Beyond the Comfort Zone: The Thrill of Collaborative Art
Sure you could make art alone… but what happens when artists join together to create something? Well, in the industry we call that an artist collaboration and I won’t lie, these are the highlight of my year. I’ve had the pleasure of attending 4 different artist collaborations around the world including Hawaii Artist Collaboration, New Zealand Artist Collaboration, EMMA Collaboration in Saskatchewan and Frogwood Collab outside of Portland. This April I will be in Colton, Oregon at the Frogwood Collab which is a bi-annual collaboration.
What is the magic in collaboration?
When artists from diverse disciplines—Painters, Woodworkers, Metalsmiths, Jewelers and Glass Workers alike—converge in collaborative art, the resulting creations often transcend the boundaries of individual skill and vision. Each artist's unique expertise and perspective intertwine, layering textures, forms, and ideas in ways a solitary creator might not conceive. These mixed-media masterpieces become vibrant dialogues between different materials and techniques, culminating in artworks that possess a depth, complexity, and unexpected beauty far more special than the sum of their individual parts.
I’ve been involved with the local collaboration - Hawaii Artist Collaboration for over 10 years and seeing the event grow each year has been so rewarding. We are deeply committed to fostering a dynamic and interconnected art scene within Hawaiʻi, recognizing the extraordinary potential that arises when diverse creative minds converge. We believe that when varied disciplines—painting, woodworking, metalsmithing, glasswork and others—intertwine, the resulting mixed-media artworks gain a profound resonance, reflecting the multifaceted beauty and cultural narratives unique to Hawaiʻi. We also are committed to supporting young artists in our community by supplying Art Teachers with materials, young artists with scholarships and funding new collaborations throughout the state.
I’m thankful to be part of the artist collaboration community and am excited to get more collaborations under my belt!
