Indianapolis Art Center – Blog

A good friend of mine, and fellow artist, writes a really amazing blog as part of her jewelry business. Nancy Lee has the ability to put a lot of the insights, tips, tricks and business know-how into words (I envy that about her. That, and her truely gorgeous jewelry).

I’ve borrowed – with her permission – today’s post to share with our Art Center readers.  I like pulling back the veil on the mysterious world of artists…I promise it’s not that scary. Today Nancy talks about her epiphany on being her own boss, as most artists are. I remind you, art is a business.

Epiphanies, Routine and Boss of the Dustpan

Epiphanies can arrive at the most mundane times. A small moment of surprise in an otherwise routine day. For many years, the corporate grind was my routine. Perpetually sleep-deprived, a well-oiled routine allowed me to function. Disengage brain – engage routine. This quotidian way of life became both comfortable and numbing (yeah, there’s a Pink Floyd song in there somewhere). Unemployment awakened me from this self-induced coma and forever freed me from dreaded routine. Woo-hoo! Be my own boss! Something like that.

It happened in my studio while cleaning Big Ben, a 10-foot long monster of a workbench, built for the ages using two by fours reinforced with angle iron. Ben was adopted from an old suite in the industrial complex where I now work. He was wrangled into my studio a year ago (which is a whole other exciting, death-defying story) and he’s probably going to be there forever. Big Ben was being prepped for a Big-Ben-worthy copper etching job.

While in the midst of a routine activity – sweeping debris from Big Ben’s surface using a shop brush and dustpan – my little epiphany arrived. Ping! I was my own BOSS. No one made me sweep and reorganize this work area. No one was timing me. Yes, routines, responsibilities and deadlines do exist. But this thing, this project, and this life, are of my own making. I own it and everything within it – good or bad. I CHOOSE this life. That was my little epiphany. I choose this life. And I love it. Three seconds later, with an inward grin, I begin sweeping again.

What do you choose to do with your time? Do you dream of a different way? If you could do anything, what would it be?

-Nancy Lee

Nancy Lee is a contemporary designer and accomplished metalsmith working in copper, silver, brass and gold. Her adventures in Metalsmithing began over ten years ago at the Indianapolis Art Center (Indianapolis, IN) where she enrolled in Marilyn Smith’s Jewelry class to learn to make sterling findings for polymer clay beads she had created. She fell in love with the plastic qualities of metal and has been hooked since. Her work is now recognized for its minimalist style, body-conscious architecture and attention to detail. Work sometimes includes unusual semi-precious gemstones and found objects. Techniques include etching, heat-treatments, and various patinas to bring warmth and color to the metal. Her work is available in the Art Center’s Basile Studio Shop (open Monday-Friday noon-7pm, Saturday noon-4pm).

Filed by Kate Oberreich, photos courtesy of the artist.

The Art Center’s Beyond Perceptions program encourages teens to examine, reflect and discuss openly individual and societal perceptions of homelessness using art as the tool for expression. This spring teens from Fountain Square Academy, Lawrence North High School and Bishop Chatard will learn directly from men and women experiencing homelessness, creating artwork that explores stereotypes and perceptions before and after working together.

Enrolled in programming with our partner, Wheeler Mission Ministries Lighthouse Center and Center for Women and Children, the men and women share their first-hand stories, revealing how homelessness has no single socio-economic, racial or religious status.

The Beyond Perceptions project really opened my eyes and helped me realize the true definition of homelessness. The stories and accounts I heard have shaped my real perception on homelessness and even the way I lead my life today. -Joey H. Hamilton Southeastern HS, age 17 

Major funding of this program is provided by the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Foundation. Sponsors include Lilly Endowment, Inc.

In the end, I believe the audience is my medium. My job is to affect them, to leave them with an experience told with simplicity.”

Zach Medler did not develop an interest in art until he was in his early 20s. A native Hoosier, Zach grew up in the suburbs of Indianapolis and graduated from Wabash College with a degree in religion. He went on to receive a master’s degree in ceramics from Purdue University in 2004 and has been working in his current combination of media since 2008.

