Building Worlds, Building Community: Montserrat Alumni Transform the Essex Art Center

by Ash Dolan ’29

From October 18th to December 6th, the Essex Art Center in Lawrence, MA, is hosting its “Worlds to Life” immersive exhibition. The exhibition features works from four contemporary artists: Frenemy, Gregory Pierce ’20, Mariana Martins ’18, and Popil. Many people view art as a healthy escape from the harshness of reality, and these artists provide that escape by opening the door to worlds of their own. But “Worlds to Life” isn’t just about seeing what these artists have inside their heads. The exhibition is a large 3D experience made to feel as organic as possible, truly simulating the feeling of stepping into a world unlike our own.

Plans for this show started about two and a half years ago, when Greg and Mariana were presented with the opportunity to fully curate their own exhibition. They reached out to a pair of like-minded artists via the “Ghost Club” creative community: Frenemy and Popil. Frenemy and Popil shared Greg and Mariana’s dedication to their craft as well as their tireless work ethic, and they all had a common talent in animation/cartoonism. They decided to bring their work to life through their exhibition. They created wooden character cutouts, painted the walls, built large props for audience members to interact with, and played music. 

3-D elements played a large role in allowing the audience to interact with the exhibition. Mariana’s space featured a large crescent moon for audiences to sit on while watching her animation. Frenemy constructed a massive TV inspired by Saturday morning cartoons. Visitors could walk into the TV and take photos with the characters inside. Greg sculpted a large wooden and metal owl and sourced his materials from past art projects that had since been recycled. Popil created a larger-than-life shark with seven googly-eyes that had been inspired by an old stop-motion puppet of hers.  While these artists often work on a smaller scale, this show allowed an opportunity to make something huge. They were also meant to be interacted with, unlike many art pieces ordinarily seen in a gallery. The show attracted a large number of excited visitors even while it was still being installed. Seeing the art, even before it was finished, brought people joy.

Mariana and Greg, who are both alumni of Montserrat College of Art, say they took what they learned from Montserrat in order to give back to their community and share the wonders of art with those around them. Both had the opportunity to explore animation while at Montserrat, and for them, part of the beauty of the concentration is how the artists behind it know how to engage their audience, keep their attention, and breathe life into their work. Mariana was an animation concentrator at Montserrat and worked a lot with department head Blyth Hazen. She enjoyed teaching animation as well as learning it, and Blyth recommended her to the EAC when they needed an animation instructor. She started working there part-time but switched to a full-time employee during the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s now the communications manager and handles the center’s photography and social media presence. She stated that sculpture was one of her weak points, but working at the EAC gave her an opportunity to learn about it as she worked with people who were better-versed in sculpture arts. Conversely, Greg came to Montserrat with a fair share of trades/fabrication experience and eventually became the head shop monitor. Technology was one of his weak points, but he switched his education plan to include animation so that he could expand his skillset. This allowed him to develop an interdisciplinary skillset that combined both digital skills with building and fabrication. This skillset was exactly what EAC was looking for when they hired Greg to be their facilities director. Their interdisciplinary experience has made Mariana and Greg true “jacks of all trades,” which makes them a perfect fit for the small but dedicated staff at EAC. It’s why the “Worlds to Life” exhibition is so breathtaking: its creation was a combined effort of several mediums, not just animation.

The Essex Art Center is a nonprofit organization that hosts galleries and exhibitions and offers art classes starting at age 5. While funding for these classes is being pulled in many school districts, it’s important to maintain a space where creativity is still celebrated. Bringing people together through art and making it as accessible as possible is one of the EAC’s main goals. Lawrence residents get a discount on classes: children and teens attend for 75% off, and adults attend for 30% off. These classes cover a number of different mediums, ranging from clay and painting to laser engraving and animation. They also offer teen-centered programs that branch outside of the art center, fostering a sense of autonomy while still teaching skills related to the creation and distribution of their art. This way, kids learn the basics of the tools and technology at their disposal and become equipped with knowledge that could benefit them in the future. 

The Essex Art Center’s dedication to community and accessibility is part of what makes it so special. They also host free events such as portfolio nights, figure drawing, and open mics. People of all ages are able to learn something new. One of their students was in her 70s and learned how to create templates and laser cut for her ceramics. Another student was in her teens and works with a local muralist, alongside attending galleries and contributing art to massive exhibitions. Many former students come back as teachers or for letters of recommendation. It all comes together to show that art is something beautiful and unifying, and it’s more important than ever to encourage creativity wherever possible.

Photo courtesy of Essex Art Center. Pictured Artists: Popil, Frenemy, Mariana Martins, and Gregory Pierce.