The sign on the door may say we’re closed, but don’t let that trick you into thinking we’re taking a long holiday! Between virtual staff meetings and projects to tackle both in the gallery and from our homes, we’ve got big plans for the next few months. Read on for a glimpse behind the scenes …
This weekend we opened our best-of-the-collection exhibit. In the past, we've called these shows "Best of 1+1=1" or "Hand Plucked" (an exhibit chosen by community members.) Hand Plucked was so successful we planned to have another Hand Plucked this spring. However, Covid-19 got in the way. It was impossible to gather community members for an evening of "plucking" while non-essential businesses were shut down, so... we changed course.
I plucked.
My inspiration for the theme of this exhibit comes from the many gallery visitors who tell us they particularly notice how our exhibits are hung with a flow that draws them in, helps them understand the artworks, and gives them new insight into a piece they may have seen before. They tell us we are good at "arranging" our exhibits. We are delighted to know that the hard work of organizing many diverse artworks into a cohesive whole is recognized and appreciated.
1+1=1 Gallery is closed until April 3rd to prepare for our first exhibit of the year. Young Voices 2020 is an exhibit of student artwork and a fundraiser for two Helena non-profits chosen by the students themselves. Maureen’s art students range in age from 10-17. They have been working hard for over 8 months on …
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 our collagraph/drypoint plates Dec 16 …
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!
By request of some of my older art students, I am trying something new this summer. It’s a series of plein-air drawing and painting classes for teens on eight Mondays. We’ll focus on learning to draw from life and nature, by observing carefully and practicing basic and more advanced skills. The series is limited to …
Self portraits are a form of creative, artistic expression that dates back to the first mud-paintings on cave walls, and from classical painters and sculptors to contemporary artists. Most artists don’t create self portraits to sell. But it is an incredibly useful way to practice the arts of introspection, observance, self-knowledge and self-expression. For kids …
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!
OUR MISSION 1+1=1 Gallery’s main mission is to strengthen the arts community of Helena and to support artists. We do this by expanding beyond the walls of our gallery into the neighborhood. By providing emerging and new artists a place to exhibit and learn about working with galleries, promote their art and deepen their connection to …
1+1=1 Gallery shows new work and Back-Gallery favorites by all 16 artists we represent in the exhibit, All-Artist-Winter-Review. Exhibit will be open from February 5 through April 12, 2016. Featured artists are Patty Ceglio, Nancy Goughnour, Gregg Edelen, Andrea Cross Guns, Marybeth Shaughnessy, Tim Carney, John Andrew, Susan Mattson, Jean Albus, Samantha Briegel, Sarah Magar, Maureen Shaughnessy, …
