Municipal Bonds and co-curator Solange Roberdeau are pleased to present A Man by Himself, an exhibition of 13 works on paper by Art Explorers studio artist, Mike Smart—on view in the gallery’s Atrium Spotlight at Minnesota Street Project, June 1–July 21, 2024.
Artist Mike Smart's drawings are a celebration of first marks. Never sketching in advance, erasing or starting over, his drawings reflect a passion for that first moment of seeing. They are confident and at times awkward; gestural, expressive and alive. Smart is both hearing and vision impaired. The decline of his sight has influenced the characteristic black linework in his drawings, moving him from using a mix of line weights to drawing with thick permanent markers for visibility. When a line drawing is finished, he returns with a brush and colored inks.
This collection of portraits emerged from the active space between what this artist sees and how he feels about what he is looking at-a series rich with humor, curiosity and enthusiasm for observation and narrative.
Art Explorers is a creative arts program and progressive art studio in Fort Bragg, California, serving developmentally disabled and neurodiverse adults. Founded in 2000, Art Explorers provides space and support for creativity and positive community building through workshops, field trips and a dynamic exhibition program. www.artexplorers.org