Cool Place Alert: The 100th Monkey Studio

This week, we meet the women who brought a wonderful community arts space to Portland -- The 100th Monkey Studio. Beth Ann and Joy have backgrounds in the arts and mental health, and joined forces to build a space for making, learning, and showing creative work.

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Tell us what The 100th Monkey Studio is, and what happens there.
The studio is a place where anyone can come and either create art or view it. We also have a wonderful resource area where community providers have left cards and brochures (from massage, to elder-care, counseling options, wedding cakes...it's quite an array).

How did you come to open the studio?
Joy and I worked in community mental health together. Joy was a case manager and I was an in-house therapist. My background is in Art Therapy, but my undergraduate degrees are English and Art. This studio is an art therapist's dream. It's so amazing to have a place where I can do art, teach art, curate art and also support others in their life journey.

Why do you feel it's so important to provide an open, affordable creative space for the community?
This city is full of creative people. People looking to show their art...or an affordable place to create art. I remember when I was younger always painting in basements with poor lighting and horrible ventilation. We wanted to create a place where people can create art and not go broke!

There's also the art therapist in me that grabs onto how art supports people. The politics of our time are not friendly to the social service world. Mental health and school programs have been subject to severe cuts in the last 6 years...we also see the studio as a place where people who want services can access them. We have provided group opportunities to organizations like Portland Public Schools (SUN program), The Boys and Girls Aid Society, Cascadia and the GLAD program.

If people want to come make art or craft in the studio, what are their options?
We offer several affordable packages for membership in the studio, for individuals, families, students, and seniors. These packages include free access to art supplies in the studio, discounts in our supply store and on our many classes, free coffee, tea, or water, and the opportunity to participate in our group shows throughout the year.

- Individual: $330 yearly ($50 savings) or $30 monthly + annual materials fee of $20

- Family, "Troop of Monkeys" (up to 4 people): $1200 yearly ($136 savings) or $100 monthly + annual materials fee of $40

- Students (6-18 or with student identification): $264 yearly ($44 savings) $24 monthly + annual materials fee of $20

- Seniors: $264 yearly ($44 savings) or $24 monthly + annual materials fee of $20

Drop In hourly services are also available to non-members at $7.50 per hour

What else do you offer besides open studio?
We also have classes/workshops on both arts and crafts...lectures (art law, music law, art therapy information).. song writing...after-school programs...camps for elementary aged kids...support groups...Ladies Craft Night...we also offer our studio for private parties (birthday, baby showers..)...First Friday Art Openings each month when our shows change.... We change these monthly so things stay fresh and exciting. Our website is always current :)

How do you define the difference between "Art" and "Craft?"
This is a great question...and I think probably a bit subjective and personal. In my opinion, creativity is what it comes down to. An artist friend of mine told me that I am a "Fine Artist" and he is a "grafitti artist." I think he feels this way because we were educated differently, but I really believe our life experiences are the best education and subject matter for our creativity. I think craft could be seen more as a form of expression that results in either a utilitarian item (knitting, some felting...word working...) but then writing this I think of pieces of knitting I have seen that were sculptures in themselves -- and also felting I have done that I used in a larger piece...wood working that has be sculptural.

I would prefer to not split hairs and just think of all creativity as beneficial to anyone who comes in contact with it, whether they are creating the piece or viewing the piece. That to me is what is important...now I'll get off my creative soap box.

What is your favorite creative spot in Portland? (Besides The 100th Monkey Studio, of course!)
Wow...another great question... SCRAP!