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"Nebulatron" by Peter Shaughnessy of BC Canada

Flight exhibit opens Friday evening, April 20

Please join us at 1+1=1 Gallery for the opening reception of our newest exhibit, Flight, on Friday, April 20th from 5 to 8pm.

This fabulous exhibit features all new works by 14 artists who’ve approached the theme of flight in their own distinct way, using many mediums including printmaking, clay, acrylic and oils, encaustic, wood, and charcoal. We invite our Montana friends and neighbors to experience these unique and thoughtfully created works, listen to a panel-style artist talk and enjoy refreshments from 5-8pm on Friday, April 20th.

Artists invited to participate in this show include Andrea Cross Guns, Linda McCray, Ouida Touchon, Darla Myers, Cristina Marian, Dan McArdle, Tina Albro, Becky Street, Larry Calkins, Laurie Shaman, Peter Shaughnessy, Trudy Skari, Brenda Wolf and April Coppini.

Maureen Shaughnessy remarks, “It took me 10 minutes of free association to come up with a list of 120 words or phrases associated with the word ‘flight.’ Words like wingding, arrow, acrobat, flight of fancy, stairway, invention, sky charts, flock, nest, dragonfly, vertigo, voyage, fly-fishing, sailboat, birds of a feather, you get the idea. I didn’t even scratch the surface of the almost infinite ideas about flight. I’m so excited to see how these fourteen artists explore this theme!”

Flight runs from April 20 through May 19. 1+1=1 Gallery is located at 434 N. Last Chance Gulch. Spring is here and we have new extended hours: Tues-Fri 10am-6pm and Sat 10am-5pm

A few sneaky peeks at some details:

Just for fun:

Tina Garrick Albro, Printmaker

written by Claire Bachofner

First thing’s first

“Color drives everything I do,” explains Tina Garrick Albro when describing her passion for printmaking. Upon arriving at her shared studio in Seattle, Washington, she takes her time, methodically lining out her materials. “It’s a nice doorway into the work. I’d say I spend about an hour or so dinking around.” Most artists can relate. It’s much less daunting to conquer the practical, dipping one toe at a time into the pool of creativity then it is diving in head first.

Albro chuckles as she explains that one of the 30 artists she shares the (Pratt Fine Arts Center) studio with is an avid rollerblader and, therefore, also an avid disco fan. With, say, Saturday Night Fever pumping in the background, Albro begins her day by carefully selecting a pair of rubber gloves and laying them down in a particular spot. She chooses exactly 4 cotton rags; folding and stacking them neatly. She measures out her non-toxic cleaners, vegetable oil and simple green, and sets them within reach.

Onto her favorite part- ink mixing. Albro rarely uses colors straight from the bottle. She slows down and takes her sweet time concocting and blending until the colors before her match the colors of her imagination exactly. Depending on how many colors are involved in a piece this step alone may take her 30 minutes to an hour. Finally, Albro soaks her cotton rag paper which softens it and allows for maximum absorbency. When all of this is complete, she rewards herself with a little break, stepping back to survey the scene, think of where she left off the day before and take stock of her current body of work. Then, it’s go time.

Endless possibilites, one strong voice

Tina’s prints vary in size, subject, medium, and technique. Among them: vividly colored collographs of overlapping pine boughs and other foliage, bright prints of glowing owls, quirky but classic city busses and vintage airplanes, vibrant and lively abstract pliage monoprints and a handful of encaustics. Albro is a master with color, often combining bright, almost neon, hues with softer, more vintage pastels. The contrast in every piece is stunning and mimics dramatic movements, like the shattering of a glass or the quiet stillness of a perched owl. Texture comes into play, especially in her abstracts, adding an edginess that just really works.

Prior to her career as a printmaker, Albro worked in hybridized concrete and glass mosaic. “Concrete is so hard and heavy and glass is so sharp!” When she discovered collage and printmaking, she was hooked. “Print was all I wanted to do. It is so varied and the possibilities seem endless.”

