Common Thread

PRESS RELEASE August 1, 2026

Title: Common Thread

Artists: Martha Braun and Matthew Simons

Location: Gallery A3, 28 Amity Street 1D, Cinema Courtyard, Amherst

Gallery Hours: Thursday–Sunday, 2–7:00 pm

Opening Reception: September 4, 2026, 5–7:00 pm

Dates of Exhibit: September 3–26, 2026

Art Forum on Zoom: Thursday, September 17, 7:30 pm, register at www.gallerya3.com

Contact: Martha Braun, marbu43@gmail.com : Matthew Simons, mjavajoe@me.com

Common Thread with Exhibits by Braun and Simons

Martha Braun exhibits prints, paintings, and photographs, with elements of collage, in Contemplating

Resilience. Matthew Simons, in The Space Between Us, presents a series of monotypes, some also

incorporating collage elements. Both artists employ an abstract visual language to explore concerns that

are both conceptual and concrete.

Martha Braun, Contemplating Resilience

Braun’s work explores largely abstract imagery and deals with forces and energies that are invisible to

the eye but have a major impact on the material plane that we humans inhabit. In particular, this work

considers what contributes to the development of strength and of the will to “carry on.” Rather than

providing answers, the artwork offers viewers an opportunity for active participation and freedom to

develop their own point of view. In Braun’s own view of the world, irony has an important role and adds

an additional layer to the meaning and the making of her art. In content, her work focuses on the

immaterial. Yet in the process of creation, the physical materials that she chooses direct the imagery.

Martha Braun, Untitled, gelatin silver print, collage; Untitled, watercolor ink, collage

“This is true from the ground up,” she explains. “I build my own panels, often using very old, local

hemlock wood milled in such a way as to be just slightly thicker than usual. And I make my own paint or

printing ink from earth and mineral substances. This imparts a distinctive color quality and visually

carries the weight of the crystalline structure of these substances. These same materials have been used

for artistic expression for as long as 35,000 years and the significance of that knowledge as it relates to

the history of humanity also plays out in the work.”

Matthew Simons, The Space Between Us

The Space Between Us investigates the cultural and political divisions shaping our country and aims to

create visual conversations. The series of monotypes is informed by the emotions and personal

reflections people have shared with the artist and that he then translates into a dialogue between artist

and viewer. Ranging in size from 6”x 6” to 22”x 30” and larger, the monotypes reveal a strong focus on

abstraction and its unique capacity to convey emotion beyond words. Small format artworks encourage

a personal, intimate connection and a deeper exploration of subtleties, where every detail holds more

significance. In contrast, larger pieces create a more expansive, public dialogue, using scale and gesture

to evoke our shared social landscape. Titles add another “voice” in the conversation, sometimes

contrasting monochromatic and stark imagery with colorful and satirical titles to expand the discussion,

becoming part of the artwork’s conceptual framework.

Matthew Simons, Indivisible, monotype; ThisThat, monotype

“Although it can be tempting to view cultural, political, and social divisions as problems that exist

elsewhere, they are present within our own communities as well,” notes Simons. “The Space Between

Us invites awareness, reflection, and participation within our own community.” See more of Simons’s

work at www.instagram.com/mjavajoe or www.matthewsimonsart.com

Art Forum Online

In an Art Forum on Zoom on Thursday, September 17 at 7:30 pm, Braun and Simons will offer

information about the content and process of their work, with questions and discussion following the

presentation. Register on the gallery website www.gallerya3.com. This Art for Community II program is

supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by

the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

About Gallery A3

A cooperative, contemporary fine arts gallery located in downtown Amherst, Gallery A3 is celebrating its

24th anniversary this year. Current members include painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers,

and mixed media artists. Over its two-decade history, A3 has been home to over 75 member-artists,

mounting monthly exhibits and offering cultural events and community collaborations. The Gallery hosts

opening receptions for exhibits the first Friday of every month and outreach programs are scheduled on

the third Thursday. The gallery space and all its events are free and open to the public.

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Images Attached

Martha Braun, Untitled, gelatin silver print, collage

Martha Braun, Untitled, watercolor ink, collage

Matthew Simons, Indivisible, monotype

Matthew Simons, ThisThat, monotype