MATT REILEY
Founder/Artist, AbOminOg Intl. Arts Collective

Click on any image to view it full size.

I became a part of the Trenton area community when I began an apprenticeship at a nearby fine art foundry in 1996. Having learned the craft of metal casting and having forged a tight network of like-minded artist friends, I temporarily moved away but soon found myself back again. I have maintained a studio and art practice in the city since 2000. Around this time, our collective was formed on a basis of the shared pursuit of DIY art making that values camaraderie, teaching, adaptive reuse and sweat equity. My experience has shown me that Trenton foments creative artistic expression and is populated with tough, talented and resilient strivers.

In 2010, I had my first encounter with Artworks Trenton’s Art All Night. The artists in the collective invited ourselves to show up, set up, and throw down with a live molten cast-iron pour in front of a hearty, art-loving crowd. We had a blast demonstrating our wares on the site of the historic Roebling Wire Works and were stoked to take in the expansive spaces brimming with vibrant art and everywhere we wandered to hear music filling the air. The setting, the people, and the all-night party atmosphere were all super fun.

In 2012, we were at it again producing an overnight fiery spectacle and creating uniquely designed medallions to commemorate the event and offer to the public. As our collective always does, we also worked together in the time leading up to the events to build molds to bring to life each individual artist’s sculptural vision during Art All Night. The organizations partnered again in 2013 to present nOgWorks, an exhibit featuring sculpture by our collective that was poured with our furnace, the AbOminOg.

This June, we plan to complete the trifecta and help to fuel the celebration of this inclusive and inspirational event’s ten year anniversary.