Artistic workshop offers new venue to interact, imagine, work

Some artistic visions stop with a painting.

For three IU alumni, one vision started a community within a room.

The Collaboration Room is an arts workshop located at 101 E. Sixth St., where all are invited to take part in artistic projects and activities.

The organization helps artists, including students, with drawing, printing, sewing, stop animation. It also offers circuit-bending groups and classes.

Founder Matthew Searle, volunteer Matisse Giddings and Web designer John Berry met at Berry’s IU thesis exhibition.

“We discovered we have similar interests in how art can shape an individual and impact a community,” Berry said.

Berry said the project fell into place after he met Searle.

“He asked if I would be interested in joining the project and renting a studio in the space, and it took off from there,” Berry said.

Thus the Collaboration Room was born in March 2009.

Searle said the Collaboration Room has so much for the IU student body.

“It offers a sense of community and experience with opportunities to devise projects and see them through with help,” he said.

Programs for individuals and groups, Searle said, are both designed to tailor to specific wants and needs.

“Most students don’t have access to studio space to make art,” Berry said. “Most art classes are expensive. The Collaboration Room is a place to get your hands dirty with art and ideas, a place to try things out and get more people interacting with and making art.”

The workshop has walk-in hours from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays, and personal project time is available by appointment.

“You get to volunteer in a unique arts environment,” Giddings said.

Searle and Giddings said they would like to see the Collaboration Room become an established arts resource in the community.

“We want to connect people with similar interests, bring in new participants and share art resources,” Searle said.

Giddings said current programs are centered around the “big heart-holiday,” or Valentine’s Day, and will include singing telegraphs, bike deliveries, couples workshops and portraits with an unique twist.

“The Collaboration room is volunteer-based and needs more collaboration,” Berry said.