RECAP // Coffee Date with Stephen Bram

Last Saturday, we settled into the Mattress Factory Café to start off a new season of Coffee Dates and chat with Australian artist Stephen Bram, one of the exhibiting artists in the recently opened Factory Installed show. Stephen’s piece, "Third floor West gallery 500 Sampsonia Way," is an architectural installation that uses shifted perspective to create a three dimensional space of smooth white walls and exposed timber.

We started the morning with an insightful discussion about the similarities and differences between Pittsburgh and Stephen’s hometown of Melbourne. As usual, conversation was accompanied by piping-hot coffee from Commonplace Coffeehouse, teas from Arnold’s Tea, and fresh donuts from Priory Bakery. After we had our fill, we headed up into the gallery to see Stephen’s piece and to talk about it in the gallery space. Because the piece had just opened the night before, most members were seeing this room-sized structure for the first time.

Stephen answered numerous questions about the construction and design of his piece. One of his favorite aspects of "Third floor West gallery 500 Sampsonia Way" is the way that the structure interacts with each of the permanent installations that surround it. Whether the pieces deal with perspective, like James Turrell and Sarah Oppenheimer's works, or an autobiographical concept, as with Greer Lankton's work, he appreciates that almost everything on the third floor can connect in some way.

Members, be sure to RSVP for the next Coffee Date this Saturday, October 8^th, with Mohammed Musallam. We hope to see you there!

RECAP // Coffee Date with Kevin Clancy

On August 20th, members filled the Mattress Factory Café for coffee and conversation at the last Coffee Date of the series with 2016 Factory Installed artist Kevin Clancy. Kevin’s piece, IRIS_SIRI, is on display in our gallery at 1414 Monterey Street.

We started out the morning with hot coffee from Commonplace Coffee just around the corner, teas from Arnold’s Tea, and delicious specialty breads from Breadworks Bakery. After a quick introduction, the group headed down to 1414 Monterey to view IRIS_SIRI. After gaining some insight into how he pays homage to other MF Artists like James Turrell and Yayoi Kusama, we asked a couple more questions and then made our way back to the café to continue the discussion. 

Conversation changed quickly from chatting about the cat Kevin lives with (his roommate’s grey tabby) and questions about his background, to how technology and social media are changing how we interact with other people and affecting important global events. We were lucky enough to have a broad range of ages participating in this event, so we heard and assortment of stories and experiences about social media, texting, and time.

Members, look out for a postcard in the mail for the next series of Coffee Dates, starting Saturday, September 17th with Mohammed Musallam. We hope to see you there, and make sure to RSVP! 

RECAP // Coffee Date with Lauren Kalman

Last Saturday, Mattress Factory members met in the Mattress Factory Café to chat with exhibiting artist Lauren Kalman over coffee, bread and tea. Lauren’s piece, Strangers to the Garden, is one of four installations in the Factory Installed show currently exhibited in the 1414 Monterey Street satellite gallery.

Once members made their way out of the rain and into the café, everyone had their fill of breads from BreadWorks Bakery and caffeinated with coffee from Commonplace Coffeehouse and tea from Arnold’s Tea. Lauren gave an overview of her piece and the idea behind her current series But if the Crime is Beautiful… which led to a lively discussion about how she sees jewelry and adornment in general, and how that influences her work. After learning about the process behind creating the 30,000+ gold foil kudzu leaves in her work, which utilized 3D printing during its pressing, we talked about technology and its growing role in even traditional forms of art, such as metalwork and jewelry making.

The highlight of the event was our trip over to 1414 Monterey to see Strangers to the Garden with Lauren. For many of the members, it was their first time seeing the piece. Being able to talk with the artist while taking in her piece in was a great experience for everyone and provided perspective for our discussion in the café.

Members, don't forget to RSVP to join us for the next Coffee Date with Kevin Clancy on Saturday, August 20. We hope to see you there! 

MF Member Summer Guide

Members — don't miss out on the special events we're offering this summer! As part of the benefits of MF Membership, we offer special programming designed with our members in mind.

Select Saturday mornings are reserved for Coffee Dates. Start the weekend off with coffee and conversation with Factory Installed artists — FREE for members! Have questions about the pieces that are currently on exhibit? Use this unique opportunity to meet and converse with the artists themselves about it, face-to-face.

Previous Coffee Date with Factory Installed artist Bill Smith

Feel free to bring along non-member guests and/or friends who have paid for the day's admission! (They'll thank you later.)

