If you're in Fountain Square for first Friday, chances are you've stopped in iMOCA or walked past,…read morenot realizing it was open. It's located next door to Red Lion Grog House in the Murphy Arts Building, accessible from both the front and back. I've missed many a great exhibit doing just that, specifically The White Album project, featuring artist, Ruther­ford Chang that received rave reviews and kicked myself for not going sooner. Led by Executive Director, Shauta Marsh, this non profit focuses increasing the understanding and appreciation of the significance of artistic contemporary culture in the city of Indianapolis. With Halloween just days away, I was taking a date to their feature: 'A Taste of Jean Rollin', a collection of three 1970′s European sex and horror cinema. http://www.indymoca.org/2013/10/a-taste-of-jean-rollin/. I figured I'd either scare him to death or we'd end the night reenacting scenes together. There was a small group of people in the casual seating screening room. The mood was exciting and playful as we were exposed to racy scenes of nude vampire goddessess through the use of ancient effects and technology, highlighting the skill possessed by the legendary filmmaker. Three films for a $5 suggested donation was a deal for this experience. The band playing next door at Red Lion (or was it upstairs in Joyful Noise?) was a bit distracting, but nothing some sound proof foam on the ceiling can't resolve. The Living Dead Girl, 89 minutes A toxic spill revives a beautiful, dead heiress who, with the help of her childhood friend, must quench her insatiable thirst for blood. The Iron Rose, 80 minutes A young couple out for a walk decide to take a stroll through a large cemetery. As darkness begins to fall they realize they can't find their way out, and soon their fears begin to overtake them. We made it through the first and most of the second feature before the desire to bite one another overtook us. Well played iMOCA!

I like weird shit. And in the case of iMOCA, weird shit is present. Like a hot tub filled with…read morebikini'd folk in the middle of a First Friday open gallery neighbored by a room with neon yarn and a projected 80s film. Indy has plenty of room for more weird. I'll try not to rattle on about the things that other reviews have already covered like the small size, location and fun installations that make for a great stop along the First Friday mosey in Fountain Square. Food for thought: It'd be neat to see more of iMOCA's presence spread onto the sidewalk with guerrilla style art - especially during First Fridays. Aka weird on the streets.

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.

You probably know about the big hulabaloo that is INDIEana Handicraft Exchange in June - a giant…read moreindoor/outdoor shopping fair. But did you know they host a smaller version in December, which just so happens to (smartly) fall on First Friday? The one in June can be very hot and very crowded, so I preferred the wintertime version, although there were not as many vendors. The crowd favorites were still there, like Newfangled Confections, Homespun, Crimson Tate, Farizula Designs, Silver Linings Jewelry, Hoosier Proud, USI, Revival Food Co...the list goes on. Don't forget to check out vendors down in the basement and explore the open studio spaces! I love this bi-annual celebration of all things local and will put it on my calendar for 2016!

I'm not one to dilly dally in flea markets or call myself a "shopper" but boy, oh boy, do I light…read moreup when there's an event that specifically celebrates local and creative businesses. Everything from up cycled jewelry and nostalgic candy to local meads and Hoosier themed apparel. It's essentially a one stop shop for all that is quirky and cool. And because I'm always down for some tasty eats, I have to add that you'll find some of the best at the Handicraft Exchange such as Duos, Scratchtruck, LICK ice cream, New Day Meadery, Sun King and more. Parking can get on the crazy side with the Talbott Art Fair going on just up the street. Give yourself time and have fun!

I haven't had the pleasure of attending their flea market yet, but I drive through here often and…read morejust love this neighborhood. If I ever win the lottery, I would love to buy a house here. The divided streets lined with mature trees. The statues and fountains in the median. The great yesteryear houses, smelling of old grandeur. Yeah, I would love to live here. But of course only if I have enough money to hire folks for the upkeep of house and yard. A girl can dream

I look forward to the Woodruff Place Flea Market every year. I love looking at the beautiful homes…read moreand browsing through what's for sale. Residents and businesses participate in the Flea Market, selling their wares. There are also food and beer trucks. It makes for a fun day! This year, there didn't seem to be as many residents participating. And some of our favorite vendors from past years weren't there.

This is such a beautiful museum, I always learn something new each time I visit…read more The staff are always open to questions and are always excited to talk about their favorite pieces. The community events they offer are such a treasure, and the rotating exhibits make every visit feel like the first time. I feel so lucky to live close by to have access to this amazing place. Don't forget to check out the staff's exhibit on the first level, everyone who works there is insanely talented!

Newfields is pretty neat. There's a nice little nature trail outside where you can take a brief…read morewalk and there's a small beer garden along the trail. The space is really nice. The staff is very friendly. Admission is $25. Some of the art I dug and some I didn't, but there was a dark room with a video board ceiling that showed a video of the moon and stars on the ceiling that is captivating. I could have sat there for 15 minutes and just gazed at the ceiling. It was beautiful and peaceful.

