1+1=1 Gallery > Available Classes

1+1=1 Gallery Art Classes for Kids and Adults

1+1=1 Gallery is primarily a contemporary visual arts exhibit space in Helena Montana. We also offer expressive arts classes for kids, weekend workshops and evening art-making sessions for adults plus studio artist gatherings in our classroom.

Check this page frequently, and sign up for our email class announcements (this page) to find out about our kids or adult studio art class series. Scroll allll the way down on this page to watch a quick, fun video about our education program. 

Whoah – wait! I want to know about more than just the classes! Scroll to the bottom of the page to stay in the know about all that or subscribe to our “Love Notes” here (That’s what Maureen calls her monthly email updates for the gallery)

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Available Classes

Fall After School Art Camp for Kids is Underway

It’s Winter, but We’re Still Making Art in our Fall Kids Art Series   It’s a 4-Studio-Sesh After School Kids Art Camp and if you’re a kid who loves art-making, you’re probably having as much fun as camping. Once a week for four weeks is just enough to have a… Read more

Fabric-Cover Junk Journals with Judy Kline

Junk Journals with Judy Kline: $80, limited to 6 participants, date TBA
READY FOR A RELAXING AFTERNOON OF MAKING ART IN A SMALL GROUP of CREATIVES LIKE YOU?
Well, we have just the thing for you! At the end of this one-day workshop you will have a fabulous fabric-covered junk journal with lots of pages and pockets to write thoughts, collect quotes, poems or lists and loads of unlined papers for sketching. Make one for yourself, or to gift to someone special.

Using junk mail and other materials from our instructor and things you may have lying around the house you can make a completely unique and somewhat quirky junk journal. Judy Kline’s style of junk journals have ties to hold everything together – and truly, by the time you’ve filled your journal you’ll be happy to have the tie! Read more

Adult 2022 Workshop Series

We Offer Unique, Creative Classes and Workshops for Adults

During the exceptionally weird years of 2020/2021 we put our adult workshops on the back burner because we wanted to keep our staff and customers safe from Covid-19. We hope 2022 is different and that we will be able to meet in person for half day or weeklong workshops in our lovely classroom behind the art gallery!

In the meantime, we are keeping a list of folks who are interested in specific workshops, and they will have the first opportunity (we’ll call you) to register when we do figure out dates. If you would like to be on a workshop list, please stop by the gallery and ask Maureen or our gallery staff. And … subscribe to our Love Notes to be notified by email when the workshop dates are set. Thank you! Workshops planned for the 2021/2022 season include The Art of Self Portraits; 5-day Printmaking Series; Working with Dreams through Art; Intuitive Painting; Crown Making, Junk Journals; Smash Books; Meditative Sketching. Read more

Past Classes

Series of Artist Demos during Paperwork exhibit

This Saturday, September 3rd, we kick off a series of artist demos at the gallery, giving visitors the chance to observe an artist at work and learn more about their practice. Brad DeFrees, Carol Montgomery and Maureen Shaughnessy are currently exhibiting work as part of the gallery’s group show, “Paperwork,” which features paper-based art from nine artists working in Helena and the Pacific Northwest. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and our demonstrating artists will be working at the gallery in the afternoons. Read on for dates, times and details. Read more

Two-Day Hand Bookbinding Workshop

Learn Two Techniques of Book Binding in Two Days Instructors Robin Leenhouts and Amanda Determan will Lead this Two-Day Workshop, Aug 27 – 28, $280 includes all materials, limited to 6 participants Here’s a great opportunity to learn the centuries-old craft of bookbinding. Make two books you can use to… Read more

2022 Kids Summer Art Camps

Yay! Kid’s Summer Studio Camps are On! This summer we have three week-long studio camps available for kids ages 8 – 12. Find out more about the camps, each of which will be different. Maureen gives lots of personal attention to your kids because we only have five students per studio camp. She is flexible, a great listener, and focuses on helping kids express their intrinsic creativity and find their own voices rather than “technique.” She is also responsive to students who wish to gain skills such as drawing from observation; color and composition skills, and mark-making. Read more

