18 Past Events at Multiple locations

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.

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.)

Get ready for the 10th annual Muncie MusicFest, brought to you by First Merchants Bank, First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors, the Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Cornerstone Center for the Arts.

This festival takes place at six locations across Muncie, includes over 40 bands from our local and extended Muncie music community, and is absolutely FREE to attend.

SCHEDULE
-----------------
Cornerstone Center for the Arts (520 E. Main)
Colonnade Room (Cornerstone)
5:00pm - Cocaine Culture (stoner, hipster, garbage)
6:00pm - Mint (gaze rock)
7:00pm - SeepeopleS (indie rock)
8:00pm - Dr. Boldylocks and the Twitter All-Stars
9:00pm - The Indigos (alternative/funk/rock/pop)

E. B. Ball Auditorium (Cornerstone)
5:00pm - Scaling Giantss (folk/blues)
6:00pm - Steve Robert and the Jazzmanian Devils (folk rock)
7:00pm - TK Hanley (folk rock)
8:00pm - Katie Garringer (folk, country)
9:00pm - Timbre (chamber folk rock)

Grand Hall (Cornerstone)
5:00pm - The Meanies (folk rock)
6:00pm - The No Good Riders (rock, roll)
7:00pm - Von Strantz (indie folk rock)
8:00pm - Beyond The Grid (electronic rock)
9:00pm - Void King (stoner rock)

Great Room (Cornerstone)
5:30pm - Emosahn (edm)
6:30pm - DJP (edm, house, dubstep, trap, drum and bass)
7:30pm - Shxps (future bass, edm, house)
8:30pm - Spacexlion (future bass, trap, chiptune)

Legacy Room (Cornerstone)
6:30pm - Pistol Grip Shift (muscle car metal)
7:30pm - The 4% (roots punk, folk punk)
8:30pm - Man With A Gun (hard rock, metal, progressive)

The Acoustic Room (1501 W Kilgore, 21+)
9:00pm - Hei$t (hip hop)
9:45pm - GOLDENEYE (hip hop)
10:30pm - Matt Foy (hip hop)
11:15pm - Team Unity (hip hop, rap, rock)
12:00am - JayWill365 & SoulChild Quise (hiphop/rap)
1:00am - Planet Boom Bap (hip hop, rap, funk, soul, rock)

The Big Shots Ballroom (2150 White River Blvd., Ste. D, 21+)
9:00pm - The Joshlyn Crouch Band (country)
10:00pm - Bryce Ernest Taylor Music (progressive folk, americana)
11:00pm - The Elixirs (punk country, americana, psychobilly)

The Mark III Tap Room (306 S Walnut St, 21+)
9:00pm - Lonestra (edm)
10:00pm - T-ROUB (hardstyle, trap, electronic)
11:00pm - Mephysto (jungle, drum and bass, dub, experimental)
12:00am - Ejion (bass house, neurofunk, dubstep, drum and bass)

Valhalla Venue (215 S Walnut St, 21+)
8:00pm - The BBIGG Band (classic rock/blues)
9:00pm - Pedal Tones (blues)
10:00pm - Governor Davis Band (rockin' blues)
11:00pm - Sonny Yingst Band (blues rock)

Village Green Records (519 N Martin St.)
8:00pm - Architecture Aviva (progressive rock, instrumental, post-rock)
9:00pm - Analog Bandits (progressive groove rock)

Be sure to like the Muncie Musicfest Facebook page and visit http://MuncieMusicFest.com/ for band bios and streaming music. Thanks for supporting local music and keeping this festival going for ten years!

Art from the 82nd Student Show, The Atrium Gallery, Ball State University Abby Wagner, My Cup Runneth Over, Forever Young Children's Boutique Scott Anderson, New Normal, Gordy Fine Art and Framing Kim Anderson, Gordy Fine Art and Framing Eugene Boyd pottery, Made in Muncie Tom Walker at Madjax Eugene Mumaw posters and playbills at Muncie Civic Theatre Maring-Hunt Community Gardens project at Muncie Makes Lab Daniel Ragsdale Combs, On the Rocks, at Savage's Alehouse Kim Shawger and Robert Dirden, Studio Exhale

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

The Atrium Gallery will hold extended hours from 5-8pm for visitors to view the 82nd Annual Student Show. MITS Buses run from downtown Muncie to the university campus until 9 PM.  

Each year since 1935, the School of Art in the College of Fine Arts at Ball State University has hosted an exhibition of its students’ artwork. In more recent years, in order for our students to have an experience more resembling that of a practicing professional artist, an external juror actively practicing in a field of art has been employed to adjudicate and make all decisions regarding acceptance of artwork(s) into the exhibition, and for making all decisions regarding which art pieces will be further recognized in the form of monetary awards.

For the exhibition, there will be an award of $500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd place, and $150 for 3rd place. In addition, each area listed below will see a student artwork be recognized with an area cash award of $100 as specified by the external juror. Three additional artworks will be selected by the juror to receive awards, but the awards are sponsored by the Muncie Art Student League, an organization founded in 1886 by community members, who have contributed to the awards program since the student show’s beginnings in 1935. Another award is the Dean’s Purchase Award from Robert Kvam, Dean, College of Fine Arts.

The School of Art boasts a population of 500 students, with the predominant majority of those being students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree. The BFA is the professional undergraduate degree in studio art whose areas of study in the school specifically are: animation, ceramics, drawing, glass, metals, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture intermedia/video and time-based art, and Visual Communications (Graphic design). In addition, a representative selection from Foundations/Core courses (Introductory Drawing, Design, and Computer Art) is recognized; an award is given to one of these students who are just beginning their studies in any particular school degree area (BFA, or otherwise). For more program information, please visit our website at http://bsu.edu/art/undergradprograms.

The Ball State University 82nd Annual Student Art Show opening reception takes place on the evening of Saturday, February 25, 2017 from 6 PM to 8 PM with the awards presentations being at 7:00 PM.

Cornerstone Center for the Arts
520 E. Main

Cornerstone Center for the Arts, in partnership with PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union, will host a brand new art show from 5:30 to 8 PM. The show, entitled the “Cornerstone Center for the Arts and PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union Young Artist Exhibition,” will feature the 2D and 3D artwork of students in kindergarten through twelfth grades living in Delaware County.

Artwork will be on display in four grade categories: kindergarten-second, third-fifth, sixth-eighth, and ninth-twelfth. A group of community judges will award prizes for the top three artists in each category. Winners will be announced at 6:30 PM during the reception on March 2 in conjunction with March’s First Thursday. Students and families, along with the rest of the community, are invited to attend the opening to view the artwork, enjoy refreshments, and check out the winning artwork.

More information about the “Young Artist Exhibition,” including submission forms, guidelines, and rules is available online at youngartistexhibition.com or by calling Cornerstone at 765-281-9503. 

Forever Young Children’s Boutique
125 E. Charles

Forever Young Children’s Boutique will feature the work of guest artist Abby Wagner, who will also be doing a live painting at the shop from 5-7 PM. Wagner is a local artist from Selma Indiana who has a passion for painting in watercolor. Her current show is “My Cup Runneth Over,” which consists of beautifully painted pictures of tea and coffee cups.  The store will also

be having a 10% off sale on all new spring apparel, with extended hours until 7 PM.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co. will celebrate First Thursday March 2nd from 5 – 8 pm with an opening reception for Disintegration – Propagation, an exhibition of new ceramic work by Kim Anderson and new paintings and drawings by Scott Anderson. The artists will speak briefly about their work at 6:15 PM. Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend. The exhibit remains on view through April 1, 2017. 

