Natalie Phillips

Colby Golden, "Werewolf," The Atrium Gallery Leon Crosby, "Parade," Cornerstone Center for the arts Brian Gordy, "Heading for the Water," Gordy Fine Art and Framing Violet Weida, "Experimental Watercolor" on view at Muncie Makes Lab Raymond James & Associates "Art in Bloom" event Tony Costello, "Napkin Sketches," Rose Court

The Atrium Gallery

Arts and Journalism Building, 1st floor, Ball State University campus

“Colby's Zoo of Legendary Creatures” Colby Golden, a graduate student in animation at Ball State University, will have his MFA exhibition on view during April’s First Thursday, with an opening reception to be held April 14th, 4-6pm. His show is a collection of different kinds of sculptural and two-dimensional tactile animations that can be viewed in a physical space. Using Cryptozoology as the primary subject matter, Golden’s aim is to bring to life a supernatural zoo of mysterious creatures—known as cryptids—to his viewers. He uses a variety of different media for his creations, such as copper electro-forming, clay, glass, acrylic, and steel, in order to help convey the idea of each creature to the viewer. The Atrium Gallery’s hours are Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Saturdays 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Cornerstone Center for the Arts

520 E Main

“Vibrant Earth” Join Cornerstone Center for Arts for First Thursday on April 7, 2016 for an opening reception and art show featuring the art of Leon Crosby. The show titled “Vibrant Earth” explores the softer side of Crosby’s art style featuring themes and scenes found in nature. He has decided to go back to his art roots with this collection. Using painting techniques he learned throughout his college years, while also maintaining his elegant modern edge.

Each painting in the collection represents an aspect of the vibrant colors, emotions, creatures, and forms present on planet Earth. This multi-media collection combines both traditional painting techniques and modern stylings.

The opening reception will take place from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Cornerstone Art Gallery on the second floor of Cornerstone Center for the Arts. The show will be on display and open to the public throughout the month of April.

Leon, a visual arts instructor at Cornerstone, was born in Toledo, Ohio and started his journey in art at a young age. His biggest inspirations come from Japanese art, American graffiti, and comic book graphics. He has received both formal and informal instruction from the Toledo Museum of Art and the University of Toledo and regularly displays and sells his art throughout the Muncie community. In addition to teaching at Cornerstone, Leon has volunteered his time at Sutton Elementary and has several private lesson students. His passion for art and teaching encourages him to inspire his students to make the world a more beautiful place.

For more information about the show, call Cornerstone’s Department of Education & Communication at (765) 281-9503, ext. 23.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E Main

“New Watercolors by Brian Gordy” - Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company will celebrate First Thursday April 7th, 5-8 PM with an opening reception for New Watercolors by Brian Gordy. The exhibit will feature several new paintings by the artist who will be on hand to engage with viewers and answer questions. Artist Talk at 6:15. Light refreshments will be provided by the artist's son, Ben Gordy. The public is invited to attend.

Muncie Makes Lab

628 S Walnut

Muncie Makes Lab will host three exhibitions for First Thursday:

“Experimental Watercolor, Carol Burt + East Washington Academy Art Students”: Explorations in watercolor techniques supported by Bell Grant Funding.

“Huggable Architecture: Rachel Dickey with Morganne Walker”: Huggable Architecture is an exhibit produced as part of the Design Innovation Fellowship at Ball State University. It is no mere representation of design research, but rather a demonstration of it. In an effort of design and making, the exhibit interrogates how we might mediate between the quantitative and qualitative aspects of design by drawing on ideas of softness, empathy, warmth, and the body. It takes an opportunistic approach to design research and tries to find the equilibrium between computational control and material volition by bringing together a change of state material with a digitally controlled and automated flexible mold. Securing 1,150 pounds of gypsum cement—one of the most commonly used building materials today—an unconventional approach to its use was derived for freezing geometric variations. The sea of individual soft, dense, and pure casts that result taxonomize the range of curvature achieved through the reusable parametric mold.

“Renderpalooza: Hosted by Ball State’s AIAS Chapter”: Renderpalooza is a collection of student works from the College of Architecture. The exhibit exemplifies a wide range of graphic representations ranging from 3rd year to graduate level work. These representations explore different means and methods to convey architectural visions and ideas. Features work will include: Drake Mulcahy (4th), Kyle Tuttle (4th), Shelby Harris (4th), Logan Richmond (4th), Itzel Munoz (4th), Hannah Liechty (3rd), Michael Deprez (3rd), Elise Hoff (3rd), Jenna Hoch (3rd), Georgia Pogas (3rd), Michael Gasper (3rd) and Kevin Miller (1st year grad).

Raymond James & Associates

400 S. Walnut St. (Ste. 100)

“Julie Vance of Buckcreek in Bloom”: We are hosting an event for the April First Thursday (see below) along with the ‘Art in Bloom’ event that will be at the David Owsley Museum of art on May 20th (art inspired flower designs created by the region's top floral designers). Julie Vance of “Buckcreek in Bloom” will be creating a floral interpretation of a displayed art piece.

Rose Court

125 E Charles

“The Napkin Sketches of Tony Costello”: Rose Court is pleased to exhibit the napkin sketches of Tony Costello during the April Arts Walk. Costello is the Irving Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Architecture at Ball State University and the principal of C+A Costello + Associates, an award-winning architecture firm he founded in 1976. This exhibit is comprised of 70+ ink sketches on cocktail napkins created during a family cruise on the Rhine-Main-Danube Rivers in 2015. It is the second in a series entitled Personal Postcards. Many of the sketches took less than two minutes to create, some as many as ten. The subjects include bridges, industrial buildings, churches, vineyards, riverfront cityscapes, and river lock sequence images. Taken collectively, Costello feels that this collection of sketches, created with the human eye and hand, captures the evocative essence of travel experiences far better than any camera.

