From April through November, farmers and vendors fill Showers Common with locally grown produce, annual and perennial plants, and freshly baked bread for the Saturday morning Market. Local musicians perform while thousands of people find their way among the corn and tomatoes, local dairy products, and warm scents of fresh herbs. The Market often feels like equal parts shopping, socializing, and treasure hunt. Come early so you can amble among friends as you seek out that dried lavender or fresh basil you have been dreaming about.

The Market is open every Saturday, April through September, from 8 am until 1 pm and Saturdays in October and November from 9 am until 1 pm The season ends with the Holiday Market on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, from 10 am – 3 pm.

Early Music Associates, Inc (EMA) is pleased to announce that the Bloomington Early Music Festival will emerge this year with a series concerts and community activities from Tuesday, May 20 to Sunday, May 25. All events will take place in downtown Bloomington and are free and open to the public.

The ‘pop-up’ festival celebrates the abundant talent of Jacobs School students and members of the Bloomington community and is the first project of a recently reorganized not-for-profit (EMA) that nurtures the growth of early music performance in the region throughout the year.

“We’re thrilled to see the Bloomington Early Music Festival return to its roots through a partnership with Gamma Ut, the student wing of the Early Music Institute,” said Leela Breithaupt, board member of Early Music Associates. “This is a wonderful opportunity to bring together talented musicians specializing in Medieval and Baroque music with the Bloomington community in an energetic, fun-filled celebration that combines old music with new avenues of performance.”

Partnering with the festival are a number of community groups and venues, including Classical Revolution Bloomington, the Jacobs School of Music’s Project Jumpstart and Early Music Institute, the First Presbyterian Church’s new concert series, the Runcible Spoon, the City of Bloomington’s Saturday Morning Farmer’s Market, the Monroe County Courthouse, and the Mathers Museum.

Numerous new exhibits will be available in the galleries of the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center for the month of May:

Local Clay Potters’ Guild: “Showing Off!”
Gitlitz & Gitlitz: “Feeling Foodish”
Nakima Ollin: Recent Works
Ivy Tech Alternative Spring Break: Photo Essay 2014

Exhibits run through May 31. Galleries are open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 7 pm, and Saturday 9 am – 5 pm. Free admission.

“Featherspholio”
A photographic exhibition by Bloomington artist and avid birdwatcher Scott Evans featuring birds of North America. Runs through May 31.

Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30 am-5 pm, Sun 1-5 pm

“The Life and Times of Local Author, Ross Lockridge”

Ross Lockridge, Jr was born in Bloomington, IN 1914 where he attended Bloomington High School and Indiana University and aspired to write the next great American Novel. He began writing Raintree County in the mid-1940s. The 1,060 page novel was published in 1948. The novel explored nineteenth-century Midwestern history, folklore, and landscape all set in a single day, July 4, 1892. The exhibit explores his life before writing Raintree County and after, including the Midwestern iconography that inspired his book. Runs through May 31.

“Cracking the Code: Quilt Pattern Meanings”

In the past many thought that Quilts made during the mid-to late part of the 19th century were created to aid travelers on the Underground Railroad. Now, research shows that there is no documentation regarding quilt patterns as a form of communication for Underground Railroad Travelers. This exhibit will examine different patterns and their purported meanings. The show and exhibit are on the bus route and FREE with IHQS wristband or hand stamp,during quilt show only. Runs through August 1.

“Living in Color”
Local artist, Avi Katz, has taken historic photos of Bloomington and turned them into colorized, painted, masterpieces. Runs through September 6.

Community Voices Gallery: “Monroe County United Ministries”
The Community Voices Gallery gives local organizations the opportunity to tell their story. Monroe County United Ministries is a a nurturing organization serving working families and those in distress by assisting those with emergency needs and subsidized childcare. We provide quality education and a safe place for children, basic needs assistance for the poor and community service opportunities. Runs through July 31.

