annual Holiday Open Studios

2011-12-20T08:29:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 3rd the thirty artists of Porter Mill opened their doors and welcomed the public in to ask questions, explore the studios, purchase art and eat cookies. The turnout was wonderful - a big thanks to all who came!

Special thanks to our friends at Marino's Cafe for providing our guests with some of their fabulous cookies and hot cider!

Our next Open Studio Event will be held in June of 2012. We will continue to have gallery openings the first Thursday of every month and studios are open by chance and appointment as well.

1st Annual Small Works Exhibition Opening Reception

2011-12-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who attended Thursday's Opening Reception for the 1st Annual Small Works Exhibition Juried by Maggie Cavallo. We had a great turn out! Thank you also to the North Shore Bartending Service for providing and serving a variety of wonderful wines. Big thanks as well to the artists that submitted work to the exhibition, and to those who participated - the show looks exceptional. And finally, thank you to our Juror Maggie Cavallo who, from two-hundred images, put together an exciting, interesting and cohesive exhibition.

Below are a few photographs from the evening!

The exhibition is on view through January 19th. All works are for sale and available to take home with you when purchased. The gallery is open most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 - 2:00 and by appointment. To schedule a visit email studios.portermill@gmail.com

All photographs are copyright Jeffrey Ferreira.

Juried Small Works Exhibition!

2011-11-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

Elise Towle Snow, Heap of Hedgehogs , Watercolor and hand carved stamp, 8" x 10"

Please join us for the Opening Reception of the 1st Annual Small Works Exhibition juried by Maggie Cavallo, on Thursday, December 1st from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at the Gallery at Porter Mill. Enjoy almost fifty small works of art, refreshments and a complimentary wine tasting courtesy of the North Shore Bartenders Association. All works of art are available for purchase and can be taken off the wall, and home with you that evening - a perfect time to do some holiday shopping for the art lover on your list!

Participating Artists:
Sara Benson
Jenny Brown
Laura Clark
Randa Dubnick
Cathy Durso
Morgan Dyer
Adrienne Ginter
Lisa Hersey
Sarah Johnson
Tricia Jones
Mari LaCure
Nicole Lariviere
Brian Lewandowski
Siobhan McDonald
Steve Negron
Leighton O'Connor
Mary O'Malley
Michelle Arnold Paine
Suzanne Papin
Amy Friend Roberts
Chelsea Sams
Campbell Seamans
Sarah Smith
Elise Towle Snow
Christopher Stepler
Stacy Thomas-Vickory

Leighton O'Connor, Galapagos Snack Bar, Photo on canvas, 12" x 12"

Find this event on Facebook.

See you there, and don't forget about our Open Studios on Saturday, December 3rd from 2:00pm - 6:00pm.

Upcoming Holiday Open Studios and Small Works Exhibition

2011-10-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

We hope you will join us to help celebrate the holidays and support the local arts! The thirty artists at Porter Mill will open their doors and invite the public in to see their latest creations and to ask questions.

If you would like to submit work to the Small Works Exhibition, please click here.

Find this event on Facebook.

Open Call to Artists

2011-10-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

CLICK HERE for the Open Call Prospectus for the upcoming exhibition in the Gallery at Porter Mill. This is a Juried Small Works Exhibition that will be hung in conjunction with the Holiday Open Studios at Porter Mill. Please see the prospectus for details. This is a great opportunity to be a part of the Porter Mill community and expose your artwork to the wide and appreciative audience the Open Studios attract.

(Our beloved gallery)

Submissions are due Wednesday November 16th.

Please email Bea Modisett at studios.portermill@gmail.com with any questions.

An Open Studios and Grand Opening Celebration Success Story!

2011-10-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 24^th over two hundred guests visited the Studios at Porter Mill to celebrate the Grand Opening of the North Shore’s newest artist studio building. Over twenty artists, including painters, photographers and printmakers, opened the doors of their studios to the public and shared their art, and the spaces in which they create. As day transitioned into evening we continued the celebration by enjoying art, food, drinks and music in the large, first floor gallery. Below are some photos that document the amazing time that was had by all.

Guests visiting Mary O'Malley in her studio.

Illustrator Adam Ziskie in his studio.

Guests discuss the work of Sandy Belock-Phippen.

Danielle Dugan and Jesse Potwin's studio.

Painter Jessica Michelson Berger in her studio.

Painter Laura Clark in her studio with visitors.

Artist Kristine Roan visits Jordan Elquist in his Porter Mill Studio

Small works on the wall of Bea Modisett's studio.

Local artists attending the Reception of Inaugural: The Artists of Porter Mill

SWAY provided us with sweet, sweet music

Salem artist Sara Ashodian with Porter Mill artist Christine O'Brien

Porter Mill artists Siobhan McDonald and Ken Goldstrom at the opening.

Local artist and curator Bradford Rusick makes an appearance.