Both Kim and Scott Anderson are Gordy Fine Art and Framing Co. represented artists with long histories of addressing the impacts of egoism on the natural and political orders that govern the human experience. Though their preferred mediums and methods of expression differ, the artists’ most recent bodies of work are similarly informed by the imbalance of growth and decay in today’s world. Disintegration – Propagation explores that imbalance though the mixed media paintings and drawings by Scott Anderson and the three-dimensional ceramic sculptures by Kim Anderson.

Kim Anderson is currently the Director of Visual Arts at Arts Place. She holds a BA with an emphasis in Ceramics from the University of California in Pennsylvania, a BFA in Ceramics from West Virginia University, and an MFA in Ceramics from Wichita State University. Previously, she’s held teaching positions at the Indianapolis Art Center for 13 years and the Art Department at Ball State University for 11 years. She is a previous recipient of the Individual Artist Grant from the Indiana Arts Commission.

Scott Anderson was born in Lubbock Texas in 1959. He received his BFA from Texas Tech University in 1982 and his MFA from West Virginia University in 1993, both degrees with an emphasis in painting. He is currently a Professor at Ball State University teaching undergraduate and graduate levels of Painting and Drawing where he has received numerous Arts Education awards. Throughout the past thirty years, Mr. Anderson has exhibited paintings professionally in galleries and museums as well as national and regional juried exhibitions.

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. Disintegration – Propagation may also be viewed through Saturday, April 1, 2017 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.

Grace Episcopal Church
300 S. Madison

Grace Episcopal Church will host a choral concert performance entitled “Let Our Voices Be Heard.” The Grace Choral Scholars, a group of students from Ball State University’s School of Music, will be performing work by Alessandro Scarlatti, W.A. Mozart, G.F. Handel, and many more composers. There will be solos, duets, trios, and quartets. The Grace Choral Scholars are Lauren Anthony (soprano), Kendall Anvoots (soprano), James Best (baritone), and Peter Douglas (baritone and organist). The concert begins at 7:30 PM and the Art Gallery opens at 5 PM.

Made in Muncie
313 S. Walnut

Made in Muncie Pottery will be having an opening reception for "Eugene Boyd Pottery" from 5-8 PM. Works of wheel-thrown vessels will be on display throughout the month of March. Boyd is a Muncie native and teaches pottery at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. His passion for clay is apparent in his work along with anyone he talks to about the medium. Join us for First Thursday in DWNTWN Muncie for our opening reception at the studio, 313 S Walnut St.

Madjax Muncie
628 S. Walnut

Madjax will feature letterpress work by Tom Walker, who has spent over 20 years designing professionally, teaching for universities, and exploring art and design in a body of personal creative work. Book Arts Collaborative will have a press inked up, allowing visitors to pull their own print and Tribune Showprint will be giving tours and press demonstrations. Guardian Brewery will also be selling pints of beer throughout the evening.

Muncie Civic Theatre
216 E. Main

Muncie Civic Theatre will be presenting a historic showing of Eugene Mumaw's works curated by Jim Waechter and Mike Mavis of the Delaware County Historical Society, with the help of Gordy Fine Art & Framing. Mumaw was the artist behind every Muncie Civic show poster and playbill cover from the 1970s all the way into the 2000s. His work has adorned the theater's walls for decades and now will be put into the spotlight through this special showing.

Muncie Makes Lab
628 S. Walnut

First Floor
Ball State Architecture students are partnering with Maring-Hunt Public Library to expand the impact of the existing Maring-Hunt Community Gardens. They are working on a project that will include built pavilions that can work as shade and shelter for gardeners, community gathering spaces, a market, community kitchen, educational outreach to the library and Southview Elementary, as well as various other outdoor play and experiential elements. Come view the work and process of the team developing a master plan for the entire site, and construction will be completed in phases over the next several semesters. Students have met with many community members, and have had very productive collaborations with gardeners, library members, and neighbors.

Savage's Ale House (21+)
127 N. High

Savage’s will feature Daniel Ragsdale Combs’s show entitled “How Do We Define Ourselves?” The show focuses mainly on his recent creative portraits ranging in media from graphite, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylics, and oils. Combs states: “I work in traditional materials because I enjoy the feel and smell of the more natural materials. During the creative process, the material speaks to me, there is an intense and personal communication that happens. Most of my work questions who we are as a society and how we relate to our personal beliefs.”

Studio Exhale
103 N. High St.

Join Studio Exhale from 5-8 PM for an opening reception of “Beauty Through the Lens,” featuring the photographs of Kip Shawger and makeup artist Robert E. Dirden. This unique photographic exhibit of two artists highlights different styles of makeup and body art. Dirden and Shawger have been working together for a decade perfecting their craft.  Dirden is a Professor of Theater at Ball State University and produces several major stage productions at the university and the Muncie community throughout the year. Shawger has been teaching at Ball State for over 40 years as a theatrical designer.

Dylan Martinex, H2O/SiO2, The Atrium Gallery, Ball State University Elizabeth Coleman (1st place, 9th-12th grade category), Cornerstone Center for the Arts Lohren Deeg, Muncie's Village, The Fickle Peach Josh Winkler, "The America Chestnut: Ghosts on The Appalachian Trail," at “David + Sarojini Johnson’s Legacy Exhibition,” Gordy Fine Art and Framing Evan Burnette, "Gathering Universe," from "Disengagement Party: Comic Surrealism," at Madjax Andrew Schultz, "The Discord of our Division," from "Furtive Dialogue," at Madjax Interactive Drawing Installation by IDIA Lab at Madjax Maring Hunt Community Drawing Project at Madjax "Stars, Cars & Bars" at Muncie Civic Theatre "Design for Choreography and Social Dance" at the Muncie Makes Lab Clara Leslie, "Psychxotc," from the Visual Communication Senior Design Show at the Muncie Makes Lab Julie Vance, "Art in Bloom" at Raymond James & Associates, Inc. “Our Point of View: The Photography of Bill and Cindy Britton" at Studio Exhale "Conservation Tales" book signing at Twin Archer Brewpub (all ages)

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

An opening reception for Dylan Martinez’s MFA thesis exhibition, “A Journey to the Edge of Perception,” will be held from 4-6pm. Martinez’s work explores the peripheries of art and science, pulling at the fabric of our reality with innovative glass sculptures and installations that challenge the way we see and experience our world.

Cornerstone Center for the Arts
520 E. Main

April’s First Thursday festivities will include the opening of a new gallery show featuring the winners of the 2017 Young Artist Exhibition presented by PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union. School children living in and around Delaware County submitted over 100 2D and 3D pieces of artwork to the Young Artist Exhibition in March. A panel of esteemed judges chose the top three and one honorable mention in four grade categories. The winners were announced at a public reception on Thursday, March 2.

The top 16 pieces will be on display in the Cornerstone Art Gallery throughout the month of April with the opening of the show on Thursday, April 6 in conjunction with First Thursday. In preparation for the show, all of the winning 2D pieces were matted and framed by Gordy Fine Art & Framing Company.

Young artists included in the show are Elizabeth Coleman, Natalie Talbot, Michael Marling, Clarissa Terry, Megan Trappe, Maddie McBride, Jadon Waterhouse, Emma White, Alexandra Stone, Christina Ray, Meghan Buehler, Lilly Cole, Lillian Barber, Moira McCrory, Johanna McKee, and Aaron Buehler.

The Cornerstone Art Gallery will be open to the public from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 6. The 2017 Young Artist Exhibition winners will remain on display in the Cornerstone Art Gallery throughout April. For more information about the show visit cornerstonearts.org.

The Fickle Peach (21+)
117 E. Charles

"Urban Plein Air: Travel Sketches and Watercolors." Lohren Deeg will show a series of framed digital prints from his travel and design sketchbooks collected over the last decade. These sketches and watercolors depict urban and landscape scenes with a variety of ink and watercolor media, and in each case were drawn or painted in-situ. Deeg explores the ability for field sketches to create a dialogue between the experience of place and design thinking, as well as engage local residents and fellow travelers. 

