Colburn Street Display - February 2025 - Western Ave Exhibition
Exhibition Statement: Western Avenue: Artists at Work
The Pollard Library proudly presents Western Avenue: Artists at Work, an exhibition celebrating the vibrant and diverse creative community of Western Avenue Studios. This dynamic showcase highlights recent works by talented artists from Western Avenue, offering a unique glimpse into their innovative and varied artistic practices.
Housed within the historic textile mill complex of Lowell, MA, Western Avenue Studios & Lofts stands as a testament to the power of urban preservation and transformation. With over 250 artist studios and 50 live/work lofts, Western Avenue fosters a thriving environment where artists across disciplines come together to create, inspire, and push the boundaries of their craft. The diverse collection on display—from paintings and sculptures to mixed media, photography, and beyond—reflects both the individuality of each artist and the collective energy of this vibrant community.
We invite you to experience the creativity, collaboration, and passion that define Western Avenue as its artists share their work and their community at the Pollard Library. Together, we celebrate the art of the handmade, the spirit of collaboration, and the joy of discovery.
Nooshin studied Industrial Design at University of Bridgeport where she concentrated on mold making for original work and mass production. She furthered her education at San Jose State University with a Master of Fine Arts degree. She has produced many props for theaters, the movie industry, hotels, and restaurants while living in California. She supplied ceramic goose and chicken eggs for 3 years to the Neiman Marcus catalog and has created custom-made ceramics for over 40 years for individuals. She has a studio at Western Avenue and lives happily in Boston area. nooshin@ceramicsbynooshin.com
Bill Hecht has been a found object sculptor since 2015. As a young boy he was fascinated with science fiction books and movies and was convinced that when he grew up, he would have a robot and a flying car, he is still waiting. Tired of the wait Bill began to build the future he imagined but never got. His work uses cast off electronics and other found bits that have a retro-futuristic look. If Star Wars had been filmed in 1958 Bill’s work would have been in it. Besides looking real and well used, Bill focuses on pieces that flow together and look intentional as a finished piece. The best feedback he gets is when people walk into his space and smile at his art. He currently lives and works at Western Avenue Studios and Lofts in Lowell MA. Hecht.Bill@gmail.com
Lori Cavanaugh is a paper artist at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell. She uses a process known as Joomchi, an ancient Korean paper- making technique, for her work. Mulberry paper (hanji) is first cut, ripped, or burned and formed into designs. Then water is added, and the paper is rolled and kneaded to bond together the multiple layers. Joomchi requires hours of manipulation by hand to create strong multi-textured, multi-colored paper which reveals exquisite detail when light shines through. cavanaugh.lori@gmail.com
Jack Holmes has been a traveling photographer for 6 decades. He has photographed on 7 continents, in over 80 countries, and all states of the USA and Provinces of Canada. Since retiring from teaching science in 2006, he has maintained a studio-gallery at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell. He is associated with the Greater Lynn Photographic Association and the Lowell Camera Club. Over the last few decades, he has participated in several intensive photo workshops with National Geographic and Santa Fe Workshops in Mexico, Maine Media Workshops in Rockport Maine and North Dakota, and New England School of Photography. jackholmes@yahoo.com.
Suzanne Hodge is an oil painter, specializes in nighttime cityscapes, capturing the mystery and possibility of street reflections. Her journey began in 2011 during a three-month stay in Tralee, Ireland, where she created her first painting. Back in the U.S., she honed her style at the New Hampshire Art Institute. Now based at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, MA, Suzanne paints daily, continuously expanding her work. shodge445@gmail.com
Cindie Kazmer is a painter, software engineer, and occasional sculptor, living in New England with roots in Utah and Europe. After a decade focused on family and corporate life, they are excited to re-engage with their artistic soul. Inspired by the contrast between the natural world and the technology-driven society we live in, the artist finds both nature and technology central to their being. The tranquility of nature helps them find balance in an increasingly tumultuous world. chkazmer@gmail.com
Naomi is a self-taught artist with a passion for art that has been with her since before she can remember. She first started with pencils and has progressed to painting with acrylics. Most of her work portrays parables or scriptures from biblical texts. naomifeliz.art@gmail.com
Michelle Mullet is a self-taught painter based in New England, specializes in hard-edge geometric abstraction influenced by Russian Constructivism and Bauhaus aesthetics. She is a 2024 MassMoCA Capacity Building Grant recipient, a 2023 Artist in Residence at Château Orquevaux in France, and a winner of the 2023 Denis Diderot Grant. michelle.mullet@icloud.com
Vivian Rosalee creates art in a variety of styles, including colorful psychedelic artwork, realistic ink paintings, and fantasy dragon paintings. Though her art style varies, her art has a common theme- they are all about animals! Her style is consistently colorful and whimsical- the best example of that is her psychedelic animal portraits and dragon paintings. She loves to combine colors to create different color pallets in each of her paintings. She happily accepts commissions for custom pet portraits. Vivian graduated from Lesley University in 2020 with a BFA in illustration. She donates 5% of her profits to the Central Food Ministry in Lowell, and to a bird rehab center in Virginia called Happy Wing Sanctuary. When she is not creating art, she is birdwatching on a trail or talking to her pet budgies. vivianrosalee@gmail.com
Carolyn Lee is an artist, maker and creator of all things from wildly colorful to the simplicity of black and white. Many of her pieces are vivid and whimsical as she tries to brighten the world around her. She makes colorful art, mixed media and jewelry inspired by family, friends, nature, and life in general. A lifelong journey of creating and learning has led to the multifaceted interests of her artwork. Taught at an early age to sew, embroider, cross stitch and make stained glass by her mother – crochet and macrame by her grandmothers, Carolyn has been immersed in various art forms for a lifetime. She has taken many classes and workshops exploring different media and will incorporate those skills into her own art. Her favorite medium is whatever she is working on right now and thrives on the pursuit of the next artistic adventure. carolynleeartist@gmail.com
Andrea Peters