First Thursday

111 Arts Gallery
111 E Main

(tattoo flash) art of tattooing, tattoo designs done I. Watercolor mixed media, raw, and refined in distinct and traditional styles, multiple artist, 5-9 refreshments artist meet n greet

Additional NSFW images: 1, 2

The Artist Within
313 S Walnut

February at the Artist Within will feature "Each Face is Unique", the photography of Rachel Rector.  An opening reception will be held First Thursday, February 7th from 5-8pm.  The reception is free and open to the public with light refreshments, live music by Ric Dwenger and an opportunity to meet the artist to learn more about her inspiration for this moving exhibit.

Rachel is currently a sophomore at Indiana University studying Elementary Education.  This young artist bought her first camera when she was a freshman in high school and started shooting immediately. Miss Rector reminisces about how she worked the entire summer to save up and buy her very own digital SLR camera and proudly claims, "I still shoot with it today." She started taking pictures because she felt she had a terrible memory and wanted to remember the good and bad times. This small way to remember things turned into a hobby and soon she began to love the impact a picture could have on both her life and others. Encouragement came as people began to compliment her on her talent. This gave her the confidence to put herself out there for new experiences like senior portraits, family shots, and candid photos. Rachel readily admits that the most exciting experience she has had behind the lens came from the hundreds of photographs she took while on a mission trip in Haiti. This talented photographer admits that the experience cannot be put into words, but only through her photos. She feels that she was able to capture the very real and true lives of many of the Haitian children living in Port-au-Prince.

A brief background on the mission trip:

In the summer of 2011 about 15 people, including myself, from the Bridge Community Church traveled 1500 plus miles to Port-au-Prince Haiti to work at the local organization called Mission of Hope. On this mission trip we were able to do service work with the orphanage and VBS that the Mission of Hope sponsored. We traveled to another local orphanage to spend the day with the children as well as visit the ground for a soon to be school near the coast. We were also able to travel to the land where small one room houses were being built and painted for families to be sheltered in that lost their homes during the 2010 earthquake. The countless hands I held and smiles I received will forever be in my heart. The simplicity of these children's life is what I will take away most from my trip and I hope that through my photographs you too will be able to see Gods love and grace in the lives of the Haitian children.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E Main

BSU Annual Print Show + Introducing Amelia Morris

In what has become an annual affair, Gordy Fine Art & Framing will exhibit the work of husband and wife duo, David and Sarojini Johnson, for the month of February 2013. Joining the Ball State art professors this year will be two of their students, Terre Keck and Brandon Beeson. The four artists will present works made using either the intaglio or relief process, typically used to create multiple copies of a “plate” that has been altered, via chemicals or gouging tools. In either case, ink is applied to the prepared plate, paper is laid on the inked surface, pressure applied, and the paper – now carrying an image – is pulled away to dry.  Printmaking is a demanding art, as each color represents either a different plate, or the original plate, re-altered. Either way, a challenging series of steps stands between the artist and the final works of art.

Only a few steps will stand between the exhibited works and patrons during the February print show. The main west wall will hold what appear to be calm, even happy, farm animals in glorious colors by David next to dream-like garden scenes by Sarojini. “Frog and Lily” depicts a blue textured frog and orange lilies, both buds and blooms, on yellow-green pads. The scene by Sarojini is quiet, yet boldly exotic. David’s “Animal Farm” beautifully demonstrates the printmaker’s skill of multiple images, perfectly aligned. The students’ works finish out the wall for the print exhibit, and several accordion print books will be displayed on tables. “Garden Flowers and Insects,” by Sarojini, unfolds to show colorful silhouettes of plants and insects, some reminiscent of silk fabric prints.

On the other side of the gallery space, Amelia Morris will kick off Gordy’s “Small Exhibit Series” with, An Honest Assessment: Recent Efforts from Amelia Morris. A 2008 graduate of Ball State University, Morris earned her BFA, magna cum laude, in art and photography. Her images make up a photo diary of her days, post college. “I like to think of the work as a series of public and private confessions,” offers Morris, “my post-grad blues.”

A reception for the artists will be held First Thursday, February 7th , 2013, from 5 to 8 PM at the downtown gallery. A short talk about the print exhibit will take place at 6 PM, followed by another talk about the photo exhibit at 6:30.The public is encouraged to attend, and light refreshments will be served. The other downtown galleries will also be hosting exhibits, and there is no charge to attend.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co. is located at 224 E. Main Street, next door to Muncie Civic Theatre.  For more information, call 765-284-8422 or visit www.gordyframing.com.

Rose Court
125 E Charles

Rose Court is pleased to host artist Jerry Dreesen for the February 7th Gallery Walk.

Jerry Dreesen is a painter poet. He writes and publishes haiku and other short form Japanese poetry on-line and in paper journals . He is self-taught artist, who loves to challenge himself in a variety of mediums and styles including acrylic, watercolor, pastel and linocut printing. He also experiments on occasion with clay sculpture. He has exhibited his art in various local art shows and exhibitions and has sold work including several commissions throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Europe and Japan.  http://dreesenartgallery.blogspot.com/     OR   facebook/jerry dreesen