Tag: summer activities

August 8, 2022

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 write thoughts, collect quotes, poems or lists. The unlined paper inside can be used for sketching, collage or whatever makes your heart sing. Make one for yourself, and gift the other to someone special. Once you are shown the method, you’ll have no trouble at all setting up your own book-binding space at home.

Ready for a relaxing weekend of making artful hardbound books? Bring a friend or meet new friends while learning a new artform

Over the course of the two day session, you will learn the creative process behind two traditional bookbinding styles and leave the class with two handmade books that you bound yourself. You will also have the opportunity to learn about a number of different bookbinding techniques, with samples available to browse.

Amanda Determan will lead Saturday’s coptic bookbinding lesson, and Robin Leenhouts will lead Sunday’s session on hardcover bookbinding. Both days will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m., with a lunch break. We’ll supply beverages throughout the day but participants should plan on bringing a lunch or ordering take-out from a downtown cafe.

All supplies needed to complete the books will be provided! Once registered, you will receive a list of items you may wish to bring to add some extra personalization to your handmade books.

Robin specializes in case bound books: the final product is a traditional hardcover book. The pages are prepared in signatures (typically 4-8 pieces of paper folded in half, depending on the thickness of paper and desired final thickness of the book) that are stitched together using a “long stitch” technique. The covers are made of bookboard, a special kind of dense cardboard that is less prone to warping. Bookbinders wrap case bound books in decorative paper (or sometimes a thin fabric) – Robin often uses prints that Maureen has shared with her from her printmaking studio practice. Finally, a special bookbinding cloth (typically cotton, linen, or buckram) is used to cover the spine and add extra durability.

Robin’s books are heirloom pieces that deserve their place on the coffee table. These books would make beautiful journals, photo albums, sketchbooks – the opportunities are endless.

Amanda will introduce participants to coptic bookbinding, which is one of the oldest forms of bookbinding: it was used as early as the second century in Egypt. Coptic binding begins with signatures, similar to the case bound technique, but features an open spine. In coptic bookbinding, the covers are also stitched directly to the pages, eliminating the need for glue. Coptic-bound books can be opened 360 degrees and will lay completely flat at every spread. Because they have no spine, they are inherently more fragile than traditional hardcover books, but many bookbinders love the coptic form for the decorative opportunities it presents. With this form, many book elements that are otherwise hidden can be dressed up: the thread that binds it all together can be ornamented with beads or ornate stitching patterns, and the spines of the individual signatures can also be decorated.

The workshop is limited to six participants so our instructors can maximize the opportunity for hands-on interaction with each student. COVID precautions: To make sure workshop participants are as safe as possible, we will be set up with lots of room for each participant. Instructors are vaccinated and boosted and we have excellent air filtration in the classroom as well as fans to create good air flow.

See Details about this Workshop Below the Example Photos

DETAILS:

- Date: August 27 and 28, 2022
- Time: 9am to 4pm (plan to arrive at 8:45 to settle in with a drink before the workshop starts.)
- Tuition: $280 includes all supplies
- Location: 1+1=1 Classroom (rear portion of the gallery)
- Address: 434 North Last Chance Gulch in Helena Montana
- We will provide snacks and beverages. Please bring your own lunch or you can get lunch to-go from a downtown cafe´.
- We have an excellent HEPA air filter and exhaust fans running in the classroom all the time. We also have lots of room for all participants to spread out in the classroom. Our instructors and all gallery staff are fully vaccinated and boosted. If you would be more comfortable, please feel free to bring a face mask.

April 20, 2022

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!

June 3, 2020

Black is a Color: an Exhibit about the Flow of a Show

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.

May 28, 2020

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.

January 4, 2018

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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March 20, 2017

Teen Art Wanderings this Summer

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 just four girls. Each will get lots of attention and we can all go on our adventures in one car.

teen art wanderings course details:

Ages: for girls ages 13 and 14
Dates: June 12 – Aug 21 (with breaks) — see schedule below
Time/Day: Mondays 11am to 4pm gives us time to drive to our adventures, have a picnic lunch and plenty of time to make art.
Course is 8 sessions throughout the summer. Students must complete at least 6 sessions to keep the art kit at the end of the summer, and have the opportunity to participate in the Young Voices Art Exhibit during the school year.
Tuition & supplies: $320. Includes beverages and snacks. Students bring own brown bag lunch. Scholarships available. Please ask.
Transportation: students will be dropped off and picked up at 1+1=1 Gallery and will be transported by Maureen to wherever we are going that day.

Each of the 8 weeks we’ll go to a different place to draw or paint outdoors (unless it’s raining or snowing) click the pics below for details on that week’s fun:

In the Studio and Downtown Helena. Composition, Color and Drawing Basics. Lunch at the Parrot. (Start in the studio with overview of basics and mark-making. Then to the walking mall to practice what we learned. Lunch will be late, so make sure your girls have a healthy snack before they arrive.)