Interestingly, traces of her mosaic past still seem to come through in her recent work, especially the abstracts. Colors are fragmented and divided, resembling broken glass. They seem to expand and explode outward like sparks of a fire or rays of light. Also, Albro makes powerful use of white space in her pieces. The white spaces are often the unsung heroes, much like the cement or concrete between bits of glass in a mosaic. They help tell the whole story and add drama and richness to the brighter colors.

Albro recalls that, even as a child, she’d spend hours arranging picked flowers and pieces of nature, “I’ve always been very inspired by my environment and continue to draw a lot from that…I think I’ve been looking for the creative possibilities in everything, my whole life,” she explains.

Tina Garrick Albro Studio
City hustle, country ease

Dividing her studio time between city (Seattle) and country (Walla Walla) has definite benefits. When working in her space at the Pratt Fine Arts Center printmaking studio (photo above), Albro really has to focus, clean up after herself and “try not to hog the press”. There’s also a lot of “cross-pollination” that goes on and her fellow artists offer feedback and help spark new ideas. On the other hand, time is more limited and she has to be ever mindful of cleaning up her space and tools, careful to be respectful of others’ space. In her solo studio in Walla Walla (below), on the other hand, she is free to work and rework a piece until it is complete. “It’s a real luxury to be able to just spread out and take my time with an idea and fully see it through.”

Nature plays a huge role in Albro’s artwork. Her studio in Walla Walla is situated among the golden graininess of their wheat farm and many of her pieces take on the tone of this expansive place. Yellow hay bail hues coupled with vibrant blue skies, barn owls and feathered friends.

In contrast, her city-inspired pieces are more definitely more urban, but still remain lighthearted and playful. Cityscapes and colorful buses. Old fashioned airplanes. Abstract, vibrantly textured collages.

A rich inheritance

Because she has become the family photograph repository, Albro cleverly weaves in pieces of her family’s past and brings them to life in her prints. Her grandfather was a photographer and she has been fortunate to inherit his large collection of negatives from the early 1900’s. Not only have his photographs become some of the main subjects of Albro’s work, they’ve also influenced the lens through which she views the world; she is more able to recognize beauty and glory in life’s simplicities.

Beyond the studio

Outside of printmaking, Albro is an avid volunteer, a mother of three, a bookworm, a gardener (and farmer), and a very enthusiastic art collector. She is a person who lives intentionally- investing her time into things that make the world a better and more whole place. You’ll find her cooking at the homeless shelter, pitching in at the food bank, creating a beautifully hearty garden in a bustling city, taking time to cultivate wheat and connect with the land in Walla Walla. She values the impact and significance of art work (her home is filled with pieces that speak to her every time she looks at them,) and devotes herself to relationships that are nourishing and supportive.

After interacting with Tina, whether it be by phone, in person, or through viewing her artwork, you’ll feel her joy, playfulness, curiosity and sense of adventure coming through. You’ll be reminded that meeting someone who has chosen to do what they truly love is always inspiring. You’ll likely feel a sense of uplift and hope that something as simple as a resting bird or a  towering haystack could contain within them so much beauty and personality. Who knows, if you hold your ear up to the piece, you might even hear the steady beat of your favorite disco tune.

We are delighted to represent Tina Garrick Albro in Montana at 1+1=1 Gallery. Every time we visit Seattle, we make sure to stop by the Columbia City Gallery, where Tina shows her work, and last year, Maureen was able to see the printmaking studio at Pratt, where Tina is lucky enough to work.

View some of TINA’S Work

 

Hand Plucked Art Exhibit Opens March 2

 

HAND PLUCKED: an exhibit of art selected by your very own friends and neighbors, opens Friday evening, March 2, and runs through April 14, 2018.

When we began planning this exhibit last summer, we knew we wanted to continue our annual tradition which allows us to really step back, take stock, and marvel at the incredible amount of beauty and hard work that has flowed into the gallery over time. Formally referred to as “Best of the Back Room” or “All Artist Winter Review“, this year, we wanted to give it a new twist. We began with a working title– Staff Picks — borrowing from a local independent bookstore that lets staff choose their favorites and give a little explanation of their choice. It’s such a cool way of getting to know the staff on a deeper level and often highlights selections that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. In any case, it creates a cool connection and we are all about cool connections here at 1+1=1. It’s kinda’ our thing.