Noelle Wiegand, "Bauble," The Atrium Gallery Lauren King, "11,520 Hours of Difference," Cornerstone Center for the Arts After Hours Art Reels at The Fickle Peach Margie Prim, "Bluebells in Vase," Gordy Fine Art and Framing "Muncie Central High School Art Exhibition," Made in Muncie

The Atrium Gallery

Arts and Journalism Building, 1st floor, Ball State University campus

“B.F.A. Thesis Exhibition” The Atrium Gallery will be exhibiting a B.F.A. Thesis show featuring the artwork of seven graduating seniors: Daniel Bunker, Garrett Heinkel Alexa Litchfield, Nicole Nikas Jenna Stadick, Chao Wang, and Noelle Wiegand. The opening reception for this show will be held on Friday, May 6th from 4-6pm.

Cornerstone Center for The Arts

520 E Main

“Lauren King: 11,520 Hours of Difference” Join Cornerstone Center for the Arts for First Thursday on May 5 for an opening reception and art show featuring the work of Lauren King. The show titled “11,520 Hours of Difference” is Lauren’s senior thesis exhibition which brings to life the abstract idea of finding one’s identity. Born an identical twin, Lauren had to balance trying to find an individual identity, while still embracing her connection to her sister. King is interested in how the cyclical manner of genetics and the interaction we have with our environments works to produce unique individuals. She believes that our biology—the traits and tendencies we were born with—interacts with experiences that we have to build our personalities. For this body of work, she combines patterns found in human cells and within the environment to create complex, intriguing compositions. King relies mainly on watercolors to create the majority of the collection.

The opening reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Cornerstone Art Gallery on the second floor of Cornerstone Center for the Arts. The show will be on display and open to the public throughout the month of May.

Born, raised, and currently residing in Yorktown, Indiana, King was exposed to the arts at Ball State University at a young age. Her passion for art began in fourth grade during a Saturday Children’s Art Class field trip to the David Owsley Museum of Art on Ball State University’s campus. This love for art and the university campus led Lauren to pursue a degree in art therapy at Ball State. While attending the university, Lauren has been a part of two immersive learning projects through the David Owsley Museum of Art: Synergizing Music and Art, and the Infinite Museum, both aimed to make the museum’s collection more accessible for a diverse group of museum visitors. Beginning in the Fall semester of 2016, King will begin her graduate studies at IUPUI in the art therapy program.

For more information about this show or the Cornerstone Art Gallery call Cornerstone’s Department of Education and Communication at 765-281-9503, ext. 23.

The Fickle Peach (21+)

117 E Charles

“After Hours Art Reels: Blazing Saddles” Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, in collaboration with The Fickle Peach, presents After Hours Art Reels following the First Thursday Gallery Walks in May. Come enjoy the gallery exhibits from 5-8pm, and join us afterwards at dusk for great cult and art film classics!

Films will be projected onto the Mutual Bank wall on Charles Street at dusk. Seating will be available on the Fickle Peach patio area located at 117 E. Charles St. for guests who are 21 and up. Viewers who are not yet 21 can watch the films from the sidewalk surrounding the patio area. 

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.

224 E. Main

“The Thick of It: Oil Paintings by Margie Prim” Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company will celebrate First Thursday, May 5th from 5 – 8 pm with an opening reception for The Thick of It, oil paintings by Margie Prim. The exhibit will feature several recent paintings by the local artist who will be on hand to engage with viewers. Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend.

Margie Prim delivers quiet scenes with a bold painting technique. From several feet away, all is calm in both Prim’s still life and landscape paintings. Upon closer inspection, though, gestural swipes and heavy dabs of color reveal a much more powerful and passionate approach to her subject matter. The technique is known as "impasto," where the artist often uses a palette knife to apply paint to the canvas so thick that it projects outward from the surface. 

“Inspiration comes to me by what I see, whether it be plein air or still life,” the quiet artist explains. “Using color, from grays to brights, is always an adventure for me.” 

Now known for both plein air landscapes and still life paintings, quiet of subject and wild with impasto and bold color detail, Margie Prim began her art career in the 1960s in Oklahoma by taking painting lessons. She laid her brushes down until the early 1990s when she again took lessons from Walt Lewis and at the Stan Nossett Art School. Margie continued her studies through memberships in the Minnetrista Art Guild and the Indiana Plein Air Painters. Whereas many artists work from sketches or photographs in the comfort of their studio, plein air painters specifically work outside, on location, to create their paintings. Prim is adept in both methods.

Prim has shown in the Minnetrista Annual, the Richmond Art Museum Annual, Indiana State Fair, the Women’s Commission Art Exhibit, Redtail Conservancy Open Spaces Exhibit, and the Hoosier Salon. She has won awards at several exhibits and held several one woman exhibits in the region.

A short talk about Prim’s work will be given at 6:15 pm. Guests are encouraged to ask questions and learn more about the artist throughout the evening.

Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company promotes talented artists and offers expert design and craftsmanship for framing and displaying treasured family possessions and works of art. “The Thick of It” may also be viewed through the end of May during regular business hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5:30 pm, Saturday, 9 am – 3 pm.  Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company is located at 224 East Main Street, next door to Muncie Civic Theatre.  For more information, visit www.gordyframing.com or call 765-284-8422.

