What: DWNTWN's First Thursday
When: Thursday, April 2; 5-8 p.m.
Where: 111 Arts Gallery, The Artist Within, Cornerstone Center for the Arts, Downtown Development Partnership, Gallery 308, Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company, Muncie Makes Lab
Muncie residents can get their artistic blood flowing at Downtown Muncie’s First Thursday event April 2. Local artists and art students exhibit their work and present meet-and-greet-type sessions and purchasing opportunities on the first Thursday of each month in Downtown Muncie, or DWNTWN.
The exhibits for this month are set up in various facilities including Cornerstone Center for the Arts, The Artist Within, Gordy Fine Art and Framing and the Downtown Development Partnership. Artists include Muncie citizens, Ball State students and professors, local art students and instructors and local elementary students.
Cheryl Crowder, event director for Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, loves grabbing opportunities to let all students know they are part of the community.
“DWNTWN is the center of the city and a gathering space for everyone,” Crowder said. “First Thursday is a great way to explore, see great art, have free snacks and meet nice people."
This month’s exhibits feature many Ball State students. The Artist Within will feature drawings, collages and mixed media pieces from students in Ball State’s Advanced Drawing Classes of Scott Anderson and Heidi Jensen.
At Muncie Makes Lab, architecture professor Tim Gray and ten of his fourth-year architecture students will present sculptures crafted from recycled and repurposed components. They will be focused on themes dealing with material, light and reflection.
Architecture students Gabrielle Graber, Abe Arregui and Eric Lawler will each present their own individual exhibits at Muncie Makes Lab. Their exhibits range from ideological anxieties and societal issues such as health and gender to woodworking to materialization of abstract ideas, feelings and concepts.
Cornerstone Center for the Arts will feature father-and-son team Leon and Aidan Crosby. Leon, an arts instructor at Cornerstone, and his 10-year-old son Aidan worked together to create a show titled “Asian Infusion.” Their work demonstrates traditional Eastern Asian cultures and styles with a modern point of view and contemporary edge.
Other exhibits feature a “low brow temple of outsider art,” wave patterns and microcosmic organisms and a parade of preparatory sketches that illustrate what sketching is and means to its artist.
There will be experimental watercolors from students at East Washington Academy and a photographic illustration of Muncie’s community. The Clothesline Project, a collaboration to raise awareness about sexual consent, will be on display in honor of April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
First Thursday walks have been happening since 2000, said Crowder.
DWNTWN Muncie offers other art events throughout the year. The ArtsWalk in October provides plenty of artistic exhibition and activities and YART (Yardsale for Art) provides local artists and collectors the opportunity to buy and sell work for less than $40 every May and October.
General Script
Read More
Indiana Pacers defeat the Washington Wizards at home
By Derran Cobb / 2 hours agoIn the Pacers first of four straight home games, the Blue and Gold would defeat the Wizards 115-103. Pascal Siakam led the way with 22 points.
Cardinals fall to Western Michigan in MAC Championship Final
By Daniel Kehn / 4 hours agoBall State ended the 2024 season with a loss to Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference Championship Final.
Turning the Tides: How Ryleigh Skaggs is changing Wes-Del girls' basketball
By Logan Connor / 13 hours agoHead coach Ryleigh Skaggs is looking to turn the narrative on Wes-Del girls’ basketball
