We will be serving full pours and offering samples at the Monster Arts Project in Suite 026 in Eastworks for the return of the Monster Arts Project.
Monster Arts Project began in 2015, a lovingly thought up brainchild of partners Sloan Tomlinson and Athan Vennell. Sloan has always had an interest in imaginary creatures, monsters, or however you want to call them. There is a magic to the fact that every single culture on the planet has imagined fantastical beasts, and it’s this interconnectedness of humanity through the ages and across divides that Monster Arts Project is all about. Athan suggested to Sloan to reach out to then director of Easthampton City Arts to use their then new gallery space MAP in the astoundingly illustrious Eastworks, located in Easthampton, MA, and thus the show was born.
A group of artists was found to create works ranging from illustrations to sculpture. The first show was simple, but both Athan and Sloan didn’t want to just hang art on the wall, but instead use props to transport visitors into a realm beyond just a traditional gallery. The first show was a rousing success, and the owners of Eastworks, the Easthampton community, and greater Valley community at large were excited to see what happened in the next show! The next show the following year became more complex, transporting visitors to a 1920s lounge, complete with a swing band for opening night. The show was such a triumph and people were so engaged, the owners of Eastworks kindly invited the show to continue for another week to be a part of the ever-popular Eastworks Open Studio. The following year the show became even bigger, turning the gallery into a backstage of a travelling circus, complete with performers, monster stilt walkers, popcorn, and cotton candy. This show had almost 500 people on opening night and hosted a myriad of events throughout its five weeks stay in Eastworks. Realizing how big the show was getting, as there were now over 20 artists participating, Athan and Sloan decided to take a year break to plan the next show even more. In 2019 the show opened as a Victorian London dockyard, complete with a curio shop built into the gallery space!
As we all know the following year put a halt on plans for a future show, but Athan and Sloan never stopped thinking about the next iteration of the beloved Monster Arts Project. In the beginning of 2024, they met with the owner of Eastworks, who had missed the show and wanted it back. So Athan and Sloan began work on the fifth version, Secret Garden, to open in a new location, suite 026 in Eastworks, bigger, better, and even more artists! Sloan Tomlinson and Athan Vennell are delighted to be back in their true home, Eastworks, and can’t thank the owners enough for inviting them back. They hope to see all of you on October 5th, 4-7pm for the opening of Monster Arts Project 5, Secret Garden!
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