Often described as post-regionalist, and post-media, Zach’s art is inspired by everyday life. “My work is about where I live and what I experience,” he says. “I like to use ideas of everyday forms, like bowls, mugs, boxes, books, dolls, etc. that depict simple everyday images and stories on and around them.” Zach’s work captures themes of rural, suburban and city living. Serious yet playful, his works arrest the viewer’s attention without being stark or impersonal. He seeks to affect his viewer by creating installations that appear differently when viewed from near or far and by letting the viewer move his pieces around the gallery. “This allows for a more intimate and individualized experience of the space,” he says. “It breaks down the white-box sterility and the space between the viewer and the art object.”

Combining relief printing with clay allows Zach to easily repeat these images in many different contexts. “I work in multiples because stories are told differently when their elements are fragmented,” he says. “The story of the installation is told by the shorter stories within each individual piece. The spaces leave blanks open to be filled with assumptions.” He explains this method as a reflection of how memories are formed without a linear model of time but with fragments of moments and images pieced together.

In addition to making art, Zach conducts workshops regionally and teaches regular classes to adults and children at Arts Place in Portland, Indiana. A firm believer in giving back to the community, Zach volunteers his time working with exhibitions at Arts Place and participates annually in “Empty Bowls” events in Portland and Lafayette.

Photos copyright/courtesy of the artist.

And we’re back! Today in Artwork Presentation Basics, I’ll talk more about presenting your three-dimensional work. Let’s get started, shall we?

Three-Dimentional Artworks (including  glass, jewelry, ceramics, and sculpture)

3-D artworks may be wall-hung, require a pedestal, custom mount or other special handling. Whichever display option you go with, in a gallery, your instructions and intentions should be made clear to be sure your work is exhibited in the best possible way.

Jewelry in a custom display

Here are some tips:

1. Make sure the 3-D artwork is in good physical condition before delivering it to a gallery for an exhibit (this is really true of all artwork). The work needs to withstand the rigors of handling and movement. For  instance, check for any structural flaws, including cracks and loose parts. Remove dust, foreign matter, loose shot, and fingerprints, for example. We want your work to look its best! Skipping this step could play a role in a piece of art’s acceptance in a show or competition.

2. If there are multiple parts to an artwork, make sure the gallery understands how the work should be handled/assembled. If appropriate, provide written instructions with diagrams (we’re visual people) and measurements at the time the artwork is delivered.

3. Wall-hung 3-D artworks should have an appropriate hanging device built into the piece. Examples: holes or pierced lugs with attached wire; a deep ridge intended to rest on nails/hooks; a sewn loop; a flat molding strip (for fiber arts) attached with Velcro to the artwork and with holes in the molding appropriate for nailing/screwing the piece to the wall.

4. Artwork for display on a pedestal needs to have a flat/level standing surface. Also, attach written instructions to the work if the pedestal needs to be of a specific size or height so that the exhibition venue may best accomodate the work.

Artwork that needs a custom mount (such as a jewelry piece, mask or clothing) should include  the mount or the artist should communicate the special requirements to the installation crew before delivering the piece. Special installation needs require time and materials, and not all galleries will be able to accomodate each request.

A ceramic piece with a display mount provided by the artist.

To wire or not to wire? Come back tomorrow for info on all things framing, wiring, matting and more!

The SMART Exhibit is now on view in the Community Gallery at the Indianapolis Art Center.

The SMART (Supportive Mentoring Through ART) program is a unique partnership between the Indianapolis Art Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana. It is a year-long structured art program for youth between the ages of 12-18 from underserved areas of Indianapolis with an interest and/or talent in the visual arts.

