Fountain Square artists Mab Graves and Larry Endicott transformed an old tavern building into an…read moreawe-inspiring home and gallery, now dubbed as Fountain Square's new 'Lo Brow' gallery. Hosting fabulous exhibits featuring works by Mab herself and Indianapolis artist Justin Cooper, Monster has drawn quite the crowd on a number of 'First Friday' events, my favorites so far being Mab's Pretending to Be Human exhibit over Halloween 2013. The exterior boasts a neon MONSTER sign and a grand door to entice all passersby. Details abound the interior as well, with swoon worthly rest rooms full of character - feauting the likes of Johhny Cash, complete with black toilet paper. Beverages and sweet treats are always on hand to welcome guests and cater to children (both literally and at heart) in attendance. Make a point to stop by and take in the fabulousness that is one of the best examples of the flourishing Fountain Square art scene. Pick up some exclusive original art or perhaps a button, card or print, but you're guaranteed to leave with a smile!

Monster Gallery is the brainchild of the talented husband-wife duo, Mab Graves and Larry Endicott…read more While the majority of First Friday galleries are clustered right downtown, this beautiful brick building on the corner of English and State requires you to go off the beaten path a little. But, it is well-worth the trip. Despite the fact that fire destroyed the entire interior of the building, the exterior shell was all intact. Mab and Larry (with the help of some local friends) have restored this once decrepit tavern into a unique art showing space on the first floor and whimsical living quarters above. The gallery space is small to begin with, but it gets even tighter when the many fans of the artists come out to view their works. You can tell a place (and an artist) is popular by the line extending out of the front door and along the side walk. We didn't wait too long to get in though, so no worries there. The line from the door flows around the room clockwise and takes you past a couple walls of art and ends with a small counter for purchasing prints, gifts, trinkets, and of course any of the pieces you see on the walls. My only qualm with this layout is that the bar area is tucked in the way back and breaks up the flow of the gallery walls. You may have to squeeze past the throngs of art lovers to get to it. Monster Gallery serves beer and wine to the adult guests and there is often candy and treats for any little, aspiring artists who visit. Mab and Larry are both perfect hosts and will gladly have a chat with you about art, love, life, and the likes. There's a very large FREE parking lot just behind the building and there's always an open space.

I've got a couple friends who regularly have exhibits in shows at The Garfield Park Arts Center,…read morehowever, since I live in Lawrence I simply don't get down this way as often. I really should. The Garfield Park Arts Center, like the park itself, falls under Indy Parks. Originally built in 1922 as the "Community House," it was designed to look like a picnic shelter with enclosed walls, high ceilings, and fireplaces at each end. In 1930, a large swimming pool was located in the area that is now the parking lot. At that time, it was primarily used as a locker room and rec center area. In 1990, the pool was removed and replaced by the Aquatic Center that is now located at the Burrello Family Center. In 2006, the "Community House" was remodeled with a $2.7 million grant. It became the Garfield Park Arts Center. The 8,000 square foot facility now houses a multi-use performing arts space, exhibition hall, visual and production arts classrooms, a recording studio, a literary arts library, and a rehearsal room. The GPAC is big enough that it typically has multiple exhibits going. For example, right now there's a modern quilting show, a solo show by Jay Hamm, and a show by Christy Harp. GPAC hosts a variety of workshops and classes including current activities like voice and piano lessons, ceramics, and quite a few visual arts options including those specifically for children. The classes are way affordable - for example, there's a $10 rock painting class for kids. As someone who has a pet rock, I'm all for rock painting. GPAC also hosts summer camps and special events. The calendar is on their website. I'm particularly enchanted by a classic movie night. They've also assisted with some of the public art in Garfield Park. The art center tends to be open limited hours - for example, 1-5pm during the week. It does participate in First Fridays. I'm a big fan of Garfield Park and I'm a big fan of having access to the arts. I find this facility to be quite accessible and even more after their 2006 renovation. It's not perfect (no building of this age is), however, it's quite good. Prices are affordable and the center itself has a nice combination of nostalgia with contemporary comforts. Especially for those with kids who may enjoy the classes, GPAC is a definite winner.

This is a great little arts center that always seems to have something going on. I went for a paint…read morepour class and found the price of $25 to be very reasonable. The class was small to, so you will receive one on one attention if needed. The gallery was also a nice experience before the class.

Beth is amazing and Her art is just as great! I love the aesthetic of her studio- it's very classy,…read morebright, and welcoming. If you go during the day yiu get to see her in action as she paints beautiful portraits of flowers and local scenery. She's always happy to talk about her art and her inspirations. Everything is fairly priced and affordable- especially considering she is such a well known artist! Also, on first Fridays she always has an open house with snacks and drinks and it's personally my favorite time to go. My advice: GO CHECK HER OUT NOW!

From the owner: We feature original art by award winning Indiana Artist, Beth Clary Schwier. Beth has been featured…read moreon HGTV as a featured artist for 5 years. She currently is featured artist at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in their permanent collection, the Art of the Game. Come see for yourself, Beth’s vibrant and exciting paintings.

Communication was not easy and it was very difficult to work with. Our organization will no longer…read moreattempt to collaborate with this organization.