Made in Muncie

313 S. Walnut

“Art from Muncie Central High School” Made in Muncie Pottery will feature the work of many up and coming artist from Muncie Central High School. The advanced art student exhibition showcases the talent and variety from the advanced art classes at Muncie Central High School. This exhibit will remain up through the month of May, with an opening reception on May 5th from 5-8pm. Live music by Bryce Taylor and light refreshments will add to the evening’s festivities. 

Please join us downtown to celebrate our new name along with the launch of our new website featuring workshops, parties, and this summer’s Art Camps. These new additions make it that much easier to create a lasting memory at Made in Muncie Pottery.

Muncie Visitor’s Bureau

Parking lot adjacent to 206 S. Walnut St

“Local Choice Awards” and “Balloongenuity” The Muncie Visitor’s Bureau will be celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week in the parking lot next to Casa Del Sol.

 6:00pm- Proclamation from Mayor Dennis Tyler and presentation of "Local Choice Awards" winners.

 5:00-8:00pm- Kids activities featuring Balloongenuity Balloon Artists, WIBP "Everyday Heroes Program," and the Model Aviation Museum

Old West End Neighborhood Association

W. Main and Cherry St.

"Drum Circle at Community Circle Park" During the May 5th Artswalk, the Old West End Neighborhood Association will be hosting a drum circle at Community Circle Park (located at the corner of W. Main and Cherry St.).

Rose Court
125 E. Charles

“Ball State Urban Planning Projects” Two Ball State student projects will be on display in the Rose Court during First Thursday events, May 4th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Students from the 2nd year class in Urban Planning explored development ideas for a downtown park that included investigating the concept of an entertainment/cultural district as part of an overall redevelopment strategy. In addition, students studying trends in urban agriculture have used the Muncie Action Plan districts to explore the question “how much of our food could we produce locally?” Both class were under the instruction of Associate Professor Scott Truex of the Department of Urban Planning.  For more information contact Prof. Truex at struex@bsu.edu.

Sarah Schaffer, "Life in Plastic," Cornerstone Center for the Arts View of Cornerstone Park The Fickle Peach and After Hours Art Reels present Fellini's "8 1/2" Suzanne Dittenber, "Midden Pile III," Gordy's Fine Art and Framing Billy Riggs at The Living Room Dave Franklin, "Orana," Muncie Makes Lab Kayla Goodpaster, "Tryion Lannister," Savage's Ale House

Cornerstone Center for The Arts

520 E. Main

“Sarah Shaffer: Life in Plastic”

Join Cornerstone Center for Arts for First Thursday on June 2, 2016 for an opening reception and art show featuring the art of Sarah Shaffer. The show titled “Life in Plastic” explores society’s monumental impact through the form of our tiniest role models.Beyond objectification and the weight of the world's expectations, creating this body of work was a very personal journey for Sarah. She created these paintings using one of her daughter's dolls as a model with the color palette of her childhood memory. These pieces embody her own path to define her self-image and the desire to not pass along physical insecurities to future generations.

Each piece is a depiction of a doll, focusing on a portion of the body and recreated on a large scale. This collection of acrylic paintings portrays the objectification and unrealistic expectations placed upon women. We perpetuate these damaging standards in our interactions with others and within ourselves. The titles are inspired by comments made to or about women in judgement of their appearance, their choices, and their actions.

The opening reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cornerstone Art Gallery on the second floor of Cornerstone Center for the Arts. The show will be on display and open to the public throughout the month of June.

Sarah, a visual arts instructor at Cornerstone as well as a commissioned artist, is a native of Indiana, grew up in Fort Wayne with A love of art from an early age. Sarah is a graduate of Ball State University’s School of Art, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in metalsmithing earned in 2007. Her senior show titled "Playtime's Over," explored women's issues by combining Barbie dolls with precious metal to create conceptual jewelry.

Nearly 10 years after Sarah's senior project, she has revisited Barbie and some of the corresponding themes of objectification and unrealistic expectations through the form of painting rather than jewelry. In the near decade that has passed, Sarah has become a mother and wishes to confront these themes for the betterment of the next generation.

For more information about the show, call Cornerstone’s Department of Education & Communication at 766-281-9503, ext. 23.

Cornerstone Park

101 S. Madison

“Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Cornerstone Park”

Cornerstone Center for the Arts and the City of Muncie are excited to announce a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Cornerstone Park on Thursday, June 2 at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony will feature live demonstrations from students and instructors of Cornerstone Center for the Arts and remarks from Mayor Dennis Tyler, Jeff Robinson of Cornerstone, and Ron Spangler of Community Enhancement Projects. At the conclusion of the ceremony, guests are invited to Cornerstone for light refreshments and the opening of the art show “Life in Plastic” in Cornerstone's Art Gallery on the second floor until 7:30pm.

Cornerstone Park sits at 101 S. Madison St. at the former site of Holiday Cleaners. The development of the park was made possible through partnerships with the Ball Brothers Foundation, the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, the George and Frances Ball Foundation, Community Enhancement Projects, the Zeigler Foundation, the Muncie Sanitary District, the Muncie Redevelopment Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler. The park was created as a gateway to Downtown Muncie and will offer new outdoor opportunities for the surrounding businesses and organizations.