Youth are matched to mentors in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program who together attend a year of art classes in a variety of media at the Art Center in Broad Ripple. This year students and their mentors participated in drawing, painting and sculpture using clay. The classes are designed to introduce students to varied techniques associated with each medium, engage students in art history and culture surrounding each medium, address one theme decided upon at the beginning of the year and provide a safe learning environment for mentors and students. This year’s overall SMART theme incorporated the book How to be an Explorer of the World by Keri Smith.

SMART participants were given several opportunities during their classes to use exploration techniques cited in the book, encouraging participants to re-discover their world in a creative and artistic way that influenced details in their work.

In addition to the curriculum, matches attended field trips and a workshop in the summer months to encourage youth and mentors to view art in a variety of settings such as museums, galleries and art events. This year participants were led by Indianapolis Museum of Art staff and docents through the new 100 Acres Art and Nature Park on the grounds of the IMA. Participants also explored the studios and galleries at Herron School of Art, learning from staff about available art degrees as well as the gallery curator’s career path. A dichroic glass workshop was also provided, engaging students in a different type of media.

Students attending 80% of more of the classes are eligible to receive a certificate of completion from the SMART program. The students are also eligible for a scholarship to attend classes in the medium of their choice at the Art Center.

Thanks to all the Big Brothers and Big Sisters who donated their time and support to our youth participants this year. Special thanks to the Wheeler Arts Center for the exhibition space and to Lilly Endowment, Inc., City of Indianapolis and the Hoover Family Foundation for their financial support. Major funding for this program provided by the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Foundation.

Laura Alvarado, Director of Outreach

Lost and Found: sculptural installations by Linda Leviton

Leviton, a commercial artist, displays three dramatically different wall installations – each featuring a different concept she’s not been able to fully realize before.

Want to see how it all happened? Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3WyOYicNoU for a time lapsed video of the two day installation.

About the Artist:

Linda Leviton attended the University of Cincinnati School of Design, Architecture and Art and graduated Summa Cum Laude. She worked as a graphic designer in Chicago for corporations and design firms, and as an assistant art director for Cuisine Magazine. Her background as a graphic designer helps her to work effectively with all types of clients.

While working for American Hospital Supply, Linda began creating artwork from found materials for their corporate art collection. She developed a series of wall hangings using textiles combined with metal and paint to create art quilts. This began her fascination with patterns and modules. Linda has exhibited across the US and internationally. She works with galleries, art consultants, architects and designers. Her commission work includes public art projects, installations, and wall sculptures up to 70 feet, as well as smaller residential works.

Leviton loves to work with copper, and developed five distinct bodies of work: large modular wall sculptures, “Patterns of Nature “ series, fold-formed wall-hung constructions, woven forms, and metal quilts. Her work evokes the colors and textures of nature.She uses etching, dyes, patinas, and paint to treat the surface with subtle or vibrantly colored designs. Linda makes her pieces modular so they can be hung as one large piece or mounted as smaller separate units creating flexibility for large installations and changing interior spaces.

Since copper is so wonderfully malleable, she likes to shape it using techniques from many disciplines including blacksmithing, sheet metal construction, welding, silversmithing and printmaking.For example, she fold-forms copper sheets into serpentine or leaf shapes.These shapes form a module or basic form.She combines these basic forms into larger more involved shapes, sometimes representational, sometimes abstract.But the connection with nature is always an undertone.

First there was Black Friday, then came Cyber Monday. The newly re-opened Basile Studio Shop at the Indianapolis Art Center doesn’t take part in either. Honestly, we’d rather sleep in on Friday and feel that you’d get a better feel for the artwork available if you visited us in person, hence, no online sales/ordering.

However, when I heard about a new movement stirring and gaining momentum, I knew we had found our day.  This year the focus is on Small Business Saturday (Saturday, November 27).  Small Business Saturday encourages you to frequent the  “shops and restaurants that employ our neighbors and reinvest our money close to home. The businesses that are the heartbeat of our communities and local economies.”

That said, I want to introduce you to the new Basile Studio Shop! The new Shop has had a facelift with fresh paint, a bit of rearranging, some new fixtures and is featuring a myriad of mediums. Everything from painting and drawing to glass and jewelry and everything in between, all created by local and regional artists, many with a connection to the Indianapolis Art Center itself.  We have artwork to fit any budget too.