We often walk or drive past the Art & Soul Gallery and Frame Shop and admire the paintings in the…read morewindows. During the seasonal gallery walk in Carmel's Arts and Design District, we stopped in to take a closer look. There are many paintings here that I just love, especially a Fall scene that looks like a photograph if you squint your eyes ever so slightly while gazing at it. Our other favorites include a range of floral paintings rendered in bright and deep hues that are simply breathtaking. I would provide the artists' names in this review, but I cannot pull them from memory and a trip to the gallery Web site did not prove helpful at all - for a gallery with the inventory this place has, the site is disappointingly sparse in terms of digital images. Speaking of inventory, I did think Art & Soul was something of a sensory overload - at least for the eyes - as its works are kind of crowded together. Now, I am not a professional and have no gallery experience to fall back on, but I do appreciate the airy layout of Evan Lurie much better. I find it tough to truly enjoy one painting I may be attracted to when another is creeping in and imposing itself from the periphery. Also, we were not greeted in this store, either. We wanted to know more about the prices of the above-mentioned paintings, but we didn't want to interrupt the staff member's noshing. Weird, going on a gallery walk and not being approached or spoken to kind of feels like more of a trip to the art MUSEUM.

Whenever I am out and about for First Fridays, I always seemed to make it to Gallery 924. The…read moregallery is located in the same building as the Indy Arts Council and The Cabaret. They tend to have the most variety of artworks whenever they have exhibitions, and they are very good about showcasing artists from different backgrounds. Their most popular show is probably their holiday exhibition called Tiny. As the name suggests, the artworks are smaller in scale and are for sale at approachable price points. They make for good stocking stuffers during the holiday season.

I had the opportunity to check out Gallery 924 yesterday while at the adjacent venue The Cabaret…read more Established in 2010, Gallery 924 is a non-profit art gallery sharing space with The Cabaret and the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Gallery 924 provides a mixture of programming highlighting contemporary Central Indiana artists in curated solo and group shows. The current exhibition is Dehaan Artist of Distinction Group Exhibition that is running from Sept. 3 - October 29, 2021. Included artists are painter Mason Archie, photographer Eric Lubrick, multidisciplinary artist Samuel Levi Jones, and papel picado inspired artist Beatriz Vazquez. This is a relatively small but inviting space that's open 10am-4pm from Tuesday-Friday and by appointment. They are following CDC guidelines and recommendations. The gallery offers free parking across the street in the Lucille Raines parking lot. There's also metered parking along Pennsylvania. Occasionally, you can get lucky and find free spots along 9th Street. The gallery is also on an IndyGo route and it's adjacent to Indy's Cultural Trail. On a budget of less than $2,000 annually, Gallery 924 puts on 10 exhibitions annually empowering mid-career and established artists. The gallery is a participant in the Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealer's Association First Friday Art Tour. Even when the gallery doors are closed, Gallery 924 is working to promote Central Indiana's artists. I honestly loved this little space. It's not the fanciest gallery you'll find, but the energy is positive and the love for artists is obvious. I look forward to returning.

The first time I experienced the Polklore Micro-Museum, I was attending a Yelp event at the host…read morespace inside the Polk Stables CO-Hatch. It was a space I instantly fell in love with, a wonderful mix of contemporary amenities, local history, and respect for the people of Martindale-Brightwood. As a graduate of Martin University (RIP) myself, I recognized much of what I experienced at Polklore and I knew that I would return. As a Yelp Elite, I'm respectful of the boundaries around not reviewing a business during an "event" for a variety of reasons that make sense to me. The Polklore Micro-Museum celebrates the story of the Polk Dairy and the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood. It's a "micro-museum" with purpose, both engaging the senses and encouraging conversations about cultural preservation. Polklore Micro-Museum comes out of the Harrison Center's neighborhood program. The space itself is quite cool, and there's a good amount of parking available. Tours do require advanced planning, and the mixture of artistic mediums is really quite inspired. Mostly, I am grateful that the museum honors a neighborhood that I think gets a bad rap. While there are certainly challenges faced by Martindale-Brightwood, I've long appreciated the area and to this day don't really live that far from it. CO-Hatch always seems to have some very cool spaces, but I don't think there's any question this is my favorite. Some of Indy's iconic artists, Kipp Normand comes to mind, are involved with this project and this is just truly an outstanding effort in every way.

Incredible local Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood history told in various mediums. It is an…read moreinnovative space that serves as a community space and can be rented for meetings and events. The day I visited there was a crochet circle in process. There is plenty of parking next to the building and across the street by the Monon trail. The restrooms are well-maintained. I look forward to seeing new exhibits in this space!