Cornerstone Park features lush landscaping and ornamental foliage from Jay-Crew Landscape and is home to the new public art piece titled EXTESS by PROJECTiONE. Cornerstone plans to utilize the new park for upcoming summer classes, workshops, and events.

For more information about the ribbon cutting ceremony or “Life in Plastic” visit cornerstonearts.org or call Cornerstone at 765-281-9503.

The Fickle Peach (21+)

117 E Charles

“Fellini’s 8 ½”

Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, in collaboration with The Fickle Peach, presents After Hours Art Reels following the First Thursday Gallery Walks in June. Come enjoy the gallery exhibits from 5-8pm, and join us afterwards at dusk for great cult and art film classics!

Films will be projected onto the Mutual Bank wall on Charles Street at dusk. Seating will be available on the Fickle Peach patio area located at 117 E. Charles St. for guests who are 21 and up. Viewers who are not yet 21 can watch the films from the sidewalk surrounding the patio area. 

Grace Episcopal Church
300 S. Madison

“Joan Hamilton”

We will feature great music by local artist, Joan Hamilton. She is well-known in the Muncie area as a singer-songwriter. Come to Grace Episcopal Church at the corner of Madison St. and Adams St. for a great night of music. Also appearing is Yorktown High School student Iris Chalk. Art will be on display beginning at 5pm, and all other events will begin at 7pm. There will be an old-fashioned bake sale throughout the evening.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

“Summer Invitational”

Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company will celebrate First Thursday, June 2nd from 5 – 8 pm with an opening reception for the gallery’s third annual Summer Invitational. The exhibit will feature both 2D and 3D work by several area artists who will be on hand to engage with viewers. Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend.

What started as a rare event in the exhibition schedule at Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co. is back for its third year. The Summer Invitational is designed to introduce our patrons to some of the best new work our region has to offer by exclusively exhibiting artists who are not currently represented by GFAF. This refreshing shift in the gallery’s routine programming brings together artists from throughout Central Indiana and features oil painting, sculpture, furniture, photography, watercolor, and jewelry. The exhibit will be on view for two months through the end of July, offering visitors an extended opportunity to experience fresh, new art from beyond the Muncie scene.

Exhibitors include Hannah Barnes, Jasmine D’Angelo, Suzanne Dittenber, Holly Lay, Tim Miller, and Noelle Weigand.

Light refreshments will be served, and the public is invited to attend. A brief talk at 6:15 will introduce the exhibit and artists in attendance.

Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company promotes talented artists and offers expert design and craftsmanship for framing and displaying treasured family possessions and works of art. Summer Invitational may also be viewed through the end of July during regular business hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5:30 pm, Saturday, 9 am – 3 pm. Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company is located at 224 East Main Street, next door to Muncie Civic Theatre. For more information, visit www.gordyframing.com or call 765-284-8422.

The Living Room

130 W. Jackson

“Billy Riggs”

The Living Room will be featuring the work of artist Billy Riggs for June’s First Thursday celebration. Riggs is known for his artworks that are mostly created with spray paint. The show will feature nature scenes, futuristic pieces, comic book characters, and other mixed media works.

Muncie Makes Lab

628 S. Walnut

“CritChat: Unknown Territory”
For the past year, Muncie Makes Lab has been home to CritChat, a free, community meet-up developed and facilitated by artists Holly Lay and Braydee Euliss. This monthly gathering invites local artists of all kinds to participate in conversation about their own work and the work of others. Painters, photographers, sculptors, and makers alike are encouraged to bring completed work, work-in-progress, and even unrealized ideas with the sole intention of sharing. By enabling dialogue, promoting collaboration, and providing critical feedback, the group hopes to build community and support for emerging area artists.

The month of June marks CritChat’s one-year-anniversary. The group will celebrate with an opening reception for CritChat: Unknown Territory at Muncie Makes Lab on First Thursday, June 2nd, 5 – 9 PM. This exhibit explores a variety of media including photography, assemblage, installation, as well as video and sound manipulation performance with a focus on new techniques and subject matter. Featured in the exhibit are artists Spencer Davis, Kara Clark DuQuette, Michael DuQuette, Dave Franklin, Holly Lay, Rochelle Martin, and Jannell Summers.

Artists will be present and guests are encouraged to ask questions throughout the evening. Beginning at 8 PM, the exhibiting artists will introduce themselves and engage attendees in a sample CritChat experience, leading artists and viewers alike through the process of providing informed, critical feedback on select pieces featured in the exhibit. DJ JANNELL will provide music, and light refreshments will be served.

Find out more about CritChat & join the conversation every 3rd Thursday of the month from 7 – 9 PM at Muncie Makes Lab, 628 S. Walnut St. Muncie, IN 47605. No RSVP necessary. Muncie Makes Lab is a design/build, make, discuss, display, and workshop lab for students, faculty, staff from Ball State University as well as the Muncie community.

Savage's Ale House (21+)

127 N. High

“Kayla Goodpaster”

Savage’s Ale House will be featuring the work of Kayla Goodpaster, who has created a series of works inspired largely by the popular book and television series “Game of Thrones.”

Studio Exhale

103 N. High St.

“Public Art Master Plan”
Students from the Urban Planning Department, led by Prof. Lisa Dunaway, will be holding an open house to present their Public Art Master Plan, and will invite feedback from the public. The project is the result of an immersive learning course at Ball State University. Light refreshments will be served.

