Once again, students from Esther Siegel and Spencer Brewer's Harmony Gaits' monthly 'Outta the Box' Assemblage Camps will be showing the fruits of their weekend workshops called 'Casing the Joint' at the Corner Gallery. There will be sixteen unique and surprising pieces up for the month of February, each by a different artist.

 

Spencer, when asked to provide a few insights about the participants' experiences, laughed and said, "Here... watch this, It's way better than anything I could tell you myself." He pulled a video up on his phone, which featured a number of students talking at lunchtime about how their work was progressing that day and how they were dealing with the serendipitous process.

 

One man was grinning ear to ear as he spoke to the camera, "I had this unbelievable sensation that I was in kindergarten," he said. "It's nature and nurture at the same time, and all I have to do is play. It's a beautiful experience." His partner was working on her own piece and explained, "I'm really happy that I came here with an idea that I was able to work on and make it take shape right on the table in front of me. I am proud that I learned to use some tools like an angle grinder as well... this is so new for me."

 

A brand new student expressed that she experienced a fair amount of anxiety before she arrived at the camp.  "I couldn't imagine what would be inside that barn that I kept hearing about. My head was exploding with so many ideas." Another student who was repeating the class for the fourth time declared, "This time it's just as much fun as the first time. I have learned to show up with a blank slate and just play. I can't tell if it's my talent or the pile of amazing resources (or the home-cooked lunch) that makes the experience so great for me."

 

One woman flew all the way here from Oregon to do this class because she had heard so much about it. She found herself a bit overwhelmed, but was working through it. "I get attached to something that I want to use," she explained, "but then try to make the process more organic as I try out different objects. Then I just keep thinking... Is that object that I chose first really all that important, or can I let go of it and try to flow with all the new ideas that come up? It's so hard to decide."

 

Spencer clearly enjoyed watching the video of the students talking. At the end he summed up his experience as one of the instructors... "All the stuff we have helps people think in new and different ways as they put ideas and objects together. It's magic to watch."

 

The First Friday opening for this round of Assemblage art will be on February 7 from 5-8pm. Live music will be provided throughout the evening by_Sunni________. The Corner Gallery is located at 201 S State Street in Ukiah.