Deeg is an Associate Professor of Urban Planning at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where he has taught beginning design and visual communication courses since 2001. Mr. Deeg collaborates with a small design and planning firm in downtown Muncie, Indiana, and maintains a small independent illustration practice as a member of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators (ASAI). He recently won two awards from ASAI in their annual competition.

https://www.asai.org/members/lohrendeeg/

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co. will celebrate First Thursday April 6th from 5 – 8 pm with an opening reception for :David + Sarojini Johnson Legacy Exhibition,” a collection of print work from past students celebrating the Johnsons' legacy as educators and mentors. David and Sarojini will address the crowd at 6:15. Light refreshments will be served, and the public is invited to attend. The exhibit remains on view through April 29, 2017.

The month of April at Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co. will be dedicated to recognizing and illuminating the influence of two of the downtown gallery’s represented artists. The David + Sarojini Johnson Legacy Exhibition features woodcuts, linocuts, intaglios, and screen prints from several Ball State University’s printmaking students between the years 1988 and 2017, most of whom have made careers out of printmaking, either as educators or professional artists. On his time with so many students over the years, David Johnson reflected, “They had energy and ambition. I got to see their work as it was being made. It was and is very exciting. It was like we were taking turns driving the same big car on a long adventurous trip to an unknown but fantastic destination.”

David Johnson has exhibited his woodcuts and intaglio prints regionally and nationally since 1984. He has received numerous awards for his work at such national exhibitions as “The Bradley National Print and Drawing Exhibition” at Bradley University and “Harper College National Print and Drawing Exhibition”. He has many prints and artist’s books in private and public collections such as the Harvard University Art Museum, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri and the Grunewald Center for Graphic Arts in Los Angeles. David Johnson has taught printmaking and drawing at Ball State University since 1988.

Printmaker Sarojini Jha Johnson, professor of printmaking at Ball State University, is widely known for her intricate color intaglios which often depict animal and landscape imagery. She has exhibited extensively throughout the United States, has exhibited internationally, and won numerous awards for her color etchings. She has received many awards and grants at Ball State and served as Associate Chairperson from 1996 to 2002. Sarojini Johnson holds an MFA from Miami University and a BFA and BA from the University of Cincinnati, in Drawing and French, respectively.

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 David + Sarojini Johnson Legacy Exhibition may also be viewed through Saturday, April 29, 2017 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.

Madjax
628 S. Walnut

Opening Reception for “Disengagement Party: Comic Surrealism,” an MFA Thesis Exhibition by Evan Burnette
Muncie Arts and Culture Council and Ball State University School of Art have partnered to produce this thesis exhibition at Madjax in Downtown Muncie. Disengagement Party: Comic Surrealism by glass artist Evan Burnette will celebrate with an opening reception for First Thursday, April 6th from 5 - 8 pm. The artist will be on hand during the event and introduced at 7:30 pm for a brief discussion of his work followed by an informal Q&A.

Evan Burnette is currently pursuing his MFA in Glass at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. His sculptural artwork is a combination of early twentieth century Surrealist art and the cynicism of modern sketch comedy. The exhibition Disengagement Party: Comic Surrealism features new work by the artist, including a large-scale installation piece comprised of more than 100 terracotta squirrels, satirical stained glass, and a video of the artist transporting a five foot wooden phallus in a wheelbarrow. The fun, colorful, and often humorous exhibition of his work is intentional and aims to disengage the viewer from the seriousness of modern art. This exhibit does contain mature content and may be not appropriate for young audiences.

Evan Burnette is a Masters of Fine Arts candidate in Glass at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Burnette, a native of Springfield, Illinois, received his BFA from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Burnette’s work has gained recognition throughout the country including finalist status in The Illinois Governor’s Collegiate Art Competition, The Rickert Ziebolt Trust Awards, The National Sculpture Society Awards, and the Niche Awards, among others. His work is also currently featured in The Corning Museum of Glass’ most recent publication of New Glass Review. He hopes to pursue a university teaching career upon graduation.

Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend. Disengagement Party: Comic Surrealism will remain on view through Thursday, April 20th. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 2 - 6 pm, Friday, 2 - 8 pm, Saturday 12 - 8 pm, and Sunday 12 - 4 pm. Madjax is located at 514 E Jackson St. Muncie, Indiana 47305. Please use the Main St. entrance. Visit www.munciearts.org for more information.

Muncie Arts and Culture council seeks to create, educate, advocate, nurture, and inspire integration of the arts via civic initiatives and through engagement with individual artists and arts organizations.

Opening Reception for “Furtive Dialogue,” an MFA Thesis Exhibition by Andrew Schultz
Muncie Arts and Culture Council and Ball State University School of Art have partnered to produce this thesis exhibition at Madjax in Downtown Muncie. Furtive Dialogue, by glass artist Andrew Schultz, will celebrate with an opening reception for First Thursday, April 6th from 5 - 8 pm. The artist will be on hand during the opening and introduced at 6:45 pm for a brief discussion of his work followed by an informal Q&A.

Andrew Schultz is a Masters of Fine Art candidate in Glass at Ball State University. Schultz’s sculptural work is designed to engage the viewer with its physical presence. A substantial portion of his work explores the dichotomy between the individual and social systems in which we exist. For Furtive Dialogue, he draws inspiration from the multifaceted ways in which we communicate, through both verbal and body languages. The exhibition celebrates the culmination of three years of research for the artist and incorporates a variety of neon, mixed media, and art glass fabrication processes and techniques. Some of the sculptures featured are interactive, and viewers are encouraged to engage with those artworks.

Andrew Schultz was born in Janesville, Wisconsin and currently lives in Muncie, where he is pursuing a Masters of Fine Art in Glass at Ball State University. Schultz received his BFA in Glass from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls in 2012. Schultz has exhibited work throughout the Midwest and Southwest including Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Arizona.  

Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend. Furtive Dialogue will remain on view through Thursday, April 20th. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 2 - 6 pm, Friday 2 - 8 pm, Saturday 12 - 8 pm, and Sunday 12 - 4 pm. Madjax is located at 514 E Jackson St. Muncie, Indiana 47305. Please use the Main St. entrance. Visit www.munciearts.org for more information.

“IDIA Lab: Interactive Drawing Installation"
Ball State University's IDIA Lab will exhibit a new interactive drawing installation at Madjax during April's First Thursday. The work allows users to paint with their hands through gesture onto virtual canvas.

“Maring-Hunt Community Garden Project” by Prof .Pam Harwood and 4th year Architecture students
Maring-Hunt Public Library and Ball State University are partnering to expand the impact of the existing Maring-Hunt Community Gardens. The final master plan includes built pavilions that serve as shade and shelter for gardeners, community gathering spaces, a market, community kitchen, educational outreach to the library and Southview Elementary, as well as various other outdoor play and experiential elements. Our team is focusing the remainder of this semester on a gardener’s pavilion and raised garden beds. All current images, mock ups, prototypes, as well as a dry set of the structure and garden beds will be exhibited at the MadJax Maker’s Hub. Enter through the Main St. and Monroe St. doors.

Funding for this project comes through an Academic Excellence Grant, Ball State Provost Grant, and CAP Makes | Muncie Makes.

Muncie Civic Theatre
216 E. Main

“Stars, Cars & Bars”- Muncie Civic Theatre will be hosting a car show and family event on April's First Thursday. We will have ice cream and food vendors, classic cars, a bar by Scotty's Brewhouse, and music from Grease & Taffetas, both hailing from the 50's.

Muncie Makes Lab
628 S. Walnut

“Design for Choreography and Social Dance” by Prof. Joe Bilello and first-year CAP (College of Architecture and Planning) students. This exhibition will feature 15 musical pieces, interpreted by choreography students and social dancers given designed environments fit to their dance music.

