MANSFIELD — Field of Monsters is hosting its 9th annual free art show this year at The Phoenix Brewing Company.
Bryan Gladden created the show in 2014 and displayed the galleries at Main Street Books through 2020. The Phoenix invited Gladden to move the annual gallery to the brewery in 2021.
“The art show is always recycled or repurposed pieces, so it really fits in with The Phoenix’s branding,” Gladden said.
Each participant picks out a thrifted painting or an old canvas with an existing design on it. Then, the participant adds an original monster to the landscape.
Participation is open to anyone including professional artists, children or anyone interested in the project. Gladden estimated he has between 20 and 30 artists regiser each year.
“There’s two women who have done this since they were like 15, so that’s been fun,” he said. “Some people do this as a date night project or something to do with family members.”
Registration is free for all participants, the only requirement is that they find their own canvas or art piece.
The artist registration deadline is Sept. 20. Participants should fill out the art intake form before dropping off their project.
“It’s open to anything as long as you’re reusing something,” Gladden said. “I think a three-dimensional piece or sculpture would be really neat, as long as it can be hung on a wall.”
Field of Monsters also has a symposium scheduled at the Mansfield Playhouse for Oct. 13. The gallery coupled with the symposium is meant to increase community outreach and conversations.
“The symposium’s theme this year is doors and doorways,” Gladden said. “So there’s a lot of different purposes doors can serve, they can be barriers or opportunities. And our speakers will talk about how that affects their work.”
While the symposium has a theme each year, Gladden said artists don’t have to incorporate the theme in their work.
This year’s symposium speakers include:
- CEO of Black Belt Pro Fitness Chris Hershberger
- Cypress High School director Danielle Kelley, PhD
- Clinical social worker David Krenrick
- Entrepreneur Alan Mitchell, who is also the community development and housing manager for the North End Community Improvement Collaborative
The Field of Monsters art show will open on Sept. 26 at The Phoenix and close on Halloween with a silent auction and costume party.
Artists can choose whether they want to put their art up for auction or not in the intake form.
Participants and those interested in attending the art show or symposium can find more information on the Field of Monsters Facebook page.