Artist Research - The Beehive Collective

Background – The Beehive Collective is a group of individuals (that is often changing) rooted in Eastern Maine. They are all volunteers, but the full-time individuals have paid room and board covered by the projects. They work mostly based on donations to do all their research and to create their posters. When they are done creating their posters, they travel to give lectures on what they have learned and what they have created.

Conceptual Framework – The Collective is all about getting information out there to the public. They start by selecting a topic that is important to them. These topics cover a wide range of issues, many of which relate to technology and nature.

Boundaries – The Collective is limited by the amount of information they can gain access to. They can only design a piece based on the information they are able to gather through their travels and inquiries. They are also limited by the fact that they are a group of people and not a single individual.

Art making Process – After selecting the topic of their next piece, the members of the Collective get as close as they can to the actual issue to research it in depth. They ask anyone and everyone related to the issue to give their side of the tale and any information they know. The final work is designed to represent all they have learned through research and experience. Every member is included in the initial design and layout of the piece. They also collaborate on what animals and other subjects will be used as symbolic representations of the people involved in the issue at hand. Then, every individual puts their own share of work into the actual drawing. The final image is entirely black and white with very graphic qualities. The last, most important step of their process is to give lectures on the topic and give away as many copies of their posters as they can for free.

Key Artworks – 

"The True Cost of Coal" - 2008

"Biodevastation" - 2000