As part of the Des Moines Art Center’s new My Museum Monday program, each month an Art Center member is invited to spend time in the museum when the building is normally closed to the public. We received dozens of applications to take part in this experience and are excited to begin sharing them with you.
Last fall, Art Center member Sara Williams and two friends, Jennifer Echavarria and Avery Gregurich, were selected to participate in My Museum Monday, an opportunity for members to spend several hours of time alone in the museum experiencing the galleries in a unique and creative way.
Member Sara Williams opted to initiate a three-person drawing exercise using a folded paper technique where each participant chooses a different gallery for inspiration, drawing simultaneously for 30 minutes on the top third section of paper. After the Membership #ArtCentered time is up, the paper is folded back so the drawing is mostly hidden, with only a few connective lines visible as a suggestion for the next participant to draw from. The process is repeated twice and the last rotation produces three completed artworks, made up of three separate sections, created by three different people.
Commenting on the experience, Williams said, “Having the ability to sit quietly in such informative spaces while drawing at a stream of conscious-like clip was transformative… and opposite of my typical museum experience.”
According to Gregurich, “Our My Museum Monday experience was pure fun. The spaces we inhabited were reflected directly in the works that we created. In that way, the museum itself was a collaborator in our works.”
Echavarria added, “Collaborative drawing is a great way to get the creative engine in gear and also see how others express themselves on the same page you are using. Sharing is something important to me and that is what we did. The Art Center offered a great space and great inspiration… and I’m so happy I was able to be part of it.”
