The History of the NEST Arts Factory
The NEST Art Community began in 1990 by Victor Mulaire, the founder of Cricket Hosiery Co (the world renowned Tic Tac Toe brand of children's socks). Cricket Hosiery was the first company to combine the use of knitting machines with computers to design and produce graphic socks and employed a number of graphic artists to design socks and stockings, establishing an early relationship with the arts community.
In 1996 sculptor John Carnright set up the first studio in Cricket Hosiery's factory space. Launching the concept of creating a local community of artists. Other artists soon joined, with early founders David Flynn, Jed Wolf, Peter Konsterlie, Peter Duveen, Marie Riviera, Bob Ledoux, and Joe Provey, followed by many others.
In 2012, the factory building burnt to the ground and Cricket Hosiery eventually moved to the present Fairfield Avenue location in Bridgeport. Artist easels and drawing tables replaced knitting machines as the space became the new NEST Arts Factory. The new building that the NEST took over once was a piano factory as well as the home of Aerosol Techniques, which created the first hair spray.
Today, Vic serves as the Executive Director of the NEST Arts Factory - creative home to over 30 artists and musicians.