We didn’t want to limit the plucking to just the six of us; we wanted to include others from our community. Once we started thinking of who to ask help pluck, we became very excited about the concept of getting to know each other through the art we love. If all goes well, we hope to create a new tradition that, each year, our gallery regulars will anticipate with glee. 

So, Hand-Plucked was born. Each “plucker” (as we’ve so lovingly named them) arrived on the scene with their unique taste, personality, lifestyle, decision-making approach and stylistic considerations. The pieces they’ve chosen appeal to them and speak to them in the way only art can. This exhibit will be a gathering of these selections and will, hopefully, speak to you as well about the power of art.

Among the pluckers are: our gallery “staff” Tim and Maureen; Claire who works full-time as our Assistant Gallery Manager; part-time staff Susan Mattson and Marcia Eidel, and, of course, Charlie, whose main job is greeting customers and holding down the floor.

Additionally, this year’s pluckers include those who, in their own way, have been very supportive of our gallery over the past four years. Thank you to Chelsia Rice, Laura George, Andrea Cross Guns, Terri Hamilton, Renee´Kowalski, Akilah Lane and daughters, Zahara and Imara, Tim and Jen Davis, Mike and Colleen Casey, Patty Aaberg, Guylaine Gelinas and Mary Ahmann Hibbard, and Michelle Herrington.

We have so many folks who support 1+1=1 Gallery in so many ways. You attend our receptions and events (even though you’re so busy)! You visit the gallery when it’s quiet, carving out time to deeply ponder and consider the artwork. You volunteer your time. You buy pieces you LOVE. You help us spread the word and bring new people in to see us. You donate funds to help support Sound Gallery or art student scholarships. Trust us when we say, it was not easy to pluck our pluckers. This is a huge reason we want to keep the Hand-Plucked ball rolling, so we can ask a whole new group next year!

Stay tuned and come get a taste of our fresh, hand-plucked art on March 2.

Scenes from past opening nights. Lotta fun. Better than the couch. 😉   

4th Annual Hygge Open House

Well, we are making our Hygge Open House a true Helena tradition. Every year we’ve offered this fun event, attendance has grown and folks are telling us they look forward to it! Our hope is that by next year, all of downtown Helena will take part in an annual mid-winter Hygge Festival.

This year, our 1+1=1 Gallery Hygge Open House is just one day — Saturday, Feb. 3rd from 10 to 5 — designed to get you out of your cabin (we know you have the fever) … safely over the ice and down to the gallery to enjoy some delicious homemade warm food, hot drinks, energetic live music, a special presentation by a special guest about Hygge and a coffee tasting, a fascinating wood carving demonstration and a peek at the brand new printmaking studio we’ve been working hard on all January. Don’t miss this event. We will be so happy to see you on the 3rd! 

Warm your bellies
Warm your hands
Warm your hearts

Maybe we’ll generate enough warmth with hygge, to melt our icy streets!

Drop in to the gallery anytime on Saturday and be surprised by what you find! Ask us about hygge. Experience it. Listen to a special guest talk about Denmark and hygge. Take in our current art exhibit. I’d say “chill out with us” but it will be anything but chilly at 1+1=1 that day. See you. 

3rd Annual Young Voices

 

Please join us for an exceptionally wonderful event that supports blooming artists and local charities. Our 3rd Annual Young Voices exhibit opens Friday, February 2nd at 5:00pm. Grab a snack and beverage, listen to youngsters bravely deliver their artist talks, browse their original artwork and choose a piece of framed, funky, ready-to-hang art for your home. 40% of all sales go to local charities selected by the young artists themselves. This year the students have chosen Montana WILD and The Angel Fund to receive their donations. What’s not to love?!

During the summer and fall of 2017, these students have worked with artist and art educator, Maureen Shaughnessy, exploring different mediums and techniques. Now, the gallery walls are theirs for the duration of the show which runs from February 2nd-17th. Winter gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 11 to 6pm and Saturday 10 to 5pm.

