July's First Thursday

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.