Upcoming Coffee Dates
July 30: Lauren Kalman
August 20: Kevin Clancy

Not much of a morning person? Check out our all-new series ART AND... taking place on selected Thursdays from 6-8 pm. Raise a glass with us in an intimate evening, featuring an exclusive behind-the-scenes look with exhibiting artists. More than just a lecture, this programming series is designed to get you up close to the works — and to the artists who make them. RSVP to education@mattress.org as space is limited!

Upcoming ART AND...
August 18: Kevin Clancy
September 15: Dennis Maher
October 6: Mohammed Musallam

While you're in the galleries, make sure to stop by the MF Shop and Café to use your membership 10% discount! We have a great curated collection of one-of-a-kind limited edition artists prints and books, museum catalogs, MF logowear and unique housewares for you to choose from. And due to popular demand, we've now expanded our hours to six days a week. So now you can enjoy our delicious summer menu, with soup, salads, sandwiches and entrees from Coca Café, every day the museum is open. Or just drop by when you have the time — museum admission is not required to shop or dine!

These are just some of the experiences and benefits that you, as a Member, can enjoy at the Mattress Factory this summer. We're always looking to expand on the opportunities that we offer you in exchange for your valued support.

If you're not a Member yet and don't want to miss, join today and be a part of the art!

On View This Summer

Spend your summer at the Mattress Factory! There's plenty to see in our galleries, and we don't want you to miss out...so here's a short guide of what's currently on view here at MF.

The Mattress Factory is home to a growing permanent collection of installation art — from the ever-popular Repetitive Vision (Yayoi Kusama) to the recently unveiled Acupuncture (Hans Peter Kuhn) sitting atop our roof. But don't forget to look for the more subtle installations hidden in the museum, like William Anastasi's minimalist wall drawings and Rolf Julius' music-playing terra cotta flowerpots.

Families and children in Yayoi Kusama's Repetitive Vision

Stop by to take a last look at Factory Installed at 500 Sampsonia Way, featuring the works of Lisa Sigal, Bill Smith and Rob Voerman, before it closes in early August.

Bill Smith, spherodendron, 2015

The works of David Bowen, Kevin Clancy, Lauren Kalman and Wendy Judge are also currently on view! The artists have completely transformed the galleries at 1414 Monterey Street with their own distinctive approach to the creative process. A few highlights: sliced mountains, space debris, cats, a money machine and gold leaves.

Kevin Clancy, IRIS_SIRI, 2016

As always, feel free to take pictures as you visit our galleries — and use #MattressFactory to share your photos with us!

Why not learn about the exhibitions as you visit? Drop in the museum for an interactive tour of our current exhibitions — it's FREE with museum admission! These tours are a treat, so please do stop by when you get the chance!

We are busier than ever this summer! If you're interested in learning more about what we do here or want to help out, we encourage you to volunteer. We're always looking for a helping hand, and we would love to get to know our dedicated viewers and patrons personally. Feel free to drop come to the Volunteer Open House + Orientation for a talk + tour of MF.

Keep an eye out for more installation openings and events that may be coming soon! We want you to get the most out of your visits here. See you soon!

Family Activity Guide

School's out, but the learning doesn't have to stop!

We welcome families with children of all ages to explore and enjoy our room-sized installations. It is our goal for your family to have a fun experience with art! To supplement these visits, we also deliver outside opportunities for kids and students to keep on creating!

Mini-Factory is a series for little ones ages 3 to 5 with big ideas. These workshops combine children's story and play time, and each week is centered on multi-sensory themes from the everyday to learn about and explore! Mini-Factory takes places every other Saturday (the second and fourth of the month) from 10-11 am.

Upcoming Mini-Factorys
August 13: MOVEMENT
August 27: LOOK

Looking for an activity for the whole family? Delve into the galleries on a Saturday afternoon and finish off with an interactive ARTLab workshop from 1-4 pm. ARTLab is designed for visitors of all ages to play with project design and installations inspired by our exhibitions and artists. Expect to get your hands dirty and be ready for some fun collaboration! The program is FREE with admission.

Upcoming ARTLabs
August 6: Share An Imaginary Space (Factory Installed — Wendy Judge)
August 20: Light Lab (Factory Installed — Kevin Clancy)

Learn, explore and create this summer at the Mattress Factory!