In preparation for this exhibit, the six students helped to mount the show with their own two hands; they chose, framed, signed and titled their pieces; helped to patch and paint the gallery walls and pedestals, wrote artist statements, bios and gallery talks and, in return, gain confidence as young artists and entrepreneurs.

Artists featured are: Scarlet Carpenter,Silas Fruge´Lilly Hamper,Adia Terry, Ema Terry and Rachel Kuntz. They range in age from 8 to 15 years old. Over the summer, the students learned to work in various mediums, focusing particularly on 3-D and “Teen Art Adventure” plein-aire art. 

A few peeks at some of our art seshes from last summer: 

Last year the students chose the Helena YWCA and The Friendship Center as recipients of their fundraising efforts. Here they are presenting checks and some of their art which was purchased by gallery patrons and donated to the two organizations to enliven their walls.

 

And here are some scenes from last year’s opening night reception and artist talks at 1+1=1 Gallery: 

 

Carol Montgomery

Carol Montgomery in her studio, Winter 2018.
Art flows through her

Carol Montgomery is a conduit. Stories, experiences, places, and events flow through her freely- spark, bloom, and burst onto the paper through press or brush, text or image. She is utterly humble, completely curious and extremely allowing. In approaching her artwork this way, each piece is unique and she often shatters standard conventions, steps back, and shrugs as if she had little to say in the matter. Almost as if to say, I don’t know, the story just wanted out, and it wanted out in this way. So, I let it out and kept working until it felt right.

Both teacher and student

Carol is a well-known teacher here in Helena and has encouraged and inspired many local artists. When she speaks about her experiences as a teacher it is evident that Carol considers herself a lifelong student and continues to learn from her students just as much as they learn from her. Because Carol remains intensely curious, she is constantly willing to be shaped by all she encounters. Whether it be vividly colored cactus flowers found in the desert or her high-school students’ fascination with comic books, Carol welcomes all considerations into her perspective and allows them to inform her and, ultimately, shape her work.

Pages from one of Montgomery’s handmade books, inspired by comic strip formatting.

The result is work that often takes unexpected turns — perhaps the images need to unfold in a handmade book that alternates between text and image, much like a comic strip (above) or maybe the registration is slightly misaligned, giving the colors more movement which perfectly captures the flapping of wings. Carol is just as surprised as anyone when these serendipities take place. Yet she trusts the process; ever faithful to where the piece wants to go.

Fluent in Art

A couple of years ago, Carol suffered a stroke and she worked hard to regain her ability to speak and connect her thoughts with words. The artistic part of her brain, however, was unaffected and, since then, Carol relies on her artwork almost like a language all its own. Teaching became too tiresome since it requires so much language articulation, but Carol is more content than ever working in her studio for hours on end, speaking what feels like her first language. It is quiet, full of solace and provides a space of focus and retreat.

Sketchbooks full of “scritchy-scratchy” stacked around the house, ideas just waiting to be chosen and brought to life in paint or ink.
Path to professionalism

All artists somehow find their way to their craft and Carol looks back on her own path, in a very matter-of-fact way. She was drawn to art as a child and visited an art museum in Chicago at the age of 18, where she discovered the prints of Kathe Kollwitz. She knew, in that very moment, that she wanted to pursue printmaking and went on to attend classes at Scripps College, The San Francisco Art Institute, The University of Montana. Carol served as an adjunct professor at Cerro Coso Community College in Bishop, California and is a highly respected member of the California Printmakers Association. Carol’s work has been featured in various solo and group shows across the United States.

Grasshopper Song All Summer Long ©by Carol Montgomery

We are honored to represent Carol Montgomery in Montana at 1+1=1 Gallery. Come in to see her boldly beautiful work in person anytime, but especially in our upcoming exhibit: Hand-Plucked opening February 25, 2018. And, in September, Off the Press– Printmakers’ Showcase.

