101 Threads Breaks The Mold

It has been almost a year since the ribbon was cut at the opening of 101 (ART) Threads, an airy, downtown art gallery located at 118 Court Street. The gallery is marking its first anniversary with a sizable spring group show: a collection of around 50 works representing an array of media and artists from greater New Haven and broader New England.

With a somewhat unconventional business model, the cooperative gallery conveys 100 percent of art sales to its artists and relies instead on an annual membership fee to facilitate gallery functions and events and ​“educate people about who [artists] are and what [their] work is about.” According to gallery statements, every artist’s work gets a turn at being highlighted during exhibit rotations, on the way to reaching a gallery goal of signing up 101 contributing artists.

Monahan said that this year’s spring exhibit reflects the season, with works suggesting nature and themes of renewal and growth. Works are loosely grouped according to themes and displayed, for the most part, against ​“active” walls marked with subtle, flowing brush strokes or actual textured walls. While novel, these do not interfere with the art. Monahan said he believes the addition of color and texture inspire synergy and tension with works that enhances the viewing experience.

The majority of works on display are representational and span a broad variety of media, including photography …

… iPad illustration prints on canvas …

… traditional watercolor …

… works that meld traditional imagery with graphic elements …

… patterned collage …

… drawing …

… works made of wood …

… works painted on wood …

….and many mixed media works.

Among the strongest pieces are several abstract paintings by Michelle Bradford, who previously had a show at 116 Crown. Bradford’s experimental approach to painting marries texture, subtle color tonalities, and dense layering that does not seem forced or overworked. ​“Color” she said, ​“is one of my great joys in life. I am endlessly fascinated with why people resonate with different colors and how it relates to us on an emotional level.”

A number of sculptures, including works by Monahan, are embedded in the exhibit, including his wind-swept, wire tree figures, representing a fraction of the artist’s explorations across media. Under his direction, the gallery continues to fulfill its mandate to ​“cultivate community and create opportunity,” always mindful that ​“the sum of what we can achieve together far exceeds what we can accomplish alone.”

The well-catered opening last Saturday featured an evolving 101 Threads tradition of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free finger foods and desserts, prepared and artfully presented by food blogger (and assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine’s department of psychiatry) Jessica Pollard. Her food blog entries are can be viewed at the 101 Flavors tab on the gallery website.

The gallery now also offers painting classes. Adult art classes have proliferated in recent years and emphasize socialization along with instruction, often resulting in cookie-cutter art works. 101 Threads takes a different approach to the painting classes it offers each week. According to gallery co-owner Brian Monahan, ​“classes are geared toward more creative exercises and helping people think outside the box. We focus on an abstract expressionist perspective, looking inward and thinking of how to express emotions, energy, and ideas. People leave the class with pieces that are unique to them. No one paints the same painting.”

The latest exhibit at 101 Threads runs through May 18. For more information, visit the gallery’s website.