RECAP // Factory 500: Behind-the-Scenes with Artist Dennis Maher

Artist Dennis Maher in his installation at 516 Sampsonia Way

Last Thursday, Factory 500 members got to go where no members have gone before...into the working mind of Buffalo artist Dennis Maher! Dennis has been working over at the Mattress Factory's 516 Sampsonia Way gallery building for the past month installing his upcoming exhibition set to open Saturday, August 13, 2016.

Still in an unfinished state, Factory 500 members were able to navigate through Dennis' intense work-in-progress, while picking his brain about his process. Dennis' installation spans all three floors of the Mattress Factory's 516 Sampsonia Way gallery building.

Following the tour, Factory 500 members and Dennis joined Co-Directors Barbara Luderowski and Michael Olijnyk upstairs in their 6th floor loft atop the Mattress Factory's main building. Factory 500 members were able to continue their conversation with Dennis, while enjoying a cocktail and browsing the Co-Directors' impressive art collection.

Photo of Co-Directors Barbara Luderowski & Michael Olijnyk's private loft on the 6th floor of the museum

For more information about Factory 500, please contact Caitlin Harpster, Fundraising & Donor Relations Officer, at caitlin@mattress.org or 412.231.3169.

Recap and Farewell: Teen Art Cooperative: January – May!

Emily Simons talks about the work of the Beehive Collective with Co-op members.

Since we last checked in, the Teen Art Cooperative has been up to so much! We started out the New Year with a compelling and informative workshop from Emily Simons of the Beehive Collective, followed by a captivating and collaborative visual workshop from current Mattress Factory artist Kevin Clancy. As Spring rolled in, we made our own jewelry pieces with local artist Catharine Luckett, and then had a lesson in visual literacy from the wonderful Joey Behrens.

Co-op members explore phenomenal properties of light and technology with Kevin Clancy.

During this time, we also worked hard on planning our second event UNHIBERNATE, which took place on April 1, 2016.

Flyer for Teen Art Co-op's event UNHIBERNATE. 

The event featured performances from local bands Chattel Tail, Chase the Monkey and Nox Boys, as well as visits from local organizations 1Hood, Bike Pittsburgh and our friend Emily Simons of the Beehive Collective. By the end of the night, our donation-based admission station had collected 254 pounds of canned and dry goods for the Northside Community Food Pantry!

UNHIBERNATE guests smile as balloons drop during the Nox Boys performance.

As the end of year drew closer, the Co-op members packed in some great, informative field trips to Radiant Hall Studios in Lawrenceville and Manchester Craftsmen's Guild on the North Side.

Artist Liz Rudnick speaks with Co-op members about her practice at Radiant Hall Studios in Lawrenceville.

We learned how to make and stitch our very own books with Sarah Croop, and we playfully experimented with movement and readymade sculptures with artist Jasen Bernthisel.

Co-op members work on their folding skills during a bookmaking workshop with artist Sarah Croop. The workshop took place inside of the Rob Voerman's installation Faculty on the fourth floor. 

Before we knew it, it was time for the Cooperative to think about its final event of the season. After some hard work and thoughtful planning, KALEIDOSCOPE emerged — a collective art show featuring the work of all 11 Co-op members. The evening also featured a musical performance by previous Co-op members Mogo as well as Voice Channel, a project created by a group from Winchester Thurston High School that is concerned with amplifying youth voices in the social justice realm.

KALEIDOSCOPE took place on Friday, May 27, and it was a wonderful way to bookend an amazing year. We can't wait to see what each of these Co-op members will create, tackle, and organize next...we are sure it will be stellar!

The Cooperative poses for a final group shot at their collective art show KALEIDOSCOPE, with Co-op member Janine Paulson's piece 'Table Cloths and Bed Sheets' as a backdrop. 

RECAP// Mini-Factory: SPACE

We all respond to SPACEs in a personal way, whether at an installation art museum, the playground, a drive-in movie or the comfort of home. Certain SPACEs speak to specific senses, enhancing the experiential quality of soaking in a SPACE.

At the Mattress Factory Museum, artists respond to SPACE with creative means. Imaginations envision and transform SPACE into a surreal, provocative and intellectual forums for viewers to experience, not just observe. Participation is key to activating installation art. Perhaps some are forever changed by one experience, while others may decide to dismiss and forget.

Our curious group of young artists in Mini-Factory learned about various SPACEs. How do artists respond to making, creating and installing art for a SPACE? How does that SPACE make us feel — joyful, crowded, surprised? It is this element which brands our memory with experiences.

