A Week with Micah Goguen at COCO Art Gallery
This week at COCO Art Gallery’s Naples location, artist, educator and art therapist Micah Goguen brought his creativity and education through a series of art classes. Goguen emphasized an important idea in all of his art classes – art is so much more than something on a wall. Art can be a tool for people to process difficult experiences, and an opportunity for people of all ages to discover something new about themselves.
During Micah’s Meet the Artist session, Micah spoke about the importance of art education and the role galleries can play in giving back to their communities. For instance, school subjects like science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are given the utmost importance. The reality is that some students don’t excel in these subjects and need a creative outlet where they can exercise their passions for the arts, whether it be visual arts or music. Galleries like COCO can offer art classes which encourages students (and people of all ages) to participate and develop their confidence and a different way to communicate their thoughts and feelings through a visual representation. Art education gives students the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom and discover new ways of knowing and thinking. Through painting, drawing, printmaking or any other creative, hands-on activity, students can experiment and express themselves without the pressure of finding one correct answer. During Micah’s Young Creators class, students did just that. The students color matched cardstock and paint and exercised their creative skills. These experiences can be valuable and life-changing for students who may struggle to find their place in a traditional academic setting.
These conversations serve as a reminder that art galleries can be much more than exhibition spaces. Classes and demonstrations can create meaningful connections with art and their communities. Whether it’s a child discovering a new passion or an adult exploring a hobby, art can offer something valuable and crucial at every stage of life.
The Power of the Press: My Experience with Gelli Plate Monoprinting
As part of Micah Goguen’s week at COCO Art Gallery, I had the opportunity to participate in his gelli monoprinting class, aptly titled The Power of the Press. As a journalism student, I couldn’t help but appreciate the name and I was excited to step away from writing and try something completely different and hands-on.
This printmaking technique uses a reusable gel plate to transfer paint onto paper and stencils to create unique prints. By layering colors, experimenting with stencils and pressing paper onto the painted gel, everyone created unique prints. I picked the colors I was drawn to which were blue, fuchsia and yellow. There was no real method to my madness and that was what made the experience so enjoyable. I was not focused on producing a perfect result, but rather simply creating.
As someone who spends most of my time writing and researching, it was refreshing to work with a medium that did not require me to find the right word to organize my thoughts. Instead, I focused on color, texture and the artistic process itself. The experience was calming, and I loved having the opportunity to exercise my artistic side for the first time in many years.
Creativity does not always have to begin with a plan. Sometimes, part of the creative process is to give yourself the permission to experiment and make mistakes without worrying about the outcome.
Written by Natalia Nava, ACSWF Intern
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