“Visual Communication Senior Design Show” by Assistant Professor Shantanu Suman. The Vis Com Senior Design Show is an exhibit by a select group of senior-year Graphic Design students at Ball State University’s School of Art. Students will display concept boards of their capstone design campaign, a multifaceted project that will represent the culmination of their design education by demonstrating a connection between academic theory and practice of design. Topics include: National Parks, psychedelic music and drug abuse, the Muncie Arts Community, butterfly conservation, endangered sea turtles, gender and identity development, virtual reality, among others.  

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
400 S. Walnut St. (Ste. 100)

Please join us from 5-7 pm for a live demonstration by Julie Vance of “Buckcreek in Bloom” as she creates a floral interpretation of a displayed work of art. This will serve as a preview for “Art in Bloom,” which will take place May 19-21, 2017 at the David Owsley Museum of Art, Ball State University. Light refreshments will be served.

Savage's Ale House (21+)
127 N. High

“Labold Brothers: On the Road” is a collection of prints and drawings by James and Greg Labold documenting their recent road trip from the southwestern U.S. to the East Coast. James earned an MFA in Glass from Ball State University and also holds a BFA from Tyler School of Art. Greg, who specializes in printmaking, also holds a BFA from Tyler School of Art. The two brothers currently live and work in Philadelphia, PA. Their work will be on display at Savages Alehouse for April’s First Thursday.

Studio Exhale
103 N. High St.

Please join us for an opening reception from 5-8 pm for “Our Point of View: The Photography of Bill and Cindy Britton.” This show features the unique perspective of the world through the eyes of Bill and Cindy Britton. Bill started taking photos after some friends and neighbors passed on and there were no photo of them. He believes that art is an important part of life and it allows us to communicate in ways that help express our feelings, ideas and concepts. Cindy's past artistry was musical, but now she finds herself experimenting with the visual. Steampunk attire is encouraged but not required!

Twin Archer Brewpub (all ages)
117 W. Charles St.

Meet the creators of Conservation Tales, books about wildlife conservation for young readers (grades 3-5): Author Tom J. McConnell, Ph.D., from the Department of Biology, Art Director Barbara Giorgio from the School of Art at Ball State University, Illustrators Sami Pfaff and Sierra Hensley, and Graphic Designer Brooke Gabrek.

From 5-9 pm, Conservation Tales: The Cerulean Warbler, the first book in the series, will be available for purchase and you will get a sneak peek at the next book in the series, Conservation Tales: Bats.

Illustrations from The Cerulean Warbler and Bats will be on exhibit. To make your child's experience meaningful and memorable, there will be coloring pages with informative science tips. Twin Archer is a family friendly restaurant.

Caring for the living things that share our planet starts early. Our children and grandchildren will make the choices that may make the difference between extinction and survival for many species. Help them understand the science behind wildlife conservation while discovering potential careers and experiencing inquiry-based science at home.

Learn more about the series at www.conservationtales.com

Leon Crosby, "Synaesthesia," Cornerstone Center for the Arts Jan McCune, "Hammer, Chisel, and Pitch," at Gordy Fine Art and Framing "We're Trying Collective" mural design reveal at the Mark III Taproom Eugene Mumaw at the Moore-Youse Home, Delaware County Historical Society Karl Erickson, "Signal Slushie," Muncie Makes Lab Molly Smith, "INTERFACE: Exploring the Rules of Engagement,” Muncie Makes Lab Richard Tursky, “Nothing to See, Hear: Just S,M,L,XL Data and some Servant,Served,Servo,Server Space," Muncie Makes Lab Danielle Phelps, "A Moment to Step Away," Studio Exhale The YART Sale at Canan Commons Shoppers at The YART Sale, Canan Commons

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

BFA Exhibition for Spring 2017: There will be a closing reception from 4-6pm on First Thursday for the “Spring 2017 BFA Exhibition” at The Atrium Gallery. The students and their areas of specialization are Canaan Gootee (Sculpture), Cristin Amber Drake (Metals), Noelle Wiegand (Glass), Lexi Musselman (Painting), Finley Norris (Drawing), Clayton Burns (Glass), Sarah Lassiter (Photography & Intermedia Arts), Alyssa Bruss (Photography & Intermedia Arts). Free admission.

Canan Commons
500 S. Walnut St.

Ball State University’s “FCS 403” class will present "Spring Into Art" activities for kids and live music at Canan Commons. Bouncehouse, face painting, chalk art, and fun house mirror photo ops will be part of the festivities.  

Cornerstone Center for the Arts
520 E. Main

Join Cornerstone Center for Arts for First Thursday on May 4, 2017 for an opening reception and art show featuring the art of Leon Crosby. The show titled “Synesthesia,” which means to see sound in color, is an exploration of art as a representation of musical expression.

Each vibrant painting in the collection was inspired by a piece of music and captures the feelings emoted by that particular song. Using techniques incorporating watercolor, gradients, and multiple stylings Crosby created colorful emotions that spur the imagination. To allow the viewer to appreciate the symbiosis of the artwork paired with song, QR codes and headphones will be available the evening of the opening allowing participants to experience the musical inspiration of each painting using just their cell phone and QR scanner. 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 May.

Crosby, 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, Crosby 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.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co. will celebrate First Thursday May 4th from 5 – 8 pm with an opening reception for Hammer, Chisel, and Pitch, a collection of new chase repoussé jewelry by Jan McCune. The artist will speak briefly at 6:15 and demonstrate the chase repoussé technique throughout the evening. Light refreshments will be served, and the public is invited to attend. The exhibit remains on view through May 27, 2017.

This exhibition is the culmination of a year-long project, funded by the Indiana Arts Commission, in which McCune learned the ancient metalworking technique of chase repoussé. Chasing and repoussé are two interrelated methods of adding dimension to flat metal. In chasing, the artist adds lines, textures, and patterns to the front side of the metal using a hammer and punches. Repoussé is a French word meaning "to push out." When using this technique, the artist works from the back side of the flat metal and pushes out areas to create volume. In spite of being very labor intensive, McCune has fallen in love with both the process and the look of the finished work.

GFAF represented artist Jan McCune has been making jewelry since 2008. She studied at the Arrowmont School of Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. She is the recipient of three Indiana Arts Commission Individual Artist Grants. Her award-winning metal work has been included in several regional juried exhibitions. She has been recognized as an Indiana Artisan since 2012.

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. Hammer, Chisel, and Pitch may also be viewed through Saturday, May 27, 2017 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.

Grace Episcopal Church
300 S. Madison

We are pleased to offer a free concert of organ music for the May’s First Thursday downtown event. The concert will be at Grace Episcopal Church beginning at 7:30pm, our doors open at 5pm. The concert will be presented by members of the Muncie Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Among the organists who will be performing will be Ball State University faculty member Rebecca Burkart and several student organists, Peter Douglas, Sunwoo Lee, and Ben Weaver. The concert will feature music from Bach to Pachelbel and John Stanley to Van Denman Thompson. The concert begins at 7:30pm with a reception to follow with time to meet the performers. Grace Episcopal Church is located at the corner of Madison St. and Adams St., just a short walk from the center of downtown.

Mark III Taproom
306 S. Walnut

We're Trying Collective will reveal the design for their mural project "On the Mark, For the City" from 7-9pm. Music by DJ JANNELL.

Moore-Youse Historical Museum
122 E. Washington

The Delaware County Historical Society will debut three new exhibits in the Moore-Youse Home:

Gallery 1 will be an extensive collection of the artwork of Muncie Artist Eugene Mumaw.

Gallery 2 will highlight the 100th Anniversary of the US Entry into World War1 with an exhibit of uniforms, photographs and more.

Gallery 3 will feature needle arts including tatting, embroidery, and crochet, with a wide variety of outstanding needle art from the Historical Society collection.