Tops on my list for Indianapolis galleries. This First Friday, had a post it note show, people…read morecould write post its to questions like "how would Jesus dance"? Brilliant!

Did you know that The Conrad Hotel has a gorgeous, well-curated art gallery within its walls?!…read moreAccessible either through the hotel lobby or through the gallery's own entrance on Illinois Street, anyone can walk through the doors and enjoy the art, for FREE. Just be sure to check their hours, as they're different from the hotel's! The gallery only has two locations: NYC and Indianapolis. I feel pretty blessed that our city has such an esteemed spot. Boasting both local art and world-famous art, this gallery switches out exhibits every few months, and holds a first Friday party when they have a new one. Currently, their winter exhibit is called "Rock, Paper, Metal" that will be up until February 2020. Long-Sharp Gallery curates the art in the entire hotel. The Conrad has world-renowned art allllll throughout. Boasting names like Dali, Picasso and Warhol, you'll be amazed by what you encounter by simply stepping inside. There are even several art ambassadors on hand to take you around the hotel and show you some of the masterpieces. So fun!

Long-Sharp Gallery is a lovely space that would be a perfect stop during an intimate date-night…read more Located right inside the Conrad hotel, it features artists whose aesthetic seems to lean toward contemporary and modern styles. What I really love about the space is that the collection is not just limited to the designated gallery space; you can find pieces from the collection throughout the hotel's public spaces. Also, pieces from the collection are featured in the museum's gallery rooms, which are available for use in the hotel itself. Long-Sharp is free to visit; simply make an appointment with the gallery staff, or stop by during their normal open hours.

Next to the Big Car gallery, which is always open on the first Friday of every month, the Sidecar…read moreGallery gives passersby a quick, always-open fix. The Sidecar Gallery usually features some quirky art. Right now it's a bunch of unframed prints by "Joe Photo," so named to eschew the celebrity culture of today's famous photographers. Most of "Photo's" works capture the up-close textures of inanimate objects. Check out the quirky black-and-white photos of Midwestern state fairs, featuring little rascals and the ubiquitous lemon shakeup stand.

I claim the Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis (CAMi) as one of my favorite places in Indy…read more What a hidden gem! They have packed a lot of cool stuff into this space that's adjacent to The Tube Factory. One of the best parts of CAMi: It's free! Just come in and be greeted by a sweet and friendly person behind a desk who will answer any questions you might have. I didn't have any questions -- I just wanted to explore, and you are free to do that. This is an art museum and art gallery, but it's so much more. You'll find a few different storefronts upstairs and downstairs. There's a really cool record shop / 'zine shop on the ground floor, which recently hosted a Found Magazine event. The owner is very friendly and let me know that she teaches 'zine-making workshops, which melted my formerly teenage 'zine-making heart. I love that people are still making 'zines in the digital age. There's also a pottery shop, with really beautiful, handmade goods. Wander around, and you'll find art installations in different rooms of the building. One of my favorite exhibits was interactive, and asked you to erase a drawing and collect the eraser shavings into a jar. How absolutely kooky and wonderful. Another exhibit asked you to think of one really good thing and one really bad thing, and write them down in a notebook. There are places to sit and read or work everywhere. There are secret little nooks with chairs that look out a window. There are spaces to spread out, explore, gather and sit in quiet. One of my favorite places is a building that's just outside of the CAMi building that houses a shrine to motherhood, as well as a shrine to chickens. Oh, the juxtaposition! It was a nice place to sit and be surrounded by dried marigolds, eggs, crystals, and other sacred objects offered up to life-giving goddesses. If you can't get enough of the chickens, then check out the chicken coop that's located just outside the building. I was told that it is a very well-made chicken coop by a chicken expert, and when I peered inside, the chickens looked very happy and content. What a fun and random thing to come across in this art space.

Happy first Fridays start here! I was here for first Friday and had a great time to kick off the…read moremonth of May! CAMi is the reborn space of the Tube Factory Artspace (and might now be considered one campus). It houses a bar, a few storefronts, a few art exhibits, and many more studios. The campus is also a five acre collective that helps maintain affordable housing for artists. There's a good bit to see and do outside and inside. Entry is free and there's ramps for everything around the space. There is also a designated parking lot for CAMi as well. I liked all of the exhibits inside. I recommend the Research Gallery, highlighting some prominent people in Indy's history in a slightly humorous way. I won't spoil too much of the visit, so that way you can see for yourself!

PSA -- FULL CIRCLE NINE IS NOT A BORING STUFFY ART GALLERY!! THIS PLACE IS AN AWESOME ART COOP RUN…read moreBY OUR TALENTED LOCAL ARTISTS!! Apologies for the caps, thought that was an important message. TLDR -- Full Circle Nine is an art coop for est. 2 dozen local artists who display their work here and also made Circle City Industrial Complex a badass art exhibit. The artists support the gallery, and all proceeds from art sales go directly to the artists. Tour the gallery and you'll fine a very diverse collection of art, including collaborations between the artists! The artists are local & best of all, most of the art is affordable. Swing by and get inspired... its also very likely that you'll bring something home, while supporting the local art community!