Blown glass vessels by Matt Kenyon

We’re open this Saturday from noon-4pm. Consider a gift of original, local art this year! And for those that can’t decide, gift certificates (also good for Art Center classes and membership) are available at the Guest Services desk.

"Flood" (top) and "Ocular" (bottom) by Susan Hodgin

The Basile Studio Shop will be open everyday (Monday-Friday noon-7pm, Weekends noon-4pm) through Christmas. It’s okay, we encourage last minute shopping.

–Kate

Photo Credit: Kate Oberreich/Indianapolis Art Center

Looking for unique, contemporary, regional art? Just in time for holiday shopping, the Art Center’s Basile Studio Shop will reopen its doors to the public for a grand re-opening on Friday, November 19 from 5-9 p.m. And while the shop has been closed, there has been one very busy local artist behind the scenes shopping for the art to put there.

Kate Oberreich comes from a family of artists. Her father a photographer and her mother a potter, Kate has a BFA of her own in painting from Ball State University. And even though she is the vice president of the Stutz Artist Association, where she has her own studio, Kate has long-standing Art Center roots. For someone under 30, it’s quite a feat that Kate has spent 22 years involved with the Art Center. Aside from being the buyer for the Basile Studio Shop, Kate also maintains the Art Center’s social media – writing blogs, updating the facebook page and taking photos.

“The gift shop will have art by real, working artists…nothing mass produced.  Kind of like our Broad Ripple Art Fair, except all year long,” Kate said. “It will be like an extension of our galleries.” Adding to the gallery feel is a rotating feature wall behind the new and improved register. The first piece to be spotlighted will be a large painting for sale by local painter and Art Center instructor Gayla Hodson, who also has a selection of prints available in the shop. And while there are plenty of affordable gifts for shoppers (starting at around $10), those wanting to add to their personal art collections will have a unique selection to peruse each time they visit.

Fans of the Studio Shop will probably have no trouble recognizing the larger space. “We always offered great artwork in our gift shop, but it was so jam-packed, it was tough to find it – much less see it. We have a much cleaner, more open concept to the shop now. Visitors can get a really good look at the art and have a better feel for how it will look once they get it home,” Art Center President and CEO Carter Wolf said.

Kate absolutely loves working with artists, often drawing inspiration from their creative process and works. “I get how they think,” she said. And with the demands of keeping the Basile Studio Shop full of new and interesting finds, she says “My eyes are always open.”

Contact the Art Center at 255.2464 or visit IndplsArtCenter.org to volunteer. If you have work you’d like to be considered, visit the Basile Shop’s fan page on Facebook for a link to the application.

Kate is at the register and waiting for lots of happy customers on Friday night.

Roxanne was last seen playing hide and seek in ArtsPark.

The Art Center needs your help. Every year, staff members and volunteers lovingly craft a large family of Skull Buddies for the El Día de los Muertos celebration. No two are the same, but they all bring equal joy to the families that take them home. However, tragedy struck this week as one member of our Skull Buddy family was unjustly kidnapped on Friday, Oct. 22.

Roxanne has a large smile, and was well-known for her jovial spirit. She was last seen playing hide-and-seek in ArtsPark, where she loved rolling in the fall leaves and playing hide-and-seek in Twisted House. She has two round button eyes, one purple and one light green, surrounded by blue eye shadow she wears in the shape of flowers. She has a rosy complexion and several tattoo-like facial markings that reflect her spirit and heritage.

The Art Center wants to make sure she is able to come home in order to find a loving family by our Day of the Dead celebration on October 30. A ransom note has been found, and her captors agree they will release her, but only in exchange for a ransom. As a reward, whoever pledges the largest ransom by Wednesday, October 27 at 5 p.m. will be able to come to the Art Center and help negotiate her release.

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/67^th 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.