Alexander Landerman, "Rabbit in Flax" Alexander Landerman, "Expulsion" The "Bison-Tennial" Project, Muncie Arts and Culture Council "Little Shop of Horrors" playing at The Fickle Peach Sarah Shaffer, "Life in Plastic"

Savage's Ale House (21+)

127 N. High

“The Art of Alexander Landerman”

The work of Alexander Landerman will be on view at Savage’s Alehouse for July’s First Thursday. Landerman notes that: “As our society evolves, so does our relationship with animals. Due to industrialization, factory farming, and massive monocultures, our connection with food sources has been diminished. My interest lies within the roles played by animals, insects and plants, which are increasingly becoming overlooked and mistreated. My hope is to encourage a reconnection between consumers and their food sources and foster a sense of social responsibility.” While there is no formal opening reception, the artist will be on hand throughout the evening to talk about the work with anyone who is interested.

Muncie Arts and Culture Council

227 S Walnut Street; Muncie, IN

“Open House: Bison-tennial Project”

As part of July’s First Thursday activities, the Muncie Arts and Culture Council and the United Way of Delaware County are pleased to announce an open house showcasing Delaware County's Bison-Tennial project - our own Indiana Bicenntenial arts project. Please plan to stop by 227 S. Walnut (former Royal Crown Poker Club) between the hours of 5:00 and 9:00pm to see the Bison project "in progress" and hear from artist Denise King about the inspiration for her design, the Lenape Indian tribe, and their history.  Light refreshments provided.

This project is part of a 2016 state-wide endeavor to celebrate Indiana's 200th Statehood Day. The arts project will feature a 5-foot-tall fiberglass bison that will be decorated and displayed with an end goal of at least one bison on display in each of Indiana's 92 counties. The bison are expected to make appearances in the local community and along the Bicentennial Torch Relay route leading up to Indiana's Bicentennial Statehood Day on December 11th, 2016. The Delaware County Bison will then find its home in Tuhey Park in downtown Muncie.   

The selection committee in Delaware County, composed of United Way representatives and MACC committee members, used an RFP process to solicit proposals and ultimately select Denise King as the artist to complete our Bison project. Denise has a fine arts education with an emphasis in painting and drawing, and is a self-proclaimed Muncie and Delaware County enthusiast and promoter. As a mural artist and community activist with a love of history, she was drawn to this particular project. In Denise's words, "My intention is to create a piece that is not only beautiful, engaging, and interesting, but respectful, informed, educational and a vehicle to spark public interest in the subject matter." Denise has been working on the Bison for the past month and hopes to be finished by August. Until then, the public is invited to "watch the progress" through the window panes of 227 S. Walnut, and venture inside to talk with Denise on the days she is "in studio." 

The Fickle Peach (21+)

117 E. Charles

“Little Shop of Horrors”

Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, in collaboration with The Fickle Peach, presents After Hours Art Reels following the First Thursday Gallery Walks in May through September. Come enjoy the gallery exhibits from 5-8pm, and join us afterwards at dusk for these great cult and art film classics! July’s First Thursday screening will be Little Shop of Horrors.

Films will be projected onto the Mutual Bank wall on Charles Street at dusk. Seating will be available on the Fickle Peach patio area located at 117 E. Charles St. for guests who are 21 and up. Viewers who are not yet 21 can watch the films from the sidewalk surrounding the patio area. 

Cornerstone Center for The Arts

520 E. Main

“Sarah Shaffer: Life in Plastic”

Cornerstone Center for the Arts will be open until 5pm and is showing the art of Sarah Shaffer. Please note that this is an ongoing exhibition; there is no opening reception for this show on First Thursday.

The show titled “Life in Plastic” explores society’s monumental impact through the form of our tiniest role models.Beyond objectification and the weight of the world's expectations, creating this body of work was a very personal journey for Sarah. She created these paintings using one of her daughter's dolls as a model with the color palette of her childhood memory. These pieces embody her own path to define her self-image and the desire to not pass along physical insecurities to future generations.

Each piece is a depiction of a doll, focusing on a portion of the body and recreated on a large scale. This collection of acrylic paintings portrays the objectification and unrealistic expectations placed upon women. We perpetuate these damaging standards in our interactions with others and within ourselves. The titles are inspired by comments made to or about women in judgement of their appearance, their choices, and their actions.

Sarah, a visual arts instructor at Cornerstone as well as a commissioned artist, is a native of Indiana, grew up in Fort Wayne with A love of art from an early age. Sarah is a graduate of Ball State University’s School of Art, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in metalsmithing earned in 2007. Her senior show titled "Playtime's Over," explored women's issues by combining Barbie dolls with precious metal to create conceptual jewelry.

Nearly 10 years after Sarah's senior project, she has revisited Barbie and some of the corresponding themes of objectification and unrealistic expectations through the form of painting rather than jewelry. In the near decade that has passed, Sarah has become a mother and wishes to confront these themes for the betterment of the next generation.

For more information about the show, call Cornerstone’s Department of Education & Communication at 766-281-9503, ext. 23.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co. will be closed July 4 - July 16. The shop will re-open and resume regular business hours Monday, July 18th. Their Summer Invitational exhibit continues through July 30th.

"Exhibiting Excellence," Cornerstone Center for the Arts "Labyrinth," AfterHours Art Reels at The Fickle Peach Gunther Cartwright, "Palm Springs," at Gordy Fine Art and Framing "Be Our Guest," open-door rehearsals at Muncie Civic Theater Spencer Davis, "Figure Study," at Muncie Makes Lab

Cornerstone Center for The Arts

520 E. Main

“Exhibiting Excellence”

In celebration of another successful class session at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, the organization will feature artwork from its youth and adult students in the Cornerstone Art Gallery throughout the month of August. This mixed media collection of art will showcase the best visual arts pieces of the session chosen by Cornerstone’s instructors. With selections from both youth and adults with various artistic backgrounds, this show will truly highlight all that Cornerstone’s arts program has to offer.

