Six Regional Artists Featured in New Exhibit at Box Factory for the Arts

From travel art to the power of color to the comic grotesque, a variety of artistic themes will be on exhibit at the Box Factory for the Arts from July 12 to September 8, 2024.

The public is invited to meet the artists at the Opening Reception on Friday, July 19, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Light snacks and a cash bar will be available.
The Series 4 exhibition is this year’s fourth building-wide show displaying artwork on all three floors of the historic building. Featured artists are below.

“Turn Left” by Kerri Mommer, Julie Miller and Danuta Peikoszewski
Williams Gallery (main level)

Kerri Mommer is a painter from Northwest Indiana who works in acrylic and watercolor. Her artwork at the Box Factory focuses on traveling by car.

“I have created a series of paintings that form a narrative based on a road trip I took with family members in a van that didn’t feel as big as maybe it should have,” Kerri says. “The subjects of the paintings include the people, the vehicle (both inside and out), and South Dakota landscapes.” She calls the series “Road Trip: 7 Days, 5 People, 3 Generations, 1 Van.”

Kerri exhibits regularly in the Midwest, including solo shows and juried competitions. She holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from Northwestern University and worked in book publishing for over 30 years.

Julie Miller, a mixed-media artist in Crown Point, Indiana, pushes the boundaries of traditional techniques and materials to create dynamic and thought-provoking pieces. Her art is inspired by the ever-changing landscapes of Northwest Indiana and San Bernardino County, California.

“For this exhibit, I wanted to explore the different sources of light that inspire me—from the warm glow of the sun to the artificial beams of streetlamps, and even the enchanting twinkling of fireflies,” Julie wrote in her artist statement. “I hope to capture the beauty and wonder of these light sources and to share my love for them with others.”

Julie is deeply involved in her local art community and recently had solo exhibits at Hermes Fine Art Studio in Chicago and the Towle Theatre in Hammond, Indiana.

Danuta Piekoszewski lives in Northwest Indiana but is informed culturally and artistically by her experiences of having been born in Poland and living in the UK and the Midwest. She works mainly in acrylics and has shown her work in numerous galleries in Indiana including the prestigious South Shore Arts Salon Show.

“Places that speak to me are my inspiration, and my answers are my painting,” Danuta writes in her artist statement. “In my trip across the Plains, motels are ever present in a variety of shapes and conditions; they are pure travel nostalgia of yesteryear and childhood memories. These are snippets of a sunset, a lit window in the distance, a rusty sign. We can just call it a great trip.”

Cardboard Artist Dorris Akers
Whitlow Gallery (main level)

Dorris Akers’ artwork for this show consists of twelve-by-twelve-inch cardboard collages, many of which contain boxes. “I have been enamored with found objects for the past 25 years, using them in myriad applications,” she says.

Dorris is an 84-year-old artist living and working in South Haven. Professionally trained, she exhibits primarily in group and solo shows in regional arts centers.

The Comic Grotesque by Nathan Margoni
Riverwalk Gallery (1st floor)

For Nathan Margoni, director of education at Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph and adjunct faculty at Notre Dame University, “making art is about play.” As he explains, “I try to make respectable, serious art, but something always goes wrong. My good intentions are inevitably overcome by the allure of the comic grotesque. As an adult, I have responsibilities that I take seriously, but my art allows me to continue to play, laugh, and question the world like I did as a child.”

Nathan has a BFA in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Arts, his MFA in sculpture from SUNY Purchase College, and participated in multiple residencies.

The Power of Color by Mari Barros
Skyview Gallery (3rd floor)

While reflecting on her fascination with vibrant colors and their power to bring joy and positive energy, Mari Barros delved into studying the emotional effects of color. She wondered if colors also bring joy to impoverished countries like her native Brazil. She selected ten of the world’s most colorful cities and used their stories to inspire the abstract artworks featured in this exhibit.

Mari is a Brazilian artist who moved to the U.S. in 2019. Represented by All ArtWorks Gallery in Grand Rapids, she creates artwork in her studio at the Box Factory for the Arts, teaches workshops, and has participated in exhibitions across the country and in London.

Immediately following the Series 4 Opening Reception on July 19 is a performance by Doo-Wop Hall of Famers The Spaniels Forever, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12-$15 at can be purchased at ticketstripe.com/spanielsforever or at the door.