The theme for March's Open Studio is inspired by the exhibition The Experience of Expression curated by Grace Tank, the 2021-22 Lisa and Jerry O’Brien Curatorial Fellow, and on view until July 24, 2024. Expressionist art emphasizes the expression of emotional and psychological experiences over naturalistic representation. It often features bold, distorted, and exaggerated forms to convey the artist's inner feelings and thoughts. In paintings, brushstrokes tend to be textured and free. The term is primarily used to describe modern art from the early 20th century, German expressionist groups, and American Abstract Expressionism, though the language of bold emotive brushwork remains as a reference for some contemporary artists. 

Drop-in, Self-Guided Art Activity

How can words and art help us express ourselves? Help us to tell a story together with Open Studio’s Community Journals. These large pages will each feature different prompts that WAM visitors are welcome to contribute to, in words or through visual art — creating, sharing, and learning from one another. Get creative! Think about how your words and visuals can connect with others — sharing is an art in and of itself!

Image Credit: Mary Abbott, Cygne Sauvage de Nîmes (Wild Swan of Nîmes), 1955-1965, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 77 1/2 x 78 5/16 x 1 1/4 in. Collection of the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Gift of the artist. 1992.17.