Beverly artists Mary Bucci McCoy and David McCoy at the opening reception

We had a blast!

Thank you to everyone who came out to help us celebrate, thanks to SWAY for the groovin' tunes, thanks to Luigi's for the tasty pizza and thanks to the artists of Porter Mill who made this building come alive!

If you missed it, there are more events to come, follow this blog and like us on Facebook to keep up to date!

All photographs from the Open Studios are courtesy Dan Wagner. Thanks Dan!

Porter Mill Artist Elisabeth Neville @ Griffin Museum

2011-10-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

"Star" by Elisabeth Neville

Elisabeth Neville and Joseph Neville

Eidetic Image
September 8th through November 27th.
Opening Reception: October 11th, 6:00 - 7:30 pm

"These images are made up of a series of lives and souls. Each portrait is based on the knowledge I gain from each subject. Their expressions, their inner beauty and strengths are what are most important and hopefully inherent in these images. How they live, how they love, how their strength drives them; these are the intangible qualities that are visually conveyed in these photographs." - Elisabeth Neville

For more information about the exhibition and Elisabeth's father Joseph click here.

Congratulations Elisabeth!

Inaugural: The Artists of Porter Mill (Installation)

2011-09-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest tasks of getting ready for the Open Studios and Grand Opneing was installing forty-eight pieces of art by twenty-six artists! Big thanks to artists Laura Clark and Jordan Elquist for being such a huge help! Here are a few shots from the day...

Sandy Belock Phippen's triptych and a number of small works

Work by Bea Modisett, Mary O'Malley, Christine O'Brien, Angela Yarian and Jay Lapham

Andrew Houle, Ken Goldstrom and Jay Lapham

Laura looks on as Jordan works to hang the first piece.

It's up!

Stay tuned for images of the final installation and the opening reception of Inaugural: The Artists of Porter Mill!

2011-09-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

Well, the Open Studios and Grand Opening Event at Porter Mill was a success!!! Over the next few days I will be posting about the days leading up to it, and then of course tons of photos from the day of. First on our list for welcoming the public to our beloved building? Remedying this issue:

It doesn't really scream " Hey! Come on in! We're cool here." Does it? No, no it does not.

Thankfully artist Adam Ziskie came to the rescue:

Drum Roll Please....

Tah-dah!

Hey! Come on in...we're cool here.

Artist Spotlight: Laura Hazard Clark

2011-09-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Tea Time, oil on canvas. 12" x 24"

Laura Hazard Clark will be opening the doors of her studio Saturday, September 24th from 2:00 - 6:00 as part of our first Open Studios Event! Laura holds her BFA from the University of New Hampshire and has studied classical painting traditions in Paris and Florence in the years since. Her paintings of animals, humans, the landscape and still lives demonstrate careful and thoughtful compositions, strong placement of color and capture and highlight the humanity of her subjects.

Floral and Berries, oil on canvas. 11" x 24" Maria, oil on canvas. 18" x 23"

The Back Garden, Oil on canvas. 32" x 40"

As the 2004 winner of the Portrait Society of America’s Draper Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Award, Laura has been recognized on both the national and international level. Equally, she has been featured in such magazines as International Artist and American Artist and been a member of The Portrait Society of America and The Copley Society. Her paintings are amongst many fine art collections both domestically and internationally including The New Britain Museum of American Art, in New Britain, CT.

Just a Slice, oil on canvas. 16" x 26"

Laura recently completed a commissioned portrait of Bob Fanning, former President and CEO of Northeast Health Services. The portrait was unveiled at the Beverly Hospital where it will hang alongside two previous portrait commissions Laura recieved from NHS.

Bob Fanning, oil on canvas.

For more information about Laura's work, including how to commission your own painting of a friend, family member or even a pet, visit her website at www.laurahazardclark.com. To see more of her artwork in person, and the artwork of over twenty five other local artists be sure to attend:

Open Studios at Porter Mill and Grand Opening Celebration

Saturday, September 24th, 2:00pm - 8:00pm

95 Rantoul Street Beverly MA 01915

You can find more information on our Facebook invitation or scroll down to the previous blog entry.

2011-08-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

Please join us on Saturday, September 24th to celebrate the official opening of Porter Mill, the North Shore's newest (only) artist studio building! More than twenty-five artists will be opening the doors of their studios for you to see into their working spaces and enjoy their newest paintings, photographs, jewelry, illustrations, and more.

2:00pm - 6:00pm: Studios are open to the public. Meet with the artists and ask them questions about their work, snack on snacks and meet fellow art enthusiasts.

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Join us in the first floor gallery for drinks and live music by SWAY while enjoying the inaugural exhibition in the Gallery at Porter Mill.

