Archive for September, 2010

Mona Lisa Smiles at Penrod

Published September 24, 2010 Around Town , Events Leave a Comment
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If you visited us at the Penrod Art Fair a couple weekends (Saturday, September 11) ago you may have met Lisa…Mona Lisa that is.

Our staff invited Penrod patrons to become part of da Vinci’s masterpiece, Art Center style. Mona Lisa’s Art Center logo tat is a personal favorite.

Check out the new faces of Mona Lisa, here. And, here’s a peek at how she was created…

Were you Mona Lisa’d at Penrod? Become a fan on Facebook and be sure to tag yourself. Be on the look out, Mona Lisa might be making an appearance at an upcoming Art Center event.

Story, photos (and painting!) by Kate Oberreich

Third Biennial Iron Pour Symposium

Published September 21, 2010 Classes/Workshops , Events Leave a Comment
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The Indianapolis Art Center invites the public for one of the nation’s largest organized iron pours

This fall the Art Center is heating up for its third biennial Iron Pour Symposium, October 7-10. Around 175 participants will take part in workshops, panel discussions, a juried sculpture competition and even an electrifying pyrotechnics show.

The event attracts independent working artists and faculty and students in sculpture programs from colleges and universities nationwide. This year, the Art Center is promoting spectator events, exposing more Indianapolis-area residents to this rare and exciting event that takes place every two years.

Aside from just watching the 13,000 pounds of iron being poured and the sparks fly in the Art on Fire pyrotechnics show, they will be able to work hand-in-hand with professional iron artists, learning how to make and design a scratch sand mold and then watch it get poured. (The pyrotechnics show is free to the general public and is from 9-10 p.m.; making the scratch mold is $15 per person and is from 6-7:30 p.m.)

Around seven furnaces will be set up in half of the Art Center’s east parking lot atop 2-3 dump-truck-loads of sand (to protect against sparks). The furnaces take up to four hours to heat to the 2800 degrees needed for pouring, so the best viewing will be in the evening when the molten iron beams against the dark of night.

Events for the general public:

Workshops to make a sand mold: Sept. 25-26 ($291*) Make a scratch mold & watch it be poured: Saturday, October 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ($15 per person)

Art on Fire pyrotechnics show: Saturday, October 9 from 9-10 p.m. (Free) Watch artists pour iron: Friday and Saturday, October 8** and 9 from 3-8 p.m. (Free) * Art center members receive a discount **

In conjunction with the Broad Ripple Village Fall Gallery Tour Iron Speak: Since participants will get to walk-the-walk of an iron sculptor, the Art Center offers a glossary for them to be able to also talk-the-talk. Here are a few new phrases bouncing around the Art Center during Iron Pour:

Tap Hole: the opening near the bottom of the side the furnace where the iron comes out

Slag Hole: the opening near the top of the side of the furnace where waste comes out

Ladle: just like the kitchen utensil, except it’s bucket sized and holds the molten iron to pour into the molds

Spot: heard called out when someone can’t hold the weight anymore – just as in weight lifting

For more information, contact us at 317.255.2464.

 

Colorful Exhibit is a Treat

Published September 17, 2010 Exhibits Leave a Comment
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If you visit the Art Center during the work week, you may know Erika Villarreal as the Outread Technician. If you visit the Art Center between October 1 and December 5, you will get to know Erika Villarreal, the artist.

Pachanga Celeste, which mean “party in the sky,” is a passionate and colorful exhibition exploring childhood experiences and how they teach us about value. The installation features hundreds of almost transparent candy-colored cloth “bundles” made of recycled curtain sheers dipped in beeswax. Erika explains that “the installation refers visually to the game of la pinata and the notion of possibilities inside the pinata.”

Part of the exhibit is a series of etchings based on the grid format of a Mexican bingo game, Loteria. Both the Pachanga installation and the Loteria series explore the culture of the home, specifically children’s games. “I like to think about how innocent games can influence a young player’s perception of value,” Erika said.

Pachanga Celeste is on exhibit from October 1 until December 5 in the Ruth Lilly Library at the Indianapolis Art Center.

Looking to the Future

Published September 9, 2010 Uncategorized 1 Comment

From Carter Wolf, President & CEO of the Indianapolis Art Center

September is the beginning of the fiscal and organizational year for the Art Center.  As with January 1, it’s a good time for reflecting on where we are and thinking about where we are going. The Board of Directors is implementing a three year plan that focuses on several areas including our fiscal health and reviewing programs and physical space in our wonderful (but fourteen year old) building. The plan is also looking at our identity in respect to landmarking the College/67th Street intersection and our accessibility by a greater segment of the Central Indiana population. So what does all that look like?

The impact of the economy has had a big effect on all organizations and we are no exception. We are now living with a smaller annual budget and have made cuts in every category except programs. To strengthen our financial situation we will look at many sources including growing our base of members, students and annual donors. We need to build reserves for both economic downturns and wear and tear of our grounds and facility.

As wonderful as our building is, it is invisible and unknown to the thousands of people in other parts of the city and even those who drive by on College Ave.  Landmarking would mean a gateway or significant piece of art so that everyone would easily know we are here.

After fourteen years our two facilities have a few growing pains. We desperately need space to expand digital arts.  Glass and ceramics both need more elbow room as does the ever present issue of storage space.  The east entrance never was completely finished (note the temporary concrete on the sculpture courtyard) and our goal is to make that entrance more inviting to visitors from both the Monon Trail and east lot. 

What do we mean by accessibility? Of course we mean those with physical disabilities and a diverse constituency. We would also like to be more accessible to those who live in outlying areas of our communities, possibly with satellite classes. We also mean those from working families who want classes but simply can not afford them.

When we get into all the work plans included in above it will mean several years and additional funding.  But they are doable plans with valid outcomes.  We have been here 76 years because we serve the community and it is the community that we need to make change possible.

 

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