The Factory Arts District, formerly known as the Circle City Industrial Complex, will host a First Friday art tour on February 6th, 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 Susan Semenick with “Susan’s World.” Semenick is a watercolor artist deeply immersed in the beauty of landscape and architectural art. “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.
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
Aurora PhotoCenter opens a group exhibition, The Archive as Liberation, bringing together a dynamic group of artists who use archival photographic methods to document, question, and understand experiences, both individual and cultural. Published as a book and exhibited at the Silver Eye and Light Work in 2025, the 2026 Aurora installation is co-curated with Aaron Turner, and features photography and video-based work by Andre Bradley, Calista Lyon, Raymond Thompson, Jr., Harrison Walker, and Savannah Wood. Aurora PhotoCenter is located on the first floor of the North Studios.
Bebito Toys
New Year and new toys at the Bebito Studio. Rachel Hedges creates handmade plush toys from original patterns. Each is constructed from re-purposes and upcycled fabrics in color, quirky combinations, and are unique and adorable. The Bebito Studio is located on the 2nd floor, adjacent to the Schwitzer Gallery.
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.
Daily Epiphany Studio: Michele Burns and Kurt Kriese
Michele Burns will present photoluminescent "night-light" artworks, both small and large. There will be bejeweled dinosaurs and other animals. "My paintings incorporate a photoluminescent (light-absorbing) mineral- ultra bright strontium aluminate, doped with europium and dysprosium,” Burns explains. “This creates a second, "night-light" composition and renders the artworks functional nightlights. I make the glowing pigments myself for maximum luminance. Excited by any visible light, they glow for 10-20 hours. Rechargeable up to 50 years. OSHA-rated toy safe. 18 times brighter than (zinc sulfide) ceiling stars (6000 millicandéla versus 320 mcd.)” Meanwhile, Kurt Kriese, of this dynamic duo, creates an eclectic mix of abstract and realistic art, and experiments with various media. He is a gifted landscape and figure painter and stained-glass artist and will debut new work for the month as well. Daily Epiphany Studio is located on the first floor of the South Studios.
Darkroom Revelations
People are fascinating to photograph whether at work or at play, family get-togethers, or just out and about. The three Darkroom Revelations photographers—Tom Potter, Nancy Frass, and Gayle Moore—display their encounters with friends, family, strangers, and workers, to show a moment in time that has a story. “Encounters: Strangers and Friends” is primarily shot in black and white film, their images are taken using large-format cameras, and are developed and printed in their darkroom. They also work in digital formats and several times a year, guest photographers are invited to display their work in the gallery. Darkroom Revelations is located on the first floor of the North 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. Her 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.
Stephanie Doty
Stephanie Doty will have new paintings in a collection titled “The Calm Before the Storm.” Doty works in mixed media with a variety of materials, both 2D and 3D. Her work is centered around the use of texture revealed by color. Recently retired from teaching at the Herron School of Art and Design for 17 years, Doty spends most of her time in the studio, experimenting with new approaches to her work. Stephanie Doty is located on the second floor 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
“As a kid growing up in Louisiana and visiting my uncles’ farms, I was able to tramp outdoors by a ariver that had thorn trees growing on its bank, swinging on Tarzan-like grapevines, is on moss-covered roots under live oaks, and look out for alligators in the swamp. The air smelled of jasmine and pine. I like to relive those memories in my paintings,” Martha Nahrwold, the Factory Arts District’s longest-serving artist, said. Nahrwold is a fine artist working in “Marbled Impressionism,” a centuries-old technique of creating art by floating inks on water. In “Nature Break,” Nahrwold creates landscapes, tree studies, mischievous animals, flowers, and memories out of the swirling color. 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 Ruth Kelly with “Collisions.” “In the past, I’ve done a lot of street photography and portraiture,” Kelly said. With this work, I’m focused on photographic collage. I’ve been taking pictures since high school, but in the last few years, I’ve been experimenting with collage, combining fragments of many images into one piece. I began with digital collage but now my process has become more tactile, cutting and pasting shapes from larger prints of my work.”
The Full Circle Nine Gallery is located on the first floor of the South 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.
Mass Ave Mudroom
Mass Ave Mudroom is a community-centric ceramics studio providing workspace for professional, hobby, and new artists to grow, collaborate, and create. 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. The Mass Ave Mudroom is located in the first floor corridor.
Nate Olp
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.
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/
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