Complete list of participating artists:

Sandy Belock-Phippen

Jessica Michelson Berger
Laura Clark

Ivy Dever

Randi Dubnick

Heather Dubnick
Danielle Dugan

Jordan Elquist
Ken Goldstrom
Melissa Gruntkosky - Pressbound
Andrew Houle
Adam Kalogy - Kolodziej Violins
Jason Lapham

Tan Lau

Michelle Kenna
Jon Madden

Siobhan McDonald

Bea Modisett

Lisa Neville
Chris O'Brien

Mary O'Malley
Anne Pofcher
Jesse Potwin

Katharine Shairs - Phillips

Jacob Thomas

Jennifer Toler

Jim Vaughey
Angela Yarian
Adam Ziskie

Porter Mill Open Studios
95 Rantoul Street
Beverly, MA 01915*

studios.portermill@gmail.com
www.studiosatportermill.blogspot.com

Stop by, have fun, ask questions, enjoy interesting art, hear amazing live music and drink tasty beverages! See you there!

And RSVP to our Facebook Invite!

*Click on contact at the top of the page for a map of the area.

2011-08-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

Jeremy Miranda on Little Paper Planes

Pop on over to Little Paper Planes when you have a chance. Porter Mill artist Jeremy Miranda is featured and the beautiful images are accompanied by a great interview. Congratulations Jeremy!

Getting to Know You, Getting to Learn all About You...

2011-08-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Below are a few shots from Tuesday night when all of the artists at Porter Mill got together to meet and get to know each other. Artists meeting each other for the first time struck up conversations about possible collaborations and the studios were humming. A number of artists had met before and were excited to learn that they are now neighbors! We're looking forward to our Grand Opening when we can invite the community in to see the studios, and what makes this building so awesome.

Stay tuned for details about our upcoming Grand opening!

Porter Mill Artist Exhibits @ Abbott Public Library

2011-06-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

"Angela" by Danielle Marie Dugan

Danielle Marie Dugan

Seasoned

July 1st - July 28th

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 16^th, 2:00 – 4:00 pm

Drawing from expressionist influences, Danielle uses vibrant colors in her paintings, along with impasto technique, to create “portraits” of her innermost feelings. In her photographs, she attempts to capture the same deep emotions, preferring the simple contrasts of black and white photography to bring out the colorful spirit of her subjects. Danielle creates her work, among a community of artists, at the Studios at Porter Mill, in Beverly, MA.

Check out Danielle's work on display for the entire month of July. For full press release and directions to the exhibit, click here. Congratulations Danielle!

Porter Mill at Arts Fest

2011-06-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

Did you get a chance to visit Porter Mill's booth at Beverly Arts Fest? We had a great display that really showed the diversity and talent of the Artists at Porter Mill. We also made a lot of new friends - the positive response to our mission was incredible!

Artist Christine O'Brien with her paintings.

Lots of business cards and information on our artists.

The Porter Mill booth(s).

L to R, Christine O'Brien, Jennifer Toler, Jesse Potwin and Sandy Belock-Phippen

Sandy Belock-Phippen and Bea Modisett exhibit small works

Special thanks to Christine O'Brien, Dan Wagner, Jesse Potwin and Danielle Dugan for all of their time and help setting up and manning the booths. Thanks also to Beverly Main Streets for donating the booths and putting on such a great event!

Next year Porter Mill will be holding an Open Studio event on the same day as Arts Fest. See you there!

How Exciting!

2011-05-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot going on at Porter Mill these past few weeks. First, we realized despite our best efforts and unwavering optimism, that our May 1st move in was just not going to happen. We met with a few construction delays which can be expected when you are installing an entire elevator. Good news? We are shooting for June 1st and the elevator will make move in day a whole lot easier.

This month we also welcomed our first commercial tenant! Pressbound is a wonderful letterpress studio and will be setting up shop on the first floor of Porter Mill. We are thrilled to have this wonderful small business call Porter Mill home. Visit their website (and blog) for more information.

As of today, of the twenty-two studios in the building, only eight remain available for rent! So if you, or a friend, or a friend of a friend, need a studio space contact Bea (soon!) to take a tour of the spaces.

Have you checked out the list of artists at Porter Mill?

Follow us on Facebook to get regular updates about Porter Mill and the artists at Porter Mill.

Welcome!

2011-03-09T07:15:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the official blog of the Studios at Porter Mill! Here you will find information about Porter Mill and ways to get involved. As things evolve you will also find information on gallery events, the printmaking studio, demos, master classes, critique groups, public lectures, film screenings, artist spotlights and more!

We are currently bringing the building up to code, installing an elevator, making improvements and getting things ready for our projected move in date of May 1st! Artists have already begun claiming their studio spaces so contact Bea Modisett for a tour as soon as you can to be a part of this exciting new project!

So if you are already a Porter Mill Artist, would like to be, or are a big fan of the local arts scene, hit that follow button and stay up to date on all things Porter Mill!

Also, friend us on Facebook!

This blog is in a constant state of being updated and added to, so if you there is something you'd like to see please let Bea know!