This is an opportunity to enjoy exhibits of the community's history and meet and talk to museum staff.

Muncie Makes Lab
628 S. Walnut

Muncie Makes Lab will have an opening reception for three new shows:

“Signal Slushie”: A one-night exhibition of time-based media art from students in Ball State University's Intermedia Art 2 course (with instructors Karl Erickson & Maura Jasper from the School of Art). Exhibiting artists include: Lexi Musselman, Nicole Nikas, Hope Kemp, Celina Timmerman, Alex Mikev, Sam Hodolitz, Thomas Williamson, Callie Zimmerman, and Katherine Thomas.

“Nothing to See, Hear:  Just S,M,L,XL Data and some Servant,Served,Servo,Server Space” by Richard Tursky, Design Innovation Fellow, College of Architecture and Planning. Tursky asks “Should/can Architecture need to evolve from knowledge about buildings to being about building knowledge (data)?” These projects begin to explore the potentials of architecture and design's roles in the realms of big data and machine learning.

“INTERFACE: Exploring the Rules of Engagement” by Molly Smith, M.Arch student, College of Architecture and Planning. This spatial interface is used to observe and explore how conversations emerge between participants and physical space, with the installation acting as a means for communication. How can architectural methods be employed to act as a mediator between people in public space?

Muncie Public Library
2005 S. High St.

Muncie Public Library will be taking photos of visitors and giving a mini-lesson on Photoshop. This pop-up campaign corresponds to a networking and learning opportunity for adults held on May 9 at the Muncie Public Library Connection Corner. 

Studio Exhale
103 N. High St.

Studio Exhale will have an opening reception for the show “A Moment to Step Away” by Danielle Phelps. As a wife, mother, art educator, and artist, Phelps finds she can escape to her own space and converse with only the canvas. Phelps is influenced by everyday life the most. She notices the little things, finding beauty in nature, praying, and spreading a love of art through teaching her students. Her work tends to be very playful, colorful, whimsical, and sweet. Her hope is that this small body of work enables the viewer to smile, laugh, and feel a sense of joy. 

YART
Canan Commons, 500 S. Walnut St.

YART is Coming! YART is a Yard Sale for Art! YART began in Muncie, Indiana with students at Ball State University and continues in several U.S. cities! The Muncie YART is now held at Canan Commons in Downtown, twice a year, Spring and Fall, on the First Thursday of every May and October. 

The Spring 2017 Muncie YART will be held on the same date as the First Thursday Gallery Walk, at Muncie's lovely Downtown park, Canan Commons, on the South Walnut Street roundabout in Downtown Muncie, Indiana, on Thursday, May 4th, from 5-9pm. 

This community art sale, with a goal of making art affordable and accessible to everyone, brings together artists and art patrons in a casual and unique setting. 

All forms of art are welcome! Art of all kinds, by all kinds of artists! YART encourages interaction between artists and the community, hoping to make art more accessible, especially to those who think they cannot afford to buy art for themselves. To this goal, all YART art will be priced below $40!

Each YART Artist will be present throughout YART to meet the public, discuss their art, handle sales personally, and some artists will be making art LIVE at YART!

The Spring 2017 Muncie YART will feature a wide variety of jewelry, clothing, photography, oil/acrylic/watercolor paintings, fused glass, ceramics, knits, pottery, candles, toys, drawings, sculpture, lampwork glass, stuffed animals, digital art, mosaics, the Midwest Writer's Workshop's Poems While You Wait,  Mystical Harp, LIVE ART and LIVE MUSIC, and so much more!

Fun for all ages - YART is for the whole family!

Miss Moth (Director of the Muncie YART) and the YART Artists very much thank Cheryl Crowder of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership for their generous support! YART is an all-volunteer, no-budget, community event. THANK YOU!

LIKE Muncie YART on FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Muncie-Yart/156725934394407

Spring 2017 Muncie YART RSVP and Event Information here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1667134150249106/?ti=icl

October Artswalk! See attached images for full info!

Or visit http://www.downtownmuncie.org/artswalk/ to download PDFs directly

Jacinda Russell, "Thunderbird Motel, Marfa Texas," The Atrium Gallery Ryan Sparrow, "Che Mural," Book Arts Collaborative Marvin Groves, "Lion Jumping," Cornerstone Center for the Arts Linda Riedel Ellis, "Blooming Pink," The Fickle Peach Holiday Showcase, Gordy Fine Art and Framing Sale and Truffle Release at Queer Chocolatier Jeff Bracket, ""Life's Patterns," Savage's Alehouse David Zeiler, "The Magic of Madness," Studio Exhale Michelle Duran, "Sugar Skull Demo and Decorating," Twin Archer Brewpub "Blues Jam" at Valhalla

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

Jacinda Russell: Autobiography in Water
The Ball State University School of Art Atrium Gallery will have extended hours for November’s First Thursday from 5:00pm to 8:00pm for Jacinda Russell’s exhibition “Autobiography in Water.”

From November 1-11, 2017, the Atrium Gallery proudly presents a solo exhibition of Russell’s series of artworks, which were completed during her sabbatical leave of spring 2016, as well as related work that ranges from 2013-2017. Russell will conduct a Gallery Talk at 5:00 p.m. during the 4:00-6:00 p.m. opening reception on November 2.

In her artist’s statement Russell states, “Autobiography in Water depicts water as a source of renewal, leisure, tradition, longing, helplessness and fear, as well as a delineator of space and the passage and suspension of time. It is site-specific, and since July 2013 it has required extensive travel throughout Texas, Idaho, the Pacific Northwest, California, Arizona, Florida, the Canadian Rockies, Iceland and New Zealand. The artworks depict the places I took for granted before moving to the Midwest and those where one visit altered the course of the future. They also include the unknown, those sites for which I yearn, where my story is yet unwritten. The pools, rivers, lakes and oceans offer continuity and familiarity in an effort to connect me to the locales that I long to call home.”

To fulfill her sabbatical requirements Russell performed two artist-in-residencies. She spent March 2016 at Playa in Summer Lake, Oregon and May 2016 at Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts in Brush Creek, Wyoming. The locations visited in spring 2016 to complete the series were: 17 days driving from the northernmost point of the North Island to the southernmost point of the South Island on her fifth trip to New Zealand, and visits to the locales of Lake Tahoe and the Arizona Inn in Tucson were also included.

Russell is an Associate Professor of Art and teaches in the School of Art Photography / Intermedia area.

The School of Art Atrium Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturdays 1-4 p.m.

Book Arts Collaborative (at Madjax)
600 E. Main

“Return to Cuba: Photographs by Ryan Sparrow”
“Return to Cuba: Photographs by Ryan Sparrow” will be on view throughout the month of November at Book Arts Collaborative. Come by during First Thursday to check out the work on view and buy some photographs and other gifts at reasonable prices. Sparrow has led several photographers on tour of Cuba since its borders opened to US citizens in 2016. An accomplished photojournalist, Sparrow will show and sell his work on the walls of Book Arts Collaborative in the Madjax building throughout the month of November. Proceeds go entirely to the artist.

Cornerstone Center for the Arts
520 E. Main

Cornerstone Center for the Arts will be open from 5-8pm on First Thursday for a viewing of wildlife photography by Marvin Groves.

While Groves continues to stay very much engaged in all photographic styles, he has developed a love of nature and wildlife photography. He has produced many award-winning images throughout his travels. His photography includes but is not limited to: wolves in Minnesota, wild horses in Wyoming, and many varieties of smaller animals. He has traveled to Alaska to capture images of Black, Grizzly, Brown and Kodiak bears.  In 2016 he journeyed to the Arctic on a Russian Icebreaker to photograph Polar Bears, walrus and seals. As exciting as all these opportunities have been, none compare to his 2017 trip to Tanzania, Africa where he photographed all the big cats plus elephants, gazelles, giraffes, several species of birds and so much more.

