Brian Crete
Co-Founder Email
Brian is a 1999 University of Massachusetts Lowell graduate, where he earned his BFA with a concentration in painting under the mentorship of the late Professor Brenda Atwood Pinardi. For more than ten years, Brian has held a number of executive assistant positions for high-level individuals within the medical field. His experience has given him the skills for successful organization, project management, collaboration and communication. In addition, Brian is co-founder of UFORGE Gallery, a non-juried creative space in the heart of Jamaica Plain since January 2011. Since 2007, Brian has been an active member of the Footlight Club primarily as a volunteer set designer and consultant. His involvement has also garnered an EMACT Distinguished Award and Special Honor (DASH) award for Best Set Dressing in a Play as well as a nomination for Best Set Design in a Musical. He is a freelance scenic painter at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA and has worked on notable productions, such as Marie Antoinette, Pippin and Glass Menagerie. In June 2011, Brian was appointed as a Trustee of Eliot Hall and now serves as chair to this committee.
Rob Festa
Co-Founder Email
Rob Festa has always had an interest in taking photographs, especially those that capture objects and places in an abstract setting. He has been shown in galleries in Jamaica Plan, Boston and Chelsea, NY. Rob grew up in New Haven Connecticut surrounded by world-class architecture and amazing photographic inspiration. He lives in Chelsea MA, with his fiancée Mary. He is a Boston area architect and has worked with several nationally recognized architectural firms, currently, Group One Partners. Robert is a Jamaica Plain Open Studios artist and a Jamaica Plain Arts Council board member, co-founder of UFORGE gallery, founder and curator of JP to me, an active member of the Footlight Club; America’s oldest community theater, and a board member of Jamaica Plain Centre/South Main Streets and Chairman of the Design Committee. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 1991.
Amanda Lomax
Intern
Amanda Lomax was raised in North Carolina and received a BFA in Fine Art from UNC – Chapel Hill. She traveled to the North East to begin an internship at UFORGE Gallery and has remained an integral part of our success. A planner of special events and culinary creations, Amanda’s shining talents can be seen during our monthly gallery receptions.
Alex Kittle
Gallery Assistant
Hailing from northern New Jersey but now happily ensconced in Somerville, Alex Kittle received her BA from Tufts University and is in the process of completing her Master’s in Art History at Boston University. She loves almost all art made after 1872 (especially the weird stuff) and in the future hopes to share her passions through museum or gallery exhibition planning and curating. She will also talk your head off about movies, so broach that subject at your own peril.
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