As Mini-Factory discovered, no SPACE is too small, too big or too ordinary for artists.

Handrail is a favorite piece which always sparks a reaction; using simplicity and wit to surprise visitors, it reminds us art can be anywhere, at anytime, in any SPACE. Wendy Judge takes an outside SPACE and brings it inside. How did she accomplish bringing a landscape inside the gallery? What outside SPACE would you bring inside? Jene Highstein's Untitled confronts the visitor. Do you feel crowded? Uncomfortable? How do we navigate these situations? Art can evoke self-awareness from many different angles.

Wrapping up our hour together, Mini-Factory participants made their own SPACE using a box, a plethora of materials and their imaginations. What SPACE would you create?

Mini-Factory is an interactive learning program for children ages 3 - 5 years old and their parents or caregivers. Using contemporary installation art, parents and children will explore new ideas and concepts from the everyday world.

Join us at 10am on June 11th for INSTALL!

RECAP // Coffee Date with David Bowen

On Saturday, May 21, members joined artist David Bowen for a cozy discussion in the Mattress Factory café. David’s work SPACEJUNK premiered only the day before at the 2016 Factory Installed exhibition, allowing members to be among the very first to learn about the process behind the creation of SPACEJUNK!

David uses robotics, sensors and custom-built software to explore the intersections between natural and mechanical systems. He kicked off the discussion by sharing some of his previous works, including Tele-Present Water, an installation that replicated the movement and intensity of water based on data from a buoy adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

This idea of communicating a remote experience using data is also echoed in David’s work at the Mattress Factory. He explained that there are over 500,000 pieces of human-made space debris circling the earth! These can range from spent rocket bodies, satellites, to tools from previous space missions. David talked about his fascination with the subject, how “so much energy was put into launching these things, and yet now they are in this state of slow decay.”

David designed a program to scrape data from a website that tracks the orbiting human-made debris. Then he built 50 machines to point twigs in unison towards the oldest piece currently above the horizon. What results is a mesmerizing (and sometimes startling!) display that is constantly changing as debris appear and disappear beyond the horizon.

Up close to the works, members got to ask David all sorts of questions about the process of putting together the installation and the different components of the piece. “I love learning about such completely unexpected things like this and seeing the overlap with art and technology," one member shared.

Join us for our next Coffee Date with Lauren Kalman on Saturday, July 30, 2016 at 10:30am.

RECAP // Coffee Date with Wendy Judge

This Saturday, Mattress Factory members kicked of the new season of Coffee Dates with Irish artist Wendy Judge. Wendy is based in Dublin, but has been living in the Mexican War Streets in the Mattress Factory's Artist Residency space around the corner from the museum for the past month and a half. Wendy is one of four artists in the Mattress Factory's upcoming show Factory Installed that opens on Friday, May 20 at the museum's satellite gallery at 1414 Monterey Street.

Members trickled in to the Mattress Factory Café to be greeted by hot coffee and tea, courtesy of Commonplace Coffee located around the corner on Buena Vista, and Arnold's Tea on East Ohio. Breadworks Bakery rounded out breakfast with a selection of their specialty breads.

After everyone made their introductions, Wendy decided to take the members over to her working studio on 1414 Monterey Street. With just under two weeks until her opening, members had the private experience of seeing Wendy's installation in progress. "It's like looking into her mind," one member commented. Wendy described her work using phrases like "armchair travel" and "looking through a pair of backwards binoculars." Her sculpture--a now construction zone filled with plywood, blue foam board and grey paint--will soon morph into a beautiful landscape, a topographical study of land and earth. Wendy focused on strip mining in West Virginia as source material for her installation. Photographs of a recent trip to West Virginia line the walls of her gallery space. "I'm interested in the scarring that occurs on the land after strip mining," Wendy said. "The land reflects so much trauma in these pictures." MF members chimed in with their own stories and relationships to mining in the region. Wendy described her practice as "drawing in space." She uses no technology when rendering her sculptures. "It's actually quite an irrational practice, I guess."

Wendy's installation, yet to be titled, opens Friday, May 20 at the Mattress Factory's 1414 Monterey Street Gallery as part of Factory Installed. The Opening Reception is from 6-8pm. $15 or FREE for MF Members, and students with valid ID from CMU and Point Park.

Join us for our next Coffee Date with David Bohen on Saturday, May 21 at 10:30am.

Not a member? Join today!