Annual Young Voices Information for Parents

For our 6th annual 2022 Young Voices exhibit, we have gathered a list of questions and answers families may have about the exhibit and their child’s participation in the show. We have made a few changes to student participation this year, so this Q&A list is for everyone, parents of my new students and parents of students who have been taking art classes at 1+1=1 for years. Read more

Kid’s 2021 Fall Creativity Sessions at 1+1=1 Classroom

An Introduction

Our Fall 2021 art sessions are in a series of 9 weeks spread over September, October and November on weekdays after school. We will also have a winter series in January, February and March, culminating in our 6th Annual Young Voices student art exhibit at 1+!=1 Gallery.

After reading this post, if you would like to register your child for one of our art classes, please go to our class registration page and choose the appropriate age group series.
Details
WHO:Kids who want to learn more about creative expression.
COST: Studio Class Series: $450 for 9 weekly studios in Sept, Oct, Nov
WHAT’S INCLUDED: All supplies and a snack each weekly session
SCHOLARSHIPS: We are able to give partial scholarships to families in need of assistance.
TIME: Mondays after school, 3 to 5:30pm
DATES:  See individual age-group days on registration page Read more

2020 Kids Summer Studio Series

What will my kids learn during the 2020 Summer Studios?

Maureen likes to tailor the summer to what the kids want to learn. When we all meet each other on our first day, we will finalize the schedule of topics for the 8 studio sessions w.  We won’t get to everything on the list this summer, but if all goes well, we will have after-school studios for kids in the fall and winter, leading up to next year’s 5th Annual Young Voices exhibit.  Read more

Meditative Sketching with Linda McCray

A PEACEFUL AFTERNOON OF MEDITATION AND CREATIVITY

Spend an afternoon in a very small group with local artist, Linda McCray. Linda paints extraordinary abstracts imbued with powerful spiritual and symbolic meanings. Relax in a quiet, peaceful atmosphere of creativity and meditation. No experience required. We know you’ll be inspired!

MOVING FORWARD THROUGH ART+SPIRIT

Are you ready to move forward? We can’t move backwards. This class will start with an exercise of connecting to nature through slowing down to truly SEE+DRAW. Linda will teach you some of her favorite basic oil pastel techniques and expressive design principles. We will connect to feelings through MUSIC+ART. Learn how people through the ages have connected to the Divine through making art inspired by sacred readings and praying with art, experience both. By the end of the afternoon you will have a sketchbook with creative ways to move forward through ART+SPIRIT. No experience needed. Read more

Paper Crown Making with Bonnie Lambert

Come have fun with us

Spend a day making paper crowns with all kinds of scraps, doodads and thingamajigs—cardboard, paper, ribbons, fabrics, buttons, dried flowers and leaves, seed pods, wire, odds and ends, tape, photos, old books, drawing tools, and lots of other bits and pieces.  We will have plenty of inspiring, delightful and sometimes humorous materials for you to use. If you wish, bring your own materials you may have stashed for creative projects. 

We offer a place to gather in a small group with awareness of social distancing and safety

We know there are hundreds of online/video/zoom workshops available. There is just something about the synergy of an in-person group to get our creative juices flowing. We will make sure the classroom is set up for safe social distancing, and that we practice sanitary procedures to keep you and our community healthy. For that reason, the workshop is limited to just 6 participants. Register early to make sure you have a space. Read more

Intro to Encaustic Workshop with Darla Myers

LEARN THE BASICS OF ENCAUSTIC PAINTING IN AN INTIMATE, HANDS-ON, ART-STUDIO CLASS SETTING. ALL SUPPLIES INCLUDED, JUST BRING YOURSELF AND YOUR FEARLESS CREATIVITY.

October 5th Evening Intro 5:30 to 7-ish
October 6, 10-4:30
Cost: $175 includes instruction, all materials and tools, printed handouts, snacks and beverages. Bring your own lunch.

