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.

Peter Grant's bills itself as a lifestyle store and I'd say that's pretty close to the truth…read more Mostly, the lifestyle items in this store include lots of beautiful, extremely comfortable-looking furniture, a few eye-popping, gallery quality pieces of art - especially the large Raku pottery works. However, there are also some cool smaller goodies like hand-blown glass pen holders, some very angular and modern blown glass oil lamps, paintings, pottery dishes and the like. I think what I liked most about this store was its merchandising. I really felt as if I was walking around in somebody's house or vacation retreat - very nicely appointed vacation retreat - and the store had that warm, inviting feel that soft lighting and careful object placement helps foster. Even on an unseasonably hot day, the store felt calm and cool and made us want to linger - we briefly considered a short nap on one of the double recliner-style loveseats we noticed..... Most extravagant and kick-ass item: the huge steel indoor/outdoor gong crafted by artist Tom Torrens that sits just inside the front door....amazingly cool.

I stopped in at this gallery last week while they were exhibiting works by a talented artist, a…read morewoman welder in her seventies! The place also displays pieces from the owners' collection and local artists, all in a friendly comfortable space. It's definitely worth a visit.

Recently I did a little Friday night art tour in Broad Ripple. I had heard about this place but…read morehadn't stopped yet -- I'm glad I finally did. First, the building. There's no mistaking you're in BR because the building is a cute former house complete with wood floors and quirky little rooms. Second, there's wall art, small sculptures, and jewelry for sale for all different price points. This would be a great place to find a gift for a friend. Third, I was the only customer there on a Friday night. If you don't like crowds (and who does during a pandemic) this is a great choice. Plus the staff was so friendly that they deserve some more business!

I absolutely love City Gallery! A small space that packs a punch. Have seen some wonderful shows…read morehere and love the connection usually shown to urban neighborhoods. The staff is super friendly and there are lots of resources here as a first step for those looking to move into the urban core. It is open during the week as well, and it seems I always see students and artists working there. A great connecting neighbor to VSA and Harrison Center for the Arts.

What an inspiration! They encourage so many local artists. My daughter and I did the tour which was…read moreFREE. It was interesting to see actual artists workshops like their "brain". Each month they rotate the various art in there MULTIPLE galleys. It also included a karaoke elevator and bouldering rock climbing wall on the roof. Loved it!

I used to attend First Friday events in Indianapolis, but I've never attend the events at the…read moreHarrison center until now. Oh boy was it an experience! 10/10! There were so many different artist on display and the energy was on point. I attended the event with my 1 year old and she even had a good time. It was kind of crowded in the hallways, so we opted to let her walk around with us instead of bringing the stroller. There are elevators that go to each floor but we found it fun to go up the stairs. Its seemed like every corner was packed with some form of art display. In the gymnasium there was chili buffet along with a live music. I wasn't expecting that, but a pleasant surprise. They were honoring a fallen artist and it was good to see the community come together. The artists were engaging and the staff was super helpful. I def will be coming back again!

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.

This was a gallery like no other I've seen in Indy. It's small, and owned by resident artist…read moreMagdalena Hoyos-Segovia, a delightful lady with a Spanish accent. She let me in on a Monday, when the gallery is usually closed. But she happened to be there for some clients, and eagerly ushered me in when she spotted me window shopping. The artist taking up the most space right now is Charles Emery Ross. His works feature electric colors that liven simple, blocky scenes. His series of flowery trees in neon shades are gorgeous. A bit pricey, though, at around $3,000 - $4,000.

High Frequency Arts was once located in downtown Fishers' Nickel Plate District, but it's since…read moremoved to the new Hub & Spoke building near 106th and I-69. Hub & Spoke is a mixed-use development with a design center, retail showrooms, coworking space and makerspace. High Frequency Arts specifically is an artisan gift shop featuring dozens of local makers. This would be a great place to buy unique holiday gifts - ornaments, coasters, prints, mugs, etc. but I'm not sure how much foot traffic it gets being inside a larger building.

New art gallery and event space in the heart of Fishers. High Frequency Arts provides access to…read morecontemporary artwork to individuals and businesses. The gallery also serves as a space for exhibitions and pop-up events. During a visit to the Grand Opening exhibition, I was impressed by the variety of displayed artwork. There were 13 or so artists that were represented, and the work was curated in a way that they all fall in their own categories and genres. It was a feast for the eyes to be able to see a little bit of everything. The gallery itself is located in a modern space with an industrial feel. There are walls on wheels that provide flexibility on how the space is used. Some events (workshops, dance lessons) are already scheduled to take place at the gallery.