Patrul Rinpoche , a Tibetan Buddhist monk once said “ from time to time invite your demons to tea.”  This idea has intrigued me; having tea a safe and comfortable space to meet and disempower your demons.  I have witnessed the sacred Cham dances of Tibet performed by Buddhist monks to an audience drinking tea, as they watch masked demon dancers . The demons representing ambiguity,confusion, greed and ignorance frighten away negativity and strengthen ones’ courage to self reflect and meet ones’ demons.

In my studio, I drink tea , listen to Buddhist teachings, and invite demons to take form through clay . My hope is they will bring strength and courage to the viewer.

Elizabeth Bass is interested in the way light strikes the subjects she paints, even more than the subjects themselves. Known for her rich paintings of cityscapes, figures, and plein air landscapes that range from Namibia to Natchez, she conveys a sense of presence and immediacy of place in her work. Her ink and watercolor illustrations have appeared in numerous books and magazines. Elizabeth lives in Missoula and Yaak, Montana with her husband and two daughters.

August 30-October 2, 2011
Reception: Thurs, September 9, 5:30-8pm

Helena artist Kris Snider presents her latest figurative work.  Her colorful portraits present moments depicting the use of imagination.  “Growing up, in order to understand the world around me, I studied life by pretending and playing.  I still do this even today. “  Her images originate from her friends and family, a nostalgic childhood, and present life as a new mother, Kris’ paintings encourge playfulness and challenging your imagination all throughout life.

In 2004, Kris received her BFA from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.  Her artwork has been in galleries across the nation and overseas.  She has served on the Holter Museum of Art’s Third Thursday committee and has donated creativity and time to local organizations including the Turman Larison Contemporary, The Lewis & Clark Humane Society, Spirit of Service, The Gravity Guild, Pennies for Progress, The Prickly Pear Land trust and Head Start.  She lives in Helena with her husband Will and daughter Hazel.

Nicholson-Artworks Gallery
October 4 – November 6, 2011
Artist Reception: Friday, October 21, 5:30-8pm

Michael deMeng is an artist who travels the world teaching and creating mixed media shrines and “deMented” toys. He has exhibited throughout the world with his unique style of assemblage. His book, “Secrets of Rusty Things,” published by North Light Books was released in May of 2007. His second book, “Dusty Diablos,” focuses on his love affair with Mexico and the art it inspires.

“My work is about transformations. It is about the transformation of the common into the sacred. Discarded materials find new and unexpected uses in my work; they are reassembled and conjoined with unlikely components, a form of rebirth from the ashes into new life and new meaning. These assemblages are metaphors for the evolutions and revolutions of existence: from life to death to rebirth, from new to old to renewed, from construction to destruction to reconstruction. These forms are examinations of the world in perpetual flux, where meaning and function are ever changing.”