An opening reception will be held in conjunction with First Thursday on August 4th from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Cornerstone Art Gallery. The reception is free and open to the public and many of the student-artists will be onsite to speak about their artwork.

The show will continue to be on display throughout the month of August to help promote upcoming fall twelve-week classes beginning in September. Information and registration for upcoming classes, workshops, and camps will be available on the evening of the opening reception as well as throughout the month of August.

For more information about the show call Cornerstone’s Department of Education and Communication at 765-281-9503, ext. 23.

The Fickle Peach (21+)

117 E. Charles

“Afterhours Art Reels: Labyrinth”

Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, in collaboration with The Fickle Peach, presents After Hours Art Reels following the First Thursday Gallery Walks in May through September. Come enjoy the gallery exhibits from 5-8pm, and join us afterwards at dusk for Jim Henson’s 1986 film Labyrinth, featuring David Bowie.

Films will be projected onto the Mutual Bank wall on Charles Street at dusk. Seating will be available on the Fickle Peach patio area located at 117 E. Charles St. for guests who are 21 and up. Viewers who are not yet 21 can watch the films from the sidewalk surrounding the patio area. 

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

“Industrial Blues: An Exhibit of Photography by Gunther Cartwright”

Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company will celebrate First Thursday, August 4th from 5-8 pm with an opening reception for Industrial Blues, an exhibit of landscape photography by Gunther Cartwright. The artist will be on hand to engage with viewers throughout the evening and will speak briefly to the audience about his work at 6:15pm. Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend.

Cartwright’s landscapes exquisitely capture the details of industry that form the backdrop of life in today’s modern world. About his interest in this subject matter, Cartwright explains, “The power lines, telephone poles, fences and industrial structures are a part of my daily visual experience. They are not in my way. I see them as elements of the landscape. They are there and they make their visual ‘sound.’ I am not interested in the picturesque but rather the formal arrangements of elements and color within the landscape.” His eye for vivid color and graphic compositions often draw unexpected connections among things seen in the everyday landscape, transforming banal and rarely celebrated visual moments into striking works of art.

Cartwright holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the renowned Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, New York. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Applied Photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology, School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. An active lecturer and exhibitor, Cartwright has presented throughout Europe and the United States. He is a recipient of a Polaroid Corporation Photographer’s Grant and a New York State Council on the Arts Public Service Grant (CAPS). He has exhibited internationally in many one-man and group shows, including at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., the George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY, the National Museum of Photography, Bradford, England, The Photographer’s Gallery, London, England, and at Photokina, Köln, Germany.

Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company promotes talented artists and offers expert design and craftsmanship for framing and displaying treasured family possessions and works of art. Industrial Blues may also be viewed through the end of August during regular business hours: Monday through Friday, 9am-5:30pm, Saturday, 9am-3 pm. Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company is located at 224 East Main Street, next door to Muncie Civic Theatre. For more information, visit www.gordyframing.com or call (765) 284-8422.

Muncie Civic Theatre
216 E. Main

“Be Our Guest: Open-Door Rehearsals”

During August’s First Thursday events on August 4th, Muncie Civic Theatre will have wine in the lobby and open door rehearsals for Be Our Guest on stage (which opens August 6th). In a First Thursday “first,” they will also have a Pokemon Go Lure turned on throughout the evening.

Muncie Makes Lab

628 S. Walnut

“CritChat Exhibit: ART via CRAFT”

Muncie Makes Lab will host its third CritChat exhibit of the year for First Thursday, August 4 from 5-9 PM. “CritChat: ART via CRAFT” is a one night only pop-up exhibit that explores craft as an impetus for art making.

The line between art and craft is a blurry one that often looks to intention and function for clarification. Historically, practices such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking have been classified as “arts,” while ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and woodwork have been considered “crafts.” The primary distinction between the two has relied on whether the work was made with the intention of being expressive or solely utilitarian. “CritChat: ART via CRAFT” exhibits work that questions this distinction and further blurs the line between them.

Exhibiting artists will be present and guests are encouraged to ask questions throughout the evening. Beginning at 8 PM, the artists will introduce themselves and engage attendees in a sample CritChat experience, leading the audience through the process of providing informed, critical feedback on select pieces featured in the exhibit. DJ JANNELL will provide music, and light refreshments will be served.

CritChat is a free, community meet-up developed and facilitated by artists Holly Lay and Braydee Euliss. This monthly gathering invites local artists of all kinds to participate in conversation about their own work and the work of others. Painters, photographers, sculptors, and makers alike are encouraged to bring completed work, work-in-progress, and even unrealized ideas with the sole intention of sharing. By enabling dialogue, promoting collaboration, and providing critical feedback, the group hopes to build community and support for emerging area artists.

Find out more about CritChat & join the conversation every 3rd Thursday of the month from 7-9 PM at Muncie Makes Lab, 628 S. Walnut St. Muncie, IN 47605. No RSVP necessary. Muncie Makes Lab is a design/build, make, discuss, display, and workshop lab for students, faculty, and staff from Ball State University, as well as the Muncie community.

