The Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center features a new exhibit for the month of July: the works of Claire Swallow, Dale Gardner, Sarah Wain, Jessica Lucas and Alex Straiker. British painter Claire Swallow is inspired by everything from childhood trips to the seashore to small household appliances. Photographer Dale Gardner saves turn-of-the-previous-century portraits and gives them new lives in new settings. Art teacher and baker Sarah Wain whips up candy for the eyes that may create cravings in the stomach. IU researchers Alex Straiker and Jessica Lucas present color-enhanced stills and videos taken of digital microscopy. Who knew mouse tissue could be this beautiful?

The exhibit, running until July 28, is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm. Closed Sundays.

Painter John Thom’s exhibit “From Warhol to Rothko we shared, but I disagreed” will be on exhibit at The Gallery Group, during weekday business hours, through July 26th. A friend of Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol, Thom’s works have been described as “Dali-cartoons”. John now resides in Bloomington, Indiana, living next to his brother and best-selling author, James Alexander Thom.

This exhibit at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures examines the nature of culture through the exploration of cultural traditions surrounding life stages and universal needs. It is free and open to the public during regular museum hours, and will run until August 27.

Mathers Museum hours are:
Tuesday-Friday: 9 am-4:30 pm
Saturday-Sunday: 1-4:30 pm

This exhibit at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures examines history on a large scale, through exploration of cosmic, biological, and human origins. It is open weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from May 8 to August 26, 2012, and is free.

Mathers Museum hours are:
Tuesday-Friday: 9 am-4:30 pm
Saturday-Sunday: 1-4:30 pm

The Bloomington Community Band will perform for Independence Day on the Courthouse Square. Show is sponsored by Canine Companions and American Legion Burton Woolery Post 18.

This year’s Fourth of July Parade takes place Wednesday, July 4. The Parade is hosted by Bloomington Parks and Recreation and Downtown Bloomington, Inc. The theme for the parade is “Back to Bloomington – Show us your B-Town Roots!”.

The parade begins downtown at 10:00 am, starting at 7th Street, going to Walnut, turning onto 8th Street, down 8th Street, turning onto College and then finishing on Kirkwood Ave.

Applications are now being accepted for the Fourth of July parade. The number of parade entries is limited, so apply early to reserve your spot. Entry fee is $20, and applications are due in the Parks and Recreation Department office at 401 N. Morton St., Suite 250 (inside City Hall – Showers Building) no later than 5 pm on Friday, June 15. Contact Bill Ream at 349-3748 or via e-mail at [email protected] for more information, or to request an application.

Sara is a signature member of the Bloomington Watercolor Society and the Watercolor Society of Indiana. A graduate of the Indiana University Printmaking Department of the School of Fine Arts, and a Monroe County Middle School Art teacher for almost 30 years, Ms. McQueen enjoys working in collage and printing as well as being a plein air painter. For this exhibit, she shows some leaf stamps in her compositions and abstract explorations with hand made and international papers.

Exhibit runs until July 29. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 am – 5:30 pm (8 pm on First Fridays.)

Every Wednesday morning at 10:30 is Discovery Time at the WonderLab science museum for kids. Enjoy a hands-on activity, book, or both with a different science topic each week. Siblings are welcome. Ideal for kindergarten age and younger children. Visit the website for information on other WonderLab programs and events.

The Brown County Art Guild exhibit for July features Gerrie Govert (pastels) and Hattie Stanton (oils). Exhibit will run through July 30th. An artists’ reception will be held on Saturday, July 14, from 5-8 pm, during the Village Art Walk.

Gallery hours:
Tu-Sat: 11 am-5 pm
Sunday: 12 pm-5 pm
Closed Monday

The fireworks show for Independence Day will be held at the Monroe County Fairgrounds. Admission is $8 per vehicle. The gates open at 5:00 pm.