First Thursday

The Artist Within
313 S Walnut

During the month of March, the Artist Within will feature the work of Ball State University Advanced Drawing students.  The upper level and main floor galleries will exhibit drawings done in a variety of mediums, "Selections from Ball State Advanced Drawing Classes" will remain on exhibit through March 30th.  There will be an artists opening reception First Thursday, March 7th from 5-8pm with light refreshments.  The opening is free and open to the public. Ball State University will be on Spring Break during First Thursday so a second reception, "Meet the Artists" will be held on Friday March 15th from 5-7pm.  Please make plans to attend one or both of the receptions.

Gallery 308
308 E Main

A passion for the arts often begins at an early age, and the talents and imagination of more than 80 young artists will be showcased in a countywide exhibit when Gallery 308 opens its 9th annual K-12 Juried Student Art Show next week. The public is invited to stop by and see what our young local artists are doing. There’s a free reception for the show’s opening on March 7, the First Thursday of the month.

The nonprofit community art gallery provides a juried show each year for Delaware County students in grades K through 12. Because it’s a juried show, awards will be presented. The presentation will be at Muncie Civic Theatre, 216 East Main Street at 6:30p.m. The exhibit and refreshments will be offered at the Gallery, located at 308 East Main Street, from 5 to 8 p.m. The artists’ families and friends are welcome.

Students from 12 city and county schools are involved in the show. About 87 entries were accepted into the juried process. The students’ artwork will be displayed at the Gallery through the end of March.  Karen Fisher, Gallery 308 Board member and member of the committee that organized this year’s show, said, “This is one of the strongest shows we have ever mounted, the quality of the work is outstanding. It’s a thrilling experience for young artists to see their art professionally framed and hanging in gallery.”

In addition to announcing the prize winners at the opening, the Gallery will announce the name of the school that has won the 2013 Y.B. Williams Art Supply Award. The $500 cash award is given to the school whose students earned the most points for their arts involvement. Fisher explained that students earn points for their school by attending art gallery openings, visiting museums and other art venues. “The school with the most points wins the $500 award which is to be used by the school to purchase art supplies,” she said. The name of the winning school will be announced at the opening reception. Delta Middle School was last year’s winner.

Judges for the juried show were Lynette Whitesell, (primary school artists) and Bob Hartley (secondary school artists).

Artwork for this show was framed at framing workshops offered by the Gallery in February.

The exhibit is made possible by major funding from Trim Masters Charitable Foundation. Other sponsors include: Indiana Public Radio; Department of Art, Ball State University; Muncie Civic Theatre (providing space for the awards presentation); The Artist Within and Art Mart.

Gallery 308’s exhibitions committee consists of David Franklin, Chris Satory Jan Wright, and Karen Fisher.

The gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturday from 12:30 – 5:00pm.  Admission is free. The show continues through March 28.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E Main

Margie Prim began painting in the 1960’s. She took classes and occasionally painted with small groups of painters.  It was a doctor’s remark in 2009, however, that kicked the quiet artist into high gear. Reporting that she had some arthritis, the doctor mentioned that it can affect eyesight. Prim decided at that moment to spend as much time painting as she possibly could. She began going along with groups of plein air painters in the region, tromping through fields to paint in every type of weather Indiana can dish out. Between trips, Prim would hone her skills with romantic still life scenes – flower arrangements, a special vase, pears – in the comfort of home. She is now known for both plein air landscapes and still life paintings, quiet of subject and wild with impasto – that is, thick application of paint where brushstrokes are visible and become part of the image. Over a dozen new paintings will be displayed through March on the main gallery wall at Gordy Fine Art and Framing in downtown Muncie.

“Inspiration comes to me by what I see, whether it be plein air or still life,” the quiet artist explains. “Using colors from grays to brights is an adventure for me.”  A short talk about Prim’s work will be given by gallery owner, Genny Gordy, at 6 PM during the opening reception on Thursday, March 7, 2013. The opening hours are 5 to 8 PM.

 Another artist, David Cuatlacuatl, will speak at 6:30 PM about the work he will display in the new “Nook”, a smaller exhibit space on the west side of Gordy’s main gallery. A recent Ball State University graduate, the award-winning artist creates brightly-colored mixed media and collage pieces. A citizen of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, Cuatlacuatl states, “Seeing the limited conditions of people native to my hometown and south of the border helped me develop a certain perspective, which I believe has a major influence on me and on my work today.” 

The public is invited to the opening reception, and light refreshments will be served. Gordy Fine Art & Framing is located at 224 East Main Street, next to Civic Theatre. Both exhibits will remain on display through March 30th and may also be viewed during normal business hours at the gallery/frame shop:  Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Saturday, 9 to 3, or by appointment.  For more information, call 765-284-8422 or visit www.gordyframing.com.

Rose Court
125 E Charles

"This month Rose Court is pleased to be displaying the award winning photography of Grace Hollars.  Grace was recently one of the Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners.

"March is Craft Month and National Kids Craft Month.  Rose Court is also pleased to be hosting the Creativity Network and their participants for First Thursday.  Several Non-Profit organizations will be having tables throughout the building featuring crafts and fun items.  Come visit the following participants:

Creativity Network - A Nonprofit Org. that welcomes creatives with disabilities, emerging & established artists & crafters in all creative disciplines. Creativity Network members will be celebrating National Craft Month with special contests and a membership drive.

Team Artist Within WalkMS will kick off their 2013 fundraising campaign with a booth offering a "Create a Coupon" coloring sheet to those who stop by and make at least a $1 donation.  The coupon will give the donor 10% off a piece of paint your own pottery at the Artist Within during the month of March.  Information about joining Team Artist Within for the March 23rd WalkMS 2013 at BSU's Worthen Arena will also be available.  So come donate to Team Artist Within Walk MS, have fun coloring your own coupon and then redeem it at Artist Within during the month of March.

Free to Read, A nonprofit that collects books for teachers, local nonprofits, families in need and Servicemen over seas. They will be making bookmarks for First Thursday and collecting gently used children's books. Please help bring a smile to a child's face by donating to this worthwhile cause.

OWENA Old West End Neighborhood Association, A group of neighbors come together to clean up their historic neighborhood and make a difference. Now a nonprofit they have done amazing things in the Old West End. Come see photos of the beautiful homes and learn about their plans to continue their growth as one of our cities most determined neighborhoods shows their spirit and culture.

MACC, Muncie Arts and Cultural Council, is a local organization that promotes the arts in Delaware County. Information relating to MACC will be part of a display at Rose Court during March First Thursday activities March 7th from 5-8pm.