On Wednesday, November 1s at 5:30pm in the Cornerstone Art Gallery on the second floor, Groves will give a special photography presentation. Groves will project his photography onto the big screen in the E.B. Ball Auditorium at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. He will share the tales of his travels to Africa and firsthand experience in capturing these majestic creatures on film.

The Fickle Peach (21+)
117 E. Charles

The Fickle Peach will host an exhibition of photography by Linda Riedel Ellis. Riedel Ellis is a third generation photographer living in Daleville and has been doing photography for 41 years, starting at Highland High School on a yearbook and newspaper staff. After graduation, she continued photographing weddings, seniors, sports teams, Saint John’s Hospital, Community Hospital, Anderson Christian School, North Anderson Church, Travis Construction, commercial work, and has won many awards.  Her father, Harvey Riedel, is a well-known photographer from Anderson Indiana that taught her how to become successful with photography. His work can be seen on YouTube.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Company will open its Holiday Art Showcase on First Thursday, November 2nd from 5-8 PM. A feast for the eyes, the Holiday Art Showcase offers works of art by more than 25 East Central Indiana artists as dozens of drawings, jewelry, paintings, prints, and pottery pieces fill the gallery. Carl and Barbara Schafer will introduce the show during a brief talk at 6:15. The event is open to the public and light refreshments will be served giving customers the opportunity to buy unique objects created by local artists for holiday decorating and gift giving.

Prices range from $1 to $2,000, with most falling between $30 to $200. From whimsical “Funcie” signs and shirts to handcrafted mugs and plates. Paintings capturing Indiana’s rural landscapes in various media to handbound journals and letterpress cards.

“The Holiday Art Showcase is a great opportunity to find unique holiday gifts with a connection to the city we live in,” says Gordy owners Barbara and Carl Schafer. “Often our customers are shopping for friends who have moved away from Muncie, or for their grown children who need something special to remember their hometown.  Useful things such as mugs, bowls, and t-shirts are popular since they are used every day.”

The show will run through December 31st. New works will be added throughout the holiday season to replace things that are purchased and removed.

Grace Episcopal Church
300 S. Madison

It’s getting cooler but the music is still hot. Singer, songwriter, and guitar player Bryce Taylor will be performing at 7:30pm at Grace Episcopal Church (corner of Madison and Adams). Taylor is a local musician who enjoys playing in intimate settings like house concerts. Come and enjoy an awesome evening with great music and a really nice reception that follows the concert.

Harmony Café and Studio
112 W. Jackson

Please join Harmony Studio and Cafe and High Street United Methodist Church for a special dance performance on the corner of Walnut and Jackson from 6-7:30pm. Several performers will be doing salsa dancing and others will hand out flyers to promote a fundraising dance for Puerto Rico on November 12th at High Street United Methodist Church.

The Queer Chocolatier
405 S. Walnut St. Suite 204

Queer Chocolatier is a new, local queer women-owned chocolate shop selling chocolate truffles and a line of art pieces for the home called Homo Décor. Owned by Morgan Roddy and Cheri Ellefson, Queer Chocolatier crafts chocolate truffles in both classic (with dairy) and vegan (non-dairy) options. Truffles as well as Homo Décor items can be purchased at our website: www.queerchocolatier.com or at our retail location. For November’s First Thursday event, we will have new Homo Décor pieces available as well as feature the release of our truffle flavor of the month: Hazelnut Crunch.

Savage's Ale House (21+)
127 N. High

Savage’s Alehouse will host an exhibition by Jeff Bracket titled “Life’s Patterns.” Brackett is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Ball State. His freeform, pattern-heavy, artwork aims to transform life’s often-elusive patterns into “tangible ones,” filled with tensions between simplicity and complexity, as seen in this series of ink drawings.

Studio Exhale
103 N. High St.

Studio Exhale will host an exhibition titled “The Magic of Madness” by David Zeiler. Zeiler is a local mixed-media artist that includes acrylic, pencil, pen & ink, and 3-D. Subject matter of his works range from dinosaurs and Harry Potter to mental health issues and horror. Fine art has become his passion and therapy, helping him deal with PTSD from his time in the Marine Corps.

Twin Archer Brewpub (all ages)
17 W. Charles St.

Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls Demo and Decorating
Dr. Michelle Duran, a specialist in Mexican Art, will be setting up an altar for Day of the Dead (which is on First Thursday!). She will also have blank sugar skulls for kids and adult to decorate (all materials provided) and take home. (Sugar skulls are traditionally made for Day of the Dead.) Come learn about Mexican art and traditions and make your own Day of the Dead skull!

Valhalla  (21+)
215 S. Walnut

Valhalla and The Heorot present “Blues Jam” every Thursday. “Blues Jam” is an open event with sign-up starting at 7pm and music from 8-11pm. Come show us your talent!

Light up DWNTWN Katherine Thomas, "Place in Between," The Atrium Gallery BFA Thesis Exhibition, The Atrium Gallery Annual Holiday Showcase, Gordy Fine Art and Framing Eugene Boyd, Cornerstone Center for the Arts Jasen Combs, Cornerstone Center for the Arts Virtual Downhill Ski Jump, IDIA Lab Holiday Open House, Kirk's Bike Shop Glass Ornament Sale, Glass Alliance at Ball State University, Made in Muncie "100 Stories, 100 Dreams," Muncie Land Bank, Madjax Muncie GindhART at Madjax Muncie Community Garden Master Plan, Maring-Hunt Library “Beef Baby, Beef Baby, Beef Baby,” Muncie Makes Lab White Chocolate Peppermint Truffles, Queer Chocolatier Blues Jam, Valhalla

“Light Up DWNTWN”
Various locations in Downtown Muncie

Light Up DWNTWN, powered by AEP will be held on First Thursday, December 7th, from 5-8pm throughout Downtown Muncie. Galleries, restaurants, and retailers invite you to spend the evening with them as we kick off the holiday shopping season. 

The Community Tree Lighting ceremony will take place at Canan Commons (located in the 500 block of S. Walnut St.) @ 6:00pm. Join us as Santa, Charlie Cardinal,and Muncie Fire Department light up the community holiday tree! MCS Elementary School Choirs will perform with Muncie Civic Theater singers at 5:45pm along. Everyone is invited to join inthe festivities. Afterward, the choir will be performing in front of the theatre where there will be a hot chocolate bar. 

Canan Commons will also be the location for the “Holiday Makers Market”, featuring nearly 50 artists, in a heated tent. Kiddie Express train, fire pits, and concessions will also be available. Brian Blair’s holiday sculptures will be on display at the park throughout the holiday season.

For more information, please visit our website @ downtownmuncie.org.

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

The School of Art Atrium Art Gallery will have extended hours from 4-8pm for an opening reception for four BFA Exhibitions from School of Art students. The show will feature the work of Katherine Thomas, Griffith Williams, Sasan Kayyad, and Thomas Williamson.

Cornerstone Center for the Arts
520 E. Main

“Cornerstone Center for the Arts Ceramics Showcase”

Join Cornerstone Center for Arts for a gallery exhibition of art created through Cornerstone’s ceramic classes. This showcase will feature artwork by skilled instructors Jasen Combs and Eugene Boyd as well as many of their talented students. The student work ranges from those that have been working with clay for a short time, to students that have worked with clay for nearly a decade. The exhibition features a range of ceramic pieces, from vases and bowls to elaborate wall hangings, many of which will be for sale. Cornerstone is proud to showcase instructors Jasen Combs and Eugene Boyd along with their students.

Jasen Combs has been teaching at Cornerstone Center for the Arts for 14 years. Combs received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Ball State University in 1996 and went on to receive his Masters Degree in Ceramics in 2001. He creates both wheel thrown pottery as well as hand built altered wall hangings. His teaching philosophy is to let the students experience the clay with all their senses.  He wants them to touch, feel and make the clay move. Combs loves it when they have no previous experience with clay and he can watch how they develop and grow in the class.