Harlan Mathieu, woodcut, The Atrium Gallery "The Bird Cage," After Hours Art Reels at The Fickle Peach Hillcroft Services on the Goldspace Stage "Facing Humanity: A Parade of Masks," at Gordy Fine Art "Beauty and the Beast," at Muncie Civic Theatre "DIDACTIC" at the Muncie Makes Lab Faith Kellermeyer, "Own It," at Savage's Alehouse The Book Arts Collaborative

The Atrium Gallery

Arts and Journalism Building, 1st floor, Ball State University campus

“Dellas Henke and Harlan Mathieu”

There will be an Opening Reception for First Thursday from 4-6pm for an exhibition of woodcuts and engravings by Dellas Henke and Harlan Mathieu at The Atrium Gallery on Ball State University’s campus. The opening reception is on Thursday, and the shows run until Sept. 21.

Dellas Henke has a BFA from SUNY Brockport where he worked with Robert Marx and an MFA from the University of Iowa where he worked with Mauricio Lasansky. While still a student, Henke started what would become three projects creating illustrations for literary works by Samuel Beckett. This included gaining permission from Beckett and meeting with him for discussion and signatures. Henke currently teaches at Grand Valley State University where he has been a faculty member since the early 1980s. He has continued to work and exhibit widely and mostly creates work in a series that has a particular theme. His series Chemo Waste deals with his illness from cancer.

Harlan Mathieu also has an MFA from the University of Iowa where he too worked with the renowned artist, Mauricio Lasansky. Although he has had work published by The Iowa Review, Mathieu 's fortunes did not include a career in university teaching. Instead, Mathieu worked for many years as a carpenter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Only in the last ten years or so has he been involved in teaching, as an elementary art teacher in the New York City Public Schools. Yet, Mathieu has still continued to work and exhibit at many venues, including the prestigious Society of American Graphic Artists. He is featured in the book The Fine Artist’s Career Guide by Daniel Grant.

The Fickle Peach (21+)

117 E. Charles

“Afterhours Art Reels: The Bird Cage”

Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, in collaboration with The Fickle Peach, presents After Hours Art Reels following the First Thursday Gallery Walks in May through September. Come enjoy the gallery exhibits from 5-8pm, and join us afterwards at dusk for the 1996 comedy, The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, and Gene Hackman.

Films will be projected onto the Mutual Bank wall on Charles Street at dusk. Seating will be available on the Fickle Peach patio area located at 117 E. Charles St. for guests who are 21 and up. Viewers who are not yet 21 can watch the films from the sidewalk surrounding the patio area. 

Goldspace Theatre

At Canan Common (500 block of Walnut Street, near the Roundabout)

“Free Concert at Canan Commons, sponsored by Goldspace Theater”
Thursday, September 1st Artswalk at Canan Commons there will be very special free concert at 6pm on behalf of Goldspace Theater, where creativity uplifts the disadvantaged and marginalized, both children & adults.

Dale Basham will MC a concert celebrating Middletown and Indiana's Bicentennial by including works created for this celebration. "Doc" Peterson premieres his composition, Happy Birthday, Muncie, featuring long-time favorite Muncie singers, Beth Leavell-Davis and Phil Dunn. "Doc" accompanies rockin'-soul performances by Kyle Ivy, Barb Frost, Vanessa Ament, and Beth of three songs set in Heartland High School. These works are collaborations of born-again Hoosiers: Flo Lapin, Joe Spence, Dee Hartmann, and John Clark. The works include Bells N' Balls and I Want To Be A Teacher.

Muncie's own Mike Milligan of Steam Shovel fame will be performing his original works, as well as Steve Robert of The Jazzmanians, who will entertain with several of his compositions. Last, but certainly not least, Goldspace students from Hillcroft will cheer on the crowd into a celebratory mood. On hand for excellent eats will be Paraiso Restaurant and Rolling Hawaiian. 

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

“Facing Humanity: A Parade of Masks”
Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company will celebrate First Thursday, September 1st from 5 – 8 pm with an opening reception for Facing Humanity: A Parade of Masks, an exhibition of hand-made masks by artist and performer Jonathan Becker. The artist will be on hand to engage with viewers throughout the evening and will speak briefly to the audience about his work at 6:15pm. Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend.

Jonathan Becker is a mask maker, teaching artist, and performer. His first experience with masks was in the summer of 1979. At 15 years old, he attended a summer conference on clowning at Oberlin College where he had the opportunity to hear Avner Eisenberg, hailed as one of the greatest clowns of all time, speak about the universal qualities of the “neutral” mask and what it revealed to the actor.

Reflecting on the indelible experience, Becker recalled, “He put it on, stood for moment in a stillness that created a deafening silence and then, slightly turned his head. In that moment, the world shifted. I saw the mask change, I saw Avner change, I saw the audience change, and I felt the air in the room change.”

He began sculpting masks in 1986 while attending The International School of Theatre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France. Upon his return to the United States, Becker founded Theater-Masks.com, a full service production shop which creates masks for the international theatre community. His masks are currently being use by educational institutions, professional theatres and individual artists. Over the past 16 years, Becker has seen more than 10,000 masks leave the studio for destinations in 45 countries with clients including Disney Theatrical in association with The Lion King, Focus Films, NBC, The Bravo Cable Network, and Theater of Enchantment in Philadelphia. You can visit the studio at www.theater-masks.com.