June 19 Boulder River: River & Mountain Landscapes. Drawing and mark-making with graphite sticks and ink pens. Picnic lunch at the river then spend our last hour soaking at Boulder Hotsprings.

June 26 Carousel and Reeder’s Alley: We’ll paint with watercolor pencils as well as ink pens and pastels. Picnic lunch then stop at Big Dipper for treats

July 10 Ten Mile Creek: Farmland, Botany Closeups & Skies using pencils and watercolors. Picnic lunch. If it’s hot we can dip in the creek!

July 17 Crystal Creek: Wildflowers, Flowing Water & Mountains. We’ll use pastels and watercolors. Flowers should be gorgeous this week! Picnic lunch and short hike.

Aug 7 Canyon Ferry Lake: Wetlands & Weather. Guest artist Kallie Audet will join us to show some of her acrylic painting techniques. Picnic lunch, plus treats at the Townsend A&W

Aug 14 Elkhorn Ghost Town: Artifacts & Buildings. Students may choose a medium they’ve used earlier this summer. Picnic lunch.

Aug 21 In-studio using reference photos to paint and draw with students’ choice of mediums.

Students get to keep their kit when they complete the course. We hope they become life-long creatives and art-lovers. We’ll make plans for the exhibit too!

What we’ll do:

Sketching, painting and a bit of photography

Things we’ll draw and paint:

Landscapes and close-ups; rivers, mountains, trees and grass; people, bugs and birds; natural scenes and city scenes; wildflowers and seedpods

mediums we’ll try:

Watercolors, water-soluble pencils, pastels, graphite and pencils, ink pens, mixed-media, acrylic paint, charcoal and collage.

Bonus Fun Thing:

This year will be our Third Annual Young Voices Art Exhibit at 1+1=1 Gallery (sometime during the school year.) All four of my teen adventurer-artists will be able to participate in the preparation for the exhibit, at no charge. (Students’ families pay for inexpensive frames.)

August 24, 2016

Thoughtful Self Portraits by Kids Creativity Sesh Students

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 ages 9 to 13, introspection isn’t something they admit to doing regularly. I expected my students to be challenged, maybe uncomfortable, certainly pushed outside their comfort zones. They did some beautiful expressive work and I am sooo proud of them. Two students who could not attend today’s sesh will do this same project in one on ones with me later.

Watch for announcements and invitations to the 2nd Annual Young Voices exhibit opening November 8th where you will be able to see their artwork in person and meet the artists.

Today in our Kds Creativity Sesh we learned about self portraits and created two types of portraits.

First we watched a slideshow/collection of self portraits by artists both well known and unknown, including some by other students. Then we looked at some of the more unusual or creative self portraits and talked about why artists make self portraits and what they might be trying to express about themselves.

I gave my students an assignment to take lots of photos of themselves ( using a digital remote and an iPad on a stand) with the end result of 8 different emotional portraits. They chose their favorites to work with.

Next, the kids used either Photoshop or a mobile app to distill the color portraits to a black and white, posterized, sketch-ized or comic-ized image. We printed those on Bristol paper, glued them to very large sketch Bristol and they added paint and papers to create self portraits.

The students used some of the remaining expressive self-portrait photos to learn about enhancing the emotion of an image by the way one chooses to process the photo. Some of their photographic results are above.

Also, please check out some of their mixed-media self portraits below and let them know through comments, how you respond to their endeavors. Thank you!

Some of the photo-enhanced selfies:

July 18, 2015

August First Friday in Helena Montana

1+1=1 Gallery and The Herb & Garden are co-hosting a 4-hour sidewalk-cafe´ together during the August 2015 Downtown Helena First Friday!

Please join us at our 4-hour “North-End” Sidewalk Cafe´ where you can enjoy free fresh fruit-waters, lemon and limeade, guacamole, salsa and chips that Cindy and Maureen are serving inside their shops. We hope to have live music too!

Our current exhibit will still be up during First Friday at 1+1=1 Gallery. This will be the last weekend to see wood fired ceramics by Gregg Edelen, ceramic sculpture by Susan Mattson and textile art by Carol Wilbur.

July 11, 2015

Kids Collage with Flub-ups, Oops and Leftovers

July 14th Kids Creativity Sesh

Flub-ups, Oops and Leftovers Make Cool Collages

Sometimes one of my paintings or drawings just isn’t up to snuff… But that’s okay. It’s chill. I don’t worry and — I definitely don’t toss it! That’s like gold in the hands of a collage artist (that would be you, or your kiddo, in this fun class.)

June 11, 2015

Kids Creativity Sesh Summer Round Up 2015

Alrightee then … we finally have our entire summer schedule for the Kids’ Creativity Classes at 1+1=1 Gallery and Brown Bird Studio (the very back, very cool, bright studio space behind the gallery.)

Classes are always on a Tuesday morning, 9:00 to noon. Tuition is $24/class and includes all materials and a nutritious snack.

Click on “Classes, Workshops” in the Gallery Shop. $24 per child per class. Includes all materials and snacks.