In Darla’ Introduction to Encaustic Painting workshop, you will learn the history of encaustic painting and its current resurgence as a painting medium. Instructor demonstrations, examples, as well as lots of student painting time allow for hands-on learning. This workshop covers exploring painting techniques with encaustic, fusing and layering. It also includes demonstration of collage and toner-based image transfers specific to encaustic painting. Other topics include choosing encaustic materials, studio setup, safety considerations and care of encaustic artworks. Read more

2-Day Women’s Self Portrait Workshop

Two Day Women’s Self-Portrait Workshop

INSTRUCTOR: Maureen Shaughnessy

WHERE: in the studio at the back of 1+1=1 Gallery, in Helena.

WHEN: Saturday March 16: Evening Intro and Multi-Media Presentation
Sunday March 17 and Sunday March 24 from 10 to 5pm.

WHO: women of any level of experience. You do not need to be a working artist to take this workshop.

COST: $225 per person, includes all supplies for 14 hours of instruction, demos and studio work time. Max 6 students. Scholarships available. Please inquire.

FOOD: Both Sundays we will take a lunch break together as a group. Bring a lunch. The gallery will provide light snacks, coffee, tea and other beverages. For our Friday evening intro meeting the gallery will provide light snacks, wine, coffee or tea.

MORE INFO: Call or text 406.431.9931 and leave a message. We’ll call you back. Or email us with any questions: [email protected] Read more

Studio Art Sesh Calendar and Topics

Winter kids’ studio art sesh series topics: Nov 18 Printmaking – Carve small and large linoleum blocks for relief prints Nov 25 Printmaking – Print our relief prints and start collagraph plates (if time) Dec 2 Printmaking – Collagraph and drypoint etching plate making Dec 9 Printmaking – Print on etching press from… Read more

Studio Art Seshes for kids teens and adults

Studio Art Classes and One-on-Ones Start November 2018
My art classes are kinda un-normal:

I am offering some really fun art seshes this year. I am planning to teach teen one-on-ones; women’s workshops and kids’ studio seshes along with a couple of guest-artist one and two day workshops. These are not your typical “art classes” to learn a technique such as watercolor painting or drawing, although in the process of making, you will learn some great techniques!

I refer to my teaching as “studio creative seshes” and “expressive arts classes” because I go beyond technique. I encourage students of all ages to dive into a subject, explore unusual ways to express themselves and experience the delight of success no matter what you think you are capable of. I believe creativity exists in everyone and it needs to be awakened then nourished by building confidence, making stuff, playing around, contemplating the results with a critical eye, and actually getting down to it and doing. Stop thinking about making art and get doing! Read more

Kids Creativity Sesh: Printmaking

Our kids creativity seshes for the last couple of weeks were about making monoprints with some different techniques and a small tabletop press. The first week, we made monoprint plates with drypoint etching on plexi. After learning how to ink the plates and wipe them (leaving the ink only in the scratched lines) we added other ink colors and made painterly marks in the ink layer.

When the inked plates were ready, some of us added flat objects on top, like paper cutouts and pressed leaves or flowers to create collagraphs. The objects we put on top of the inked plates, left white areas on the monoprints (see the grasses on the print below.)

We used really good quality cotton rag paper soaked for a few minutes in water, then pressed dry. Then we ran our printing plates through the small press with the paper on top.
Okay, so the next week we made two other kinds of printing plates.

No boring stuff in these kids creativity sessions! Read more

Don’t miss out on taking a class at 1+1=1

Subscribe to one or both of our email updates and be the first to know when we announce new exhibits, summer camps, classes, workshops, artist-demonstrations, live-painting, open house Saturdays, studio sessions and openings.

I want to know about exhibits, openings, artist talks, demos and fun stuff like that (our “Love Notes”)

I only want to know about the art classes and workshops

Art Classes & Workshops at 1+1=1 Classroom on Vimeo.