Since 1988, Becker has helped in the development of fifteen original plays. He co-founded and was Co-Artistic Director of two theatre companies: Les Senokrates in Luzern, Switzerland and The Brodeur Brothers in Paris, France. He is a regular guest artist at the International Acting with Masks Program at Olso University College in Oslo, Norway. Currently, Becker is the Artistic Director of the North American Laboratory for the Performing Arts. For the past ten years, he has lived and worked in Muncie, IN where he is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Ball State University.

Grace Episcopal Church
300 S. Madison

“Exhibition and Music at Grace Episcopal Church”

At Grace Episcopal Church, our doors open at 5pm for First Thursday Artswalk with an exhibition by several local artists. At 7:30pm we will host singer-guitar player Ric Dwenger, who is known for his folk songs and ballads. We will also have something new! At 6pm we will host an all-ages mini-camp/workshop program called “Anti-Bullying,” presented by A Better Way. All donations this evening will be given to A Better Way.

Muncie Civic Theatre
216 E. Main

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”

Muncie Civic Theatre presents Disney's Beauty and the Beast on the main stage for First Thursday starting at 7:30pm (tickets required). This "tale as old as time" tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love another and earn their love in return then the spell would be broken. If not, he and his household would be doomed to remain cursed for all time.

The show runs from August 19-20, 25-28 to September 1-4. Thursday, Friday, & Saturday shows are at 7:30pm, and the Sunday Matinees on Aug 28th and Sept 4th are at 2:00pm. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for groups of 10+, and $13 for students & children.

Muncie Makes Lab

628 S. Walnut

The Muncie Makes Lab will be hosting three exhibitions for September’s First Thursday:

“Art Mart @Muncie Makes Lab, Karen Fisher, Brittaney Edwards & Tracy Jarrett”

 Several of the members of Art Mart’s staff have the same thing in common; they are all graduates of Ball State University’s School of Art. Since they work for the local art supply, they are all pretty knowledgeable on art supplies and how to use them, each using personal favorites to compose this show.

Karen Fisher, Art Mart’s owner, is a 1976 graduate, majoring in Art Education. Fisher completed her master’s degree in Education in 1991 and has owned Art Mart since 2003. She likes to draw natural things or any of her collections, which are extensive. She is a self-proclaimed “supply junkie” who likes to collect just about anything of interest. When asked, “What are your interests?,” she would answer, ”Everything”!

Brittaney Edwards graduated in the spring of 2015 from Ball State University. Since then she has been exploring different media that she did not have time for while in college. Edwards usually likes to draw things related to society and culture that normally come from personal experience or observations of the everyday. She also enjoys blending the dividing lines of painting and drawing in her work. She does so by working in watercolor, ink, and more recently, colored pencil, keeping a focus on mark-making and line work. 

Tracy Jarrett graduated from Ball State University in the spring of 2015 with a BFA in glass. Although she loves working with glass, she also enjoys drawing in many different media and painting with watercolor. A primary focus within her work is navigating life with an anxiety disorder. She expresses visually the reality of being incapable of decompressing or winding down at the end of the day and the exhaustion that comes with not being able to relax. Through the presentation of her work, she aims to normalize the discussion of mental illnesses.

“Flim Flam with instructor James Kerestes”

Flim Flam is an exhibition of artifacts produced by Architecture Design students from Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning. Characterized as architectural misfits and oddities, these objects aim to explore conditions of the unfamiliar and strange.

“Didactic Launch for Exhibit Columbus” 

Join us for the launch of the 3rd issue of DIDACTIC, which look at the architectural history of Columbus, Indiana. Featuring nine site histories by Enrique Ramirez, the issue also includes an examination of Eames Aluminum Group by Amy Auscherman, a B-sides tour of Columbus by Matt Shaw, and images by Hadley Fruits. Produced and published by PRINTtEXT, DIDACTIC 03 is a textual supplement to the inaugural symposium for Exhibit Columbus, "Foundations and Futures." For more information visit exhibitcolumbus.org. or https://www.facebook.com/PRINTtEXT.co/

Savage's Ale House (21+)

127 N. High

“Faith Kellermeyer”

A series of paintings by Faith Kellermeyer will be on display at Savages Alehouse for September's First Thursday. The artist will be on-site throughout the evening to talk about her work with anyone who is interested.

As a hand-letterer, Kellermeyer is often commissioned to design home decor displaying inspirational quotes. With this series of paintings, she turns the inspirational quote on its head by pairing traditional decorative and floral patterns with both empowering feminist messages and an irreverent sense of humor. She is also a member of We're Trying Collective, a group of Muncie-based artists who work collaboratively to promote community interests while building a culture of inclusion and creative expression.

For those interested in purchasing her work, Kellermeyer also sells prints of her paintings at a lower price point. Please contact her at faithkellermeyer@gmail.com for questions and inquiries.

JUST ADDED!

There will be an open house from 5-8pm at the Book Arts Collaborative  (in the Madjax building located at 514 E. Jackson) and also an open house at Tribune Showprint (501 E. Main St.)

John Scofield to perform at Cornerstone Center for the Arts Patricia Kriegh's "Splang" exhibition opening, Cornerstone Center for the Arts Monkey Thunder at Gordy Fine Art and Framing One year anniversary celebration at Heidi J. Hale Karl Erickson, "Video Thunder" at Black Box Theatre AIAS Art Sale at Muncie Makes Lab Jennifer Smith, "Badlands," at Rose Court Janice Carter at Twin Archer Brewpub The Yart Sale, Old National Trust Parking Lot

For full information on all of the events happening for October's First Thursday Arts Walk, please visit Muncie's Downtown Development website at the following link:

http://www.downtownmuncie.org/artswalk/