View Carol’s Work

 

3rd Annual Young Voices Art Exhibit

mixed media on wood panel by Adia Terry
Our first show of 2018 is one of our favorites …

… because it makes everyone so happy and inspires us all to pay attention to the child-artist within. The third annual Young Voices art exhibit runs from February 2 through 19. Please join us for an opening reception with the artists on Friday, Feb 2 from 5 to 7pm.

An uplifting art show featuring works by seven 1+1=1 studio art students 

Young Voices artists, ages 8 to 15, have taken art classes throughout the summer and many have continued with one-on-ones during the school year. Artists include Ema Terry, Adia Terry, Sophia Albright, Rachel Kuntz, Silas Fruge, Lilly Hamper and Scarlet Carpenter. (See photo albums below for some sneak peeks.)

Each young artist participates in the behind-the-scenes tasks of curating and mounting an art exhibit: from planning, promoting and mounting the exhibit to patching holes in the walls, writing artist statements, bios and short gallery talks – the lessons they learn are about life as well as art.

The student artists will be present during the opening reception to meet the public and give 1-minute gallery talks. This year we are showing sculptural works by the younger artists and plein-air paintings and drawings by the teens. You’ll be delighted and curious when you see the variety of techniques and creativity.

We encourage everyone to join us to support these young, brave creatives. Hope to see you Feb. 2nd, or if you can’t make it to the reception, please stop by the gallery to view the works between Feb 3rd and 19th.

Stretch Your Art Dollars

Each year our Young Voices artists choose two or more local charities to receive donations from the sales of their artwork. In years past, they have donated to the Holter Museum of Art, Mountain Meadow Preschool and Green Arts Montessori School, The Friendship Center and the YWCA. 40% of all sales are given to these non-profits by the kids and the gallery. The rest goes to the kids and to pay the expenses of opening night.

Through your purchases of their art, you boost the young artists’ confidence and contribute much-needed funding to these charities. Watch for more details in our next “love letter” and on our social media posts. If you do not currently receive our email love letters (aka newsletters) and you want to, please subscribe/sign-up here.

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Scenes from the summer Teen Art Adventures (plein aire painting and drawing:) 

 

Scenes from Kid’s Summer Creativity Sesh, Summer of 3d: 
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2017 Small Works Holiday Gift Show

The opening reception of our last exhibit of the year is always a festive party
and a great opportunity to do your holiday shopping — or just get ideas the first night.
Come back anytime before Christmas to check off your gift list.

What are Small Works? Why Shop Small? Why Art?

  • Small works are sometimes small or sometimes just simpler than the artist’s usual work.
  • Small works are affordable.
  • Small works don’t always fit in your pocket but sometimes they do.
  • Small works make very cool gifts for someone you love. Cuz small works are original. Art. Not made in China.
  • Small works are made by your friends, your neighbors, people you know and folks you really need to meet.
  • Buying small works to give as a gift — or for your own self — well that just an admirable thing to do.
  • When you buy handmade original art from a local artist, you are helping someone from our community make a living doing what they love to do.
  • Our gallery is dedicated to making opportunities for artists of all experience levels, so they can thrive and therefore work their magic on all of us.
Consider doing your gift shopping this holiday season at small locally owned businesses that support artists. Can you imagine your city without Art?
Porcelain Cup by Sarah Magar
Loving Birds Chine Colle´collage by Ouida Touchon

Artists featured in our Small Works show include: Tina Albro, John Andrew, Elizabeth Hughes BAss, Lori Blaylock, Tim Carney, Patty Ceglio, Maureen Cole, April Coppini, Gregg Edelen, Nancy Goughnour, Paul Guillemette, Betsey Hurd, Judy Kline, Kris Kramer, Bonnie Lambert, Robin Leenhouts, Sarah Magar, Cristina Simona Marion, Susan Mattson, Dan McArdle, George McCauley, Carol Montgomery, Darla Myers, Page Kelly Piccolo, Poo Putsch, Laurie Shaman, Maureen Shaughnessy, Gabe Shaughnessy, Trudy Skari and Ouida Touchon

 

Just for the Holidays:

Extended Saturday hours: our usual winter gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 11 to 6pm and Saturdays 10 to 5pm. We will be open on Saturdays from November 18th through December 23rd from 10 to 7, for your shopping convenience.