Apply now! 2016 Summer Art Cooperative Applications Due May 1

If you're a high school student in Pittsburgh or the surrounding areas and would like to get involved with the Mattress Factory, consider joining the 2016 Summer Art Cooperative! The FREE program will run from July 6  - August 5, 2016, and will feature weekly workshops led by 10 local artists. In addition to workshops, Coop members will gain hands-on museum experience as they work together to plan an event, hear from museum staff about their careers, and more. Featuring teaching artists will include:

John Peña
Felicia Cooper
Jeff Weston
Lindsey Peck Scherloum
Rose Clancy
Henry Gepfer
Hudson Rush
Anna Bieberdorf

and more!

Applications for the Summer Art Cooperative are due Sunday, May 1 and can be emailed to Stephanie St. Aubin, or physically mailed to:

Mattress Factory
Attn: Stephanie St. Aubin
500 Sampsonia Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15212 

We hope you'll consider joining us for a summer of collaboration, creative practice and exploration! 

RECAP // Factory 500 Weekend: Pittsburgh Opera + Troy Hill Art Houses

Factory 500 members on the Pittsburgh Opera's rehearsal stage for The Rake's Progress 

This past weekend, Factory 500 members were treated to back-to-back exclusive contemporary art experiences! 

On Friday, April 22, Factory 500 members received a behind-the-scenes tour of the Pittsburgh Opera's production of Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. British artist David Hockney designed the jaw-dropping sets, props, wigs and costumes, drawing from the visual aesthetic of William Hogarth's famous series of engravings that originally inspired the opera. 

Members got to examine gorgeous, one-of-a-kind set pieces and costumes up close, seeing the intense cross-hatching that Hockney employed to mimic the feel of Hogarth's engravings. 

The next day, over 50 Factory 500 members gathered in Pittsburgh's Troy Hill neighborhood. To an outsider, it looked like a curious decision - what were contemporary art enthusiasts doing gathered in an ordinary neighborhood?

Factory 500 members gather at The Pear and the Pickle, Troy Hill's newest neighborhood cafe. 

Indeed, from the exterior, 1812 Rialto Street blends seamlessly into the block of family homes. But as soon as our members entered the door, they embarked on what they described as an "unexpected," "completely astonishing," and "delightful" adventure!

The entire house, known as "La Hüitte Royal," is the work of a German artists named Thorsten Brinkman who transformed the once vacant house over the course of two years. Members crawled through tunnels, climbed ladders, practiced their golf swings and traversed a series of spaces designed from top to bottom. The house is the first Troy Hill art house commissioned by Even Mirapaul. 

At 1718 Rialto Street, we explore "Kunzhaus," the second of Evan Mirapaul's art houses, which just opened in March 2016. Polish contemporary artists Robert Kusmirowski drew from the history of the house and its occupants as well as elements of his own past. 

Factory 500 is the Mattress Factory's premiere membership program, chaired by Susan Lammie. The group tours private collections, artist studios, local businesses and other interesting arts destinations in Pittsburgh several times throughout the year. Don't miss out — join today! 

RECAP // Mini-Factory: SOUND

Mini-Factory – our intrepid group of 3, 4 and 5 year olds - explored the world of SOUND at the Mattress Factory Museum.  How do artists use SOUND in their artwork?  What does the SOUND make me feel, think and imagine?   Red, by Rolf Julius, was a great starting point for our group.  Julius is an artist who pushes the boundaries of how our senses have traditionally been compartmentalized in the art world.  In Red, Julius has taken speakers, turned them upside-down, taken the grill off, and covered them with red pigment.  What happens when SOUND pipes through the red speakers? It jumps, vibrates and moves giving SOUND a visual component.

Stopping at the third floor landing, we explored another SOUND installation by Julius. Sound for Garden combines various objects such as wind chimes, factories, and city life to create a SOUND collage which compliments and accompanies the Garden Installation. The aim of this piece is to pull from two realms, SOUNDs of the past and present, guiding viewers to carefully observe their surroundings and, therefore, tune into their senses.

Once we explored galleries, it was time to put our observations to practice. Young artists listened to various sounds, including contrasting music allowing the SOUND to guide their paint brush.  We created a SOUND mural which was installed in the lobby of the Mattress Factory Museum.

Mini-Factory is an interactive learning program for children ages 3 - 5 years old and their parents or caregivers.  Using contemporary installation art, parents and children will explore new ideas and concepts from the everyday world.  Join us on April 23 for ME!