Eugene Boyd became familiar with Cornerstone Center for Arts when his granddaughter began taking ballet and piano classes. Boyd took a ceramics class in 2011 at Cornerstone, and fell in love with clay. He continued taking classes at Cornerstone as well as working with a well-known potter in the community. Now, Boyd has his own studio, and teaches ceramics to adults and children at Cornerstone. He enjoys the opportunity to share his passion with his students and hopes they enjoy working with clay as much as he does.

The opening reception for the Cornerstone Ceramics Showcase, will take place on Thursday, December 7, from 5 to 8 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 December.

For more information about the gallery exhibition, call Cornerstone’s Department of Education & Communication at 765-281- 9503, ext. 23 or visit cornerstonearts.org.

Cornerstone Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization with a mission to nurture community connections by providing opportunities for creative expression, educational programs, and events in a historic setting.

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

“Annual Holiday Art Showcase and the Introduction of Online ART sales”

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Company will celebrate its ongoing Holiday Art Showcase on First Thursday, December 7th from 5-8 PM. A feast for the eyes, the Holiday Art Showcase offers works of art by more than 25 East Central Indiana artists as dozens of drawings, jewelry, paintings, prints, and pottery pieces fill the gallery. Carl and Barbara Schafer will discuss the show during a brief talk at 6:15. They will also introduce the new Online ART sales now featured on gordyframing.com   The event is open to the public and light refreshments will be served giving customers the opportunity to buy unique objects created by local artists for holiday decorating and gift giving.

Holiday Art Showcase prices range from $1 to $2,000, with most falling between $30 to $200. From whimsical “Funcie” signs and shirts to handcrafted mugs and plates. Paintings capturing Indiana’s rural landscapes in various media to handbound journals and letterpress cards.

“The Holiday Art Showcase and the new Online ART sales offer great opportunities to find unique holiday gifts with a connection to the city we live in,” says Gordy owners Barbara and Carl Schafer.  “Often our customers are shopping for friends who have moved away from Muncie, or for their grown children who need something special to remember their hometown.  Useful things such as mugs, bowls, and t-shirts are popular since they are used every day.”

The show will run throughout the holiday season and new works will be continually added to replace things that are purchased and removed. 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. 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.

Grace Episcopal Church
300 S. Madison

Begin the holiday season with a concert of viola music. At Grace Episcopal Church (corner of Madison and Adams) the Ball State Viola Choir will be performing works by composers Brahms, Waelput, Scriabin, Bennet, and Sullivan. The concert will begin at 5:30pm with a reception to follow. Come and support these excellent young musicians.

Idia Lab
223 S. Charles St.

Ball State University’s IDIA Lab will showcase recent virtual reality projects at 223 S. Walnut Street (the former Silo) during Muncie’s First Thursday / Light Up Downtown. Stop by to explore select winter themed works from our immersive multiuser environments that use the HTC Vive VR headsets, including an interactive winter sports simulator and haptic artwork. IDIA Lab staff and faculty will be on hand for questions about how these emerging technologies are being used in the arts, sciences and humanities. IDIA Lab is an interdisciplinary virtual reality and simulation center at Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning.

Kirk’s Bike Shop
124 S. Walnut St.

Join us on the evening of First ThursdayDowntown Muncie for our holiday open house. Check out new products for 2018, enter our raffle to win awesome prizes, and enjoy special pricing on bicycles, helmets, racks, and all the riding essentials. Special discounts on gift cards and remaining 2017 inventory. Light refreshments will be served! Don't miss it!

Made in Muncie
313 S. Walnut

Glass Ornaments from the Glass Alliance at Ball State will be available for purchase at Made in Muncie on December 7th at First Thursday. Prices may vary between $20-$30. Makes a perfect stocking stuffer or a gift for family! Earlier in the week on Saturday, December 2nd from 6-9pm, the Glass Alliance at Ball State will be hosting a Glass Ornament demonstration at the Glick Center (located on University Avenue on BSU’s campus).

Made in Muncie will also be hosting the Annual Muncie Artist guild show. Artwork will be on display through both December and January with an opening reception on December 7th from 5-8pm. A variety of media ranging from drawing, painting, printmaking, and various other media will be on display from local artists from Delaware and Madison counties. Join us to celebrate the final First Thursday Event of the year. Many artworks will be for sale just in time for the holidays.

Madjax Muncie
Book Arts Collaborative and Tribune Showprint at Madjax

Tribune Showprint and Book Arts Collaborative will be open with stocking stuffers and holiday gifts. Both locations are in the Madjax Building. Tribune Showprint is located at 501 E. Main and Book Arts Collaborative is adjacent at 600 E. Main.

Muncie Land Bank (at Madjax)
Muncie Land Bank, in collaboration with Ball State University invites the residents of Muncie to participate in a project to help celebrate our creation: 100 stories and 100 dreams for abandoned properties. Tonight, we will collect your stories and ideas for blighted properties and share some proposals created by Ball State University students. Light refreshments will be provided. Join us in achieving our goal of establishing a strong land bank for Muncie!

GindhART at Madjax Muncie, 2nd floor
Muncie artist Debra Gindhart Dragoo will exhibit for First Thursday gallery walk 5-9pm. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

Gindhart Dragoo, is presenting her outspoken commentary designs through her visual art. “I am a spoken word artist as well, so it has been my voice and poetry flowing through the paint—be it aerosol, acrylics, assemblage, or otherwise—it’s tactile and telling,” says Gindhart Dragoo. Her work will tells the story of a young girl-artist-woman, giving voice all and told through vibrant colors sprinkled with spray art.

Debra Gindhart Dragoo always outspoken and creative, she’s poured her energy, over the years, into various projects, both personal and community-wide. She’s practiced her love of spoken-word poetry at various First Thursday events, and has showcased her Green Glam Studio line of environmentally friendly jewelry, which is also available at Madjax Muncie. 

“I believe that life passes from our art. We evolved with age and, hence, our style and media evolve. My art is storytelling using strokes and spray,” says Debra Gindhart Dragoo. “My art has been fiber and paint and public. Through years of community outreach arts programming, I hold multi-generational projects close to my artist heart. This show reflects the information gathered in my different age progressions. Art is in my spirit, resounding from my soul."

Maring-Hunt Library
301 E. Jackson St.

The Maring-Hunt Library Community Garden Master Plan, its improvement and expansion, and a series of Garden Pavilions and Nature Play Pockets were designed and developed as useful spaces to address food insecurity in a USDA-designated food desert, cultivate community interaction and social activity, and provide learning opportunities for the Southview Elementary School students, Maring-Hunt Library patrons, and neighborhood families. On exhibit for December's Art Walk will be the design drawings, process of building photos, full scale mock-ups, and the resultant Community Build of a Market and Educational Pavilion, and an Outdoor Kitchen surrounding the Community Garden at Maring-Hunt Library. We hope that you can come to see the work of the Immersive Learning Community Design Build Studio for Ball State University’s ARCH 401 students.

Muncie Makes Lab
628 S. Walnut

Muncie Makes Lab presents “Beef Baby, Beef Baby, Beef Baby,” a collection of work by ten student and alumni artists from Ball State’s School of Art. The work—including submissions by Ally Burch, Sarah Fischer, Sarah Lassiter, Teddy Lepley, Lexi Musselman, Lily Rawson, Emma J. Rohlfing, Katherine Thomas, Grif Williams, & Tom Williamson, and curated by Benjamin M. Slightom—covers a wide range of media and subject matter from drawing to video art, food to social critique. Together, the body of work begins to frame a range of difficult questions about society today and offers wildly poignant and often humorous responses to these pressing issues.

