Our Story
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The 100th Monkey Studio began as an open art studio providing anyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation, a safe and affordable place to use art materials. Through the evolution of the community the studio has become a place multiple small businesses call home.
While September 2012 brought some structural changes, fine art and art therapy programs have continued to consistently to run in our space administered now by Beth Ann Short LLC. Joy Leising still remains in the space as a teacher, art party/special events coordinator, administrator of the Youth Art Club, Messy Monkeys and No School Art Studio, as well as a dear friend and art advocate in the studio community. Today the studio is home to multiple creative businesses, Evolve Gallery, an extensive Art Therapy Program, Fine Art Education and Joy Leising's Youth Art Program. If you are interested in finding out ways you can be involved in the studio contact Beth Ann Short HERE. What is an open studio?
 Jennifer Mercede at work on our mural.
An open studio is a studio or work room that is open to all, where artistic or creative work can be viewed and created collaboratively. Artists and non-artists come together in the open studio to celebrate the social act of collaborating. An Open Studio is intended to foster creativity and encourage experimentation in a welcoming atmosphere of cultural exchange, conversation, encouragement, and freedom of expression. Open studios can be traced back to 17th century Paris where artists and other creative intellectuals gathered. Other art forms such as beat poetry can be traced back to originating in open studio settings. Post-WWII New York saw many open studios. One famous example, The Factory, was created by Andy Warhol.
Electric monkey.
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Art by Don Fox
What can I do at the studio?
 Painting class in our workshop.
Our studio offers creative opportunities to all!
What's with all the monkeys?
The name of the studio was inspired by a story of positive social change. It is a story that some believe to be fiction, but the message is one we can all benefit from.
The Japanese monkey, Macaca Fuscata, had been observed in the wild for a period of over 30 years. It was documented that in 1950's, on the island of Koshima, scientists had been leaving the monkeys sweet potatoes in the sand in exchange for a look into their social culture. In 1958, one female monkey was documented as washing the sweet potatoes in a nearby stream to rid it of the dirt and sand. She was also documented as teaching the habit to her mother and her playmates. The new trait spread throughout the island. Suddenly not just on this island, but the trait seemed to spread to surrounding islands and onto mainland Japan, where the monkeys were found to be washing their food. The number 100 is merely a symbol, but in the story it was used to recognize when the trait forever changed the species. This magical occurrence was named the 100th Monkey Phenomenon. The name The 100th Monkey Studio was adopted because the founders saw the opportunity for humankind to have the same sort of “phenomenon” in relation to using art as a means of self-care as well as self-expression. It is our goal that art making in a community setting become infectious, bringing art and creativity into people’s everyday life. In this creative community space any one is welcome to come and learn from each other, while supporting and embracing each others differences. |