MF SHOP // Artist Feature: Nathan Hall

Every artwork tells a story. In this first ever MF Shop Artist Feature, we have chosen the work of composer, visual artist, jewelry designer, and Carnegie Mellon Alumni Nathan Hall.

A modern day Renaissance man, Nathan's jewelry line blurs the distinction between earthy and edgy. His one of a kind pieces are part of a fascinating story about the artist's experiences in Reykjavík, Iceland. We were delighted to have Nathan join us in conversation about his work.



I understand that you received your Masters in Music from Carnegie Mellon University, and later were a Fulbright Fellow for a year in Iceland. Could you tell me a bit more about your time in Iceland?

I’d been interested in Iceland since high school, and had even started taking Icelandic language lessons in Pittsburgh. Getting the Fulbright was one of the best things to ever happen to me!

I lived in Iceland for a year, making music, touring the country, meeting artists, and generally trying to immerse myself culturally. I got much better at speaking Icelandic, I joined a choir, and I started making new designs for my line of jewelry. Now that I’m back in the States, I go back to Iceland often to see friends, work on new creative projects, and visit places I haven’t yet seen.

As a composer and visual artist, what drew you to the medium of jewelry?

I’ve always been interested in jewelry right along with music, even from childhood. In grade school I’d make these hideous little bead necklaces for my relatives (they continue to joke with me about them to this day). And unlike composing, you see results from your work a lot faster, and then you can wear your art around.

In what ways has your background in music influenced your work as a jewelry designer?

For both fields, I’m constantly challenging myself to make new and better work and to stay fresh, and then get it out into the world. I love when my music creates a subtle atmosphere, and I hope that seeps a little into my jewelry as well.

Which aspects of Iceland were particularly inspiring to you?

There is a more immediate sense of landscape in Iceland- of all the lava that surrounds everything, of the dangers of the ocean waves, or the forces of a glacier grinding down a mountain. It’s more amped-up than most places in the world. Add to that a culture that really values the arts, and thinks it’s a totally valid life to be a composer or jewelry designer, or whatever—it’s all very inspiring.

The juxtaposition of raw natural elements and technically refined metalwork is particularly striking in your lava stone and metal crochet necklaces. Can you tell me a bit about the artistic process that goes into creating one of these pieces?

It took me quite a lot of trial and error to come to these designs, the right kind of pliable sterling silver, the width of the crochet, and how to get beads threaded into the piece. Every crocheted necklace is a single strand of wire, so I have to plan the shape out in advance, like a pattern. I also don’t crochet wire in the way I might make a scarf, because making irregular-sized loops is more interesting and organic to me.

Who do you have in mind when designing your jewelry?

Some of my favorite customers have been women who love art museums and big unique “statement” necklaces. The Barbara Luderowskis of the world! But when we can’t all be so bold, I imagine confident, stylish men and women who want something colorful, textural, with a story to tell.

What is your favorite piece in your collections?

It’s actually neither crocheted nor lava, but still rooted in Iceland. It’s a piece I did for a friend’s wedding (pictures below). I gathered sea glass on the coast of Reykjavík, and I wrapped the glass in sterling wire and wound the pieces with pearls and pale yellow crystals. I love those kinds of special projects. And the bride was happy too. 

To see Hall's line for yourself, visit the MF Shop online or at the museum! Admission is NOT required to shop.

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RECAP // Mini-Factory: COLOR

COLOR influences how we feel, how we see, and what we think. Today in Mini-Factory, our group of 3, 4 & 5 year old artists explored the world of COLOR by starting with a favorite book, My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss. Expressions such as “feeling blue,” “white as a ghost,” and “red hot mad” convey how people associate feelings with COLOR. 

Anne Lindberg’s piece shift lens provided the perfect example of how artists are inspired by COLOR.  By combining various crisscrossed colored thread stretched wall to wall, shift lens creates a blending of colors.  Light filtering from windows behind the installation add another layer of nuance which further blends the blues, yellows and greens.

Artists are constantly inspired by the colors around them… and so too are chameleons.  Using children’s literature as our entry point, our group didn’t miss a step making the connection with A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni. Chameleons change color to match their surroundings; how many colors can a chameleon be in the kitchen, in the desert, in the rainforest?  By looking carefully and observing the many tones of colors, students colored their chameleon to blend into various landscapes, putting into practice our discussion and exploration of COLOR.