The Queer Chocolatier
405 S. Walnut St. Suite 204

Queer Chocolatier is a new, local queer women-owned chocolate shop selling chocolate truffles and a line of art pieces for the homecalled Homo Décor. Owned by Morgan Roddy and Cheri Ellefson, Queer Chocolatiercrafts chocolate truffles in both classic (with dairy) and vegan (non-dairy) options.Truffles as well as Homo Décor items can be purchased at our website:www.queerchocolatier.com or at our retail location.

For the December First Thursday event, we will have new Homo Décor pieces available as well as feature the release of two new truffle flavors, a Winter Seasonal Truffle and a December Flavor of the Month. We encourage folks to come in out of the cold, come upstairs, and enjoy a sip of hot chocolate and mingle with other chocolate-loving enthusiasts!

Winter Seasonal Flavor: Milk Chocolate Gingerbread
December Flavor of the Month: White Chocolate Peppermint

Valhalla  (21+)
215 S. Walnut

Valhalla presents “Blues Jam” every Thursday. “Blues Jam” is an open event with sign-up starting at 7pm and music from 8-11pm. Come show us your talent!

The Atrium Gallery Book Arts Collaborative Cornerstone Center for the Arts GindhART at Madjax Gordy Fine Art and Framing Muncie Civic Theatre Muncie Makes Lab Studio Exhale Valhalla

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

The School of Art Atrium Art Gallery will have extended hours on February 1, 2018 until 8:00 p.m. coinciding with First Thursday in downtown Muncie, a monthly celebration of the fine arts.

The first exhibition of the Spring Semester, Night for Days, features the cross-discipline paintings & digital work of Caleb Weintraub, Associate Professor & Area Coordinator, Painting, Indiana University-Bloomington. The exhibition dates are Tuesday, January 9 to February 10, 2018 with an Opening Reception on Thursday, February 1, 2018 and a Gallery Talk at 5:00 PM.

Normal gallery hours are 9:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday, and from 1:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturday. The gallery is closed on Sundays, and during all holidays and breaks observed by Ball State.

Book Arts Collaborative (at Madjax)
600 E. Main

Book Arts Collaborative will be open for First Thursday and our students will be on hand to help visitors print a souvenir using our 150-year-old presses.

Cornerstone Center for the Arts
520 E. Main

“Cornerstone Center for the Arts Ceramics Studio Open House”

Join Cornerstone Center for Arts for the grand opening of the newly renovated J. Combs Ceramics Studio on Thursday, February 1. This open house will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Muncie and Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and will be free and open to the public. There will also be ceramics demonstrations and an opportunity for guests to try their hand at this art form.

Cornerstone would like to thank the George and Francis Ball Foundation for generously funding this project. The renovation of the ceramics studio would not have been possible without their continued support of Cornerstone’s arts program. As a non-profit arts center, Cornerstone’s success is made possible by the generous support of all of the local Foundations that contribute to its arts programming.

The studio will be named for Jasen Combs, who has taught ceramics at Cornerstone for the past 14 years, since the inception of the ceramics program. Combs recalls that in the first session just three classes were offered for youth and adults with about five students per class. In 2017, the program has grown to offer six weekly classes and served over 100 students in classes, camps, and workshops.

Combs received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Ball State University in 1996 and went on to receive his Masters Degree in Ceramics in 2001. His teaching philosophy is to let the students experience the clay with all their senses.  He wants them to touch, feel, and make the clay move. Combs loves it when students have no previous experience with clay and he can watch how they develop and grow in the class. 

The ribbon cutting and open house for the J. Combs Ceramics Studio at Cornerstone Center for the Arts will be on Thursday, February 1, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in conjunction with February’s First Thursday. This will be the public’s first chance to see the completed studio before spring classes begin the week of February 5.

For more information regarding the open house or spring classes, call Cornerstone’s Department of Education & Communication at 765-281- 9503, ext. 23 or visit cornerstonearts.org.

Gindhart (at Madjax)
514 E. Jackson St. (2nd floor)

“Storytelling with Paint: Art of Stories”

Artist Debra Gindhart Dragoo of GindART Madjax will have an opening reception from 5-8pm. Come meet the artist and enjoy some light refreshments.

Debra notes that “Art can mean a great many things to different people, or even to the artist who created it! To see highly charged works, my labor is to design great things for people who [have] a story that needs to be told. This is my artist journey and way of life. These powerful pieces giving visual voice to many different issues, some social & some which also have global implications.”

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Co.
224 E. Main

Gordy Fine Art & Framing Company will open the exhibition “Favorite Neighbors” to celebrate the completion of renovations on the Boyce Block, our home, on Thursday February 1, 5 – 8 pm.   

During the First Thursday party and throughout the month of February, we express our congratulations to our great neighbors by contributing a portion of all sales of paintings, prints, jewelry, and pottery to Muncie Civic Theatre. 

“It is so nice to hear actors rehearsing and singing in the building again,” says Gordy owner Barbara Schafer.  “We admire their hard work keeping a full performance schedule over the past year in other venues.  Now we are glad to have them back.”

Favorite Neighbors is a show that offers works of art by more than 25 East Central Indiana artists including many of our favorites from shows over the past year.  Carl and Barbara Schafer will discuss the show during a brief talk at 6:15. The event is open to the public and light refreshments will be served giving customers the opportunity to buy unique objects created by local artists for Valentine’s Day.

Prices range from $1 to $2,000, with most falling between $30 to $200. From whimsical “Funcie” signs and shirts to handcrafted mugs and plates. Paintings capturing Indiana’s rural landscapes in various media to handbound journals and letterpress cards. 

The show will run throughout February and new works will be continually added to replace things that are purchased and removed.

Muncie Civic Theatre
216 E. Main

Stop by Muncie Civic Theatre to check out the renovations to the lobby and theatre, rock out to some 80's music, enjoy some wine, and enter to win a pair of tickets to see “Rock of Ages” on Valentine's Day.

Muncie Makes Lab
628 S. Walnut

Muncie Makes Lab presents “Year in Review,” a collection of work by architecture and landscape architecture students from Ball State’s College of Architecture and Planning. The work – including submissions by Mia Baker, Anna Goodman, Shelby Harris, Allison Hoagland, Max Jolly, Dan Kaiser, Emma Mappes, Richard Meagher, Antonio Medina, Daniele Scheeringa, Alex Storz, Brendon Towle, Daniel Velasco, and Maggie Weighner, and curated by Benjamin Slightom and Megan York – covers a wide range of design projects. Together, the body of work begins to frame a range of questions posed in the field of design and offers an array of speculative responses.

Studio Exhale
103 N. High St.

“Observations in Black and White” by Angie Ridge Hedman

This body of work is a collection of photographs that were inspired from the views of Angie's downtown studio, architecture, street finds, and shadows. Capturing beauty within flaws is what inspires Angie as an artist. She purposely chose to photograph in black and white because it allowed her to document a specific moment and mood that color couldn't provide.

Angie Hedman is an artist, writer, and art educator (Monroe Central Jr/Sr High School), and the newest gallery coordinator at The Cup in the BSU village. She holds bachelors and masters degrees from Ball State University in the areas of Art Education and Metals. Although her primary areas of focus are jewelry and sculpture, her most recent bodies of work have consisted of abstract acrylic paintings, and black and white photography. When she isn't teaching, or spending time with her family, she can be found in her downtown Muncie studio either working on art or writing.

Thre3e Wisemen Brewing Co.
625 S. High St.

Thr3eWismen Brewing Co. will have a tapping party at 7pm of their latest beer, “Love Potion #3.”

Valhalla  (21+)
215 S. Walnut

Valhalla presents “Blues Jam” every Thursday. “Blues Jam” is an open event with sign-up starting at 7pm and music from 8-11pm. Come show us your talent!