Kids Ornament-Making Sesh:  From 1 to 4pm on December 16th, drop off your kids (ages 6 to 9) at the studio in the back of 1+1=1 Gallery, to make their own creative unusual ornaments. Gives you a little time to do some downtown shopping. Younger kids must have a parent with them.  Donations gladly accepted to pay for supplies. 

Festive Winter Concert by Three Form, jazz trio comprised of Ann Tappan, Rob Kohler and Mj Williams. December 10th. Refreshments and socializing from 7 to 7:30. Music starts at 7:30 til 9pm. Come early to get a seat. Limited seating. Free will donations to pay the musicians are encouraged.

Wood and Wax Exhibit

Thank you to everyone who came out for the Wood & Wax opening reception on October 6th. It was hugely successful and we are grateful for your support of our artists and the gallery.

Featured artists in Wood & Wax are John Andrew (burl bowls and bowls turned of Helena trees) Tim J Carney (contemporary fine furniture) Joyce Watts Coolidge (encaustic sculptures) Dan McArdle (carved wood relief sculptures) and Darla Myers (encaustic paintings)

Wood & Wax runs from October 6 through November 14. If you didn’t make it to the opening, there is still time to see this fabulous exhibit as we have curated it. Stop by anytime during gallery hours Tuesday through Friday 10 to 6 and Saturdays 10 to 5pm. Our opening receptions are always fun, festive and lively — and usually very educational. When the gallery is quiet on other days, visitors often have deeper experiences to the art — for sure it’s easier to step back and see the larger pieces when you are alone or with a much smaller group. Hope to see you downtown at the gallery in the next few weeks.

 

Panel-style Gallery Talk at Wood & Wax opening reception. John Andrew, Darla Myers and Tim J. Carney. All photos ©Eric Seidle Photography.
Photo by Eric Seidle

Thank you to Eric Seidle Photography for taking such great photos at our events. Please visit his website.

Susan Mattson an art activist

Susan Mattson is perhaps the most considerate person I have met. She deeply considers the ways in which various pieces of the world, herself included, influence and impact each other. Through her sculptures, Susan works out unresolved issues; both interior and exterior. While sculpting and carving, she allows her mind wander freely, reminiscing and following the flow of memories, regrets, projections, relationships.

 

Originally from Bozeman, Montana, Susan has traveled the world, taking a solo bike tour across the country at the age of 25. Every experience she has had, every place she has been, is still very alive within her.  The past is carved into her psyche in a powerful way. She is a vessel of lessons.

Susan carries out her intentions through action. She remodeled a house in Butte to rescue it from demolition. She uses the pulp from her fresh juices to bake scones, because, even pulp can be useful. She works in mental health. Every decision Susan makes is preceded by the question, “what would happen if every person on the planet did this?”

She is a steady and humble activist; her art is a demonstration of her deeply held beliefs.  But, she also has a goofy side.  Let’s just say she’s spent a decent amount of time on testing the limits of the face-swapping app.

Driven by curiosity, Susan researches her subjects exhaustively which translates into unparalleled originality in her pieces. For example, her current piece, Nacho Scapegoat, led her on a quest to discover how goats have taken on the burdens of humans throughout history in many, many ways. Susan never just randomly selects a subject, they all have a story behind them, they are thickly layered with meaning.

Susan Mattson

Susan is pretty much the MacGyver of art galleries. She’ll improve mopping methods, solve temperature and lighting issues with nothing but a bed sheet and a clothespin and conquer mounting dilemmas in the craftiest of ways.

Something to keep in mind when experiencing Susan’s work: every face is made separately with tiny ceramic and dental tools, then pressed onto the body of the sculpture. This requires massive focus, determination, and patience; every sculpture takes many, many hours.

So, come.  Plant yourself in front of one of Susan’s sculptures. Let it speak to you. Let it lead you down new path, or remind you of another time. Open up, lean in, listen.