Collab

Flourish 1, 2, & 3

by Kristi Marsh Watson and Benaiah Cusack

mixed media on cradeled panel, 12x6x1.5

For the month of September, the Gallery Annex is exhibiting “Collab,” a group show that represents the spirit of community at the Harrison Center. 

With more than 40 works of art and 20 artists participating, the creative energy is full of life at the Harrison Center. The collaborative spirit of the show brings out each individual's joy of art-making and exhibits the joy of community. Each work of art displays the unique blend of the artists' practices, some of whom have known each other for years, while others have known each other for a few months.

“I liked taking someone else's energy and matching it with my own to make it one movement,” says Johnson Simon, a painter who collaborated with three other artists. 

“While challenging in unique ways, whether through differing creative practices or someone working on the piece in an unanticipated way, the Collab show has been a great experience. It has allowed me to work with friends who are fellow artists, developing those connections as well as community.” Says Laurence Apple, a Harrison Center intern who collaborated on three works of art.

Hummingbird Heaven

by Kyle Ragsdale and India Cruse-Griffin

mixed media and acrylic, 24x24

“This experience opened me up to try new things and work in unexpected ways,” says Kyle Ragsdale, Harrison Center artist and curator. As someone who has been making art for decades, Ragsdale has developed his own way of working. But through being a part of “Collab,” Ragsdale has loved the ways it has expanded his practice. 

The show can be viewed anytime in the Gallery Annex through the month of September: Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The works can also be viewed and purchased on our online gallery through October.