In this exhibit, Bloomington based photographer, Kyle Spears showcases his most recent body of work from Prague, Czech Republic. Kyle says this about his photography;

Primarily, most of my inspiration comes from traveling and discovering new places/things to shoot. No matter where or what I photograph, I want to capture the beauty I see and somehow communicate that with the viewer. As a photographer, I am attracted to the absence of light, just as much as the presence of light. I love how the night can change the atmosphere and mood of a scene that wasn’t evident during daylight.

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 – 5:00 p.m. Sunday: Noon – 5:00 p.m.

New in the Galleries: Spanish Painting in the 1960s: Works from the Collection of Doris Steinmetz Kellett
May 6–September 7, 2014
Gallery of the Art of the Western World, Doris Steinmetz Kellett Endowed Gallery of Twentieth-Century Art, first floor
Works by members of the Catalan-based group Dau al Set and artists associated with the avant-garde Galeria Juana Mordo in Madrid are featured.

New in the Galleries: ‘Max Beckmann’s Woodcuts’
Gallery of the Art of the Western World, Doris Steinmetz Kellett Endowed Gallery of Twentieth-Century Art, first floor
February 4–June 22, 2014
Although the German Expressionist artist Max Beckmann was a prolific graphic artist (producing 374 prints during his lifetime), he created fewer than 20 woodcuts. Most were produced during the 1920s, when Germany was experiencing a revival of interest in the medium. Seven prints from this period will be featured in this installation.

Special Exhibition: Matisse’s Jazz and Other Works from Indiana University Collections
April 2–June 29, 2014
Special Exhibitions Gallery, first floor
In addition to highlighting the IU Art Museum’s rare complete suite of twenty color stencil prints from Jazz—Matisse’s last and greatest book project—this exhibition will include more than thirty other works by this modern master from the holdings of the Art Museum and Lilly Library. Special attention will be paid to the artist’s works on paper and book illustrations from the 1920s through the end of his career.

Special Exhibition: Francesco Solimena: Picturing the World for an Eighteenth-Century Royal Wedding
April 2–June 29, 2014
Judi and Milt Stewart Hexagon Gallery, first floor
Through a selection of pieces coming from the Getty Research Institute, the IU Fine Arts Library, the Lilly Library, and the IU Art Museum collection, this exhibition focuses on one of the IU Art Museum’s masterpieces, Francesco Solimena’s Allegory of the Four Parts of the World, highlighting the painting’s history, patronage, and iconography. This exhibition features a thirteen-minute documentary, The World around Solimena.

JERRY UELSMANN + MAGGIE TAYLOR, A retrospective collection presented by Pictura Gallery In celebration of our 6th anniversary, Pictura is thrilled to present a retrospective collection of Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor’s work. This exhibition coincides with Jerry Uelsmann acceptance of the Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU College of Arts and Sciences. Please join us in celebrating the work of these two seminal figures of the photographic world. Show runs through May 28th.

Pictura Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11 am – 7 pm.

April 5–October 25, weekly
Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Thomas T. Solley Atrium, second floor
Free yoga classes return to the IU Art Museum! A Vibe Yoga Studio instructor will lead a one-hour class inspiring participants to stretch their minds and bodies as they meditate on the beauty and serenity that surrounds them.

Beginner classes will be offered on the first and third Saturdays of each month. More advanced classes will be held on the second and fourth Saturdays. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mat and water bottle, dress comfortably, and arrive early to grab a spot in the first come, first served classes. Due to the popularity of the program and in order to maintain a peaceful environment, indoor classes will be capped at twenty-three participants. No registration is required.

Get to know Bloomington as you never have before! On our tour, you will savor authentic cultural cuisine while visiting historical sites the area is known for with one of our Local Tour Guides. Suitable for 21+ and all fitness levels, this three hour guided walking tour is a unique combination of food and drink tastings as well as an insightful glance into Bloomington’s historical and local attractions (including significant facts about our very own Indiana University!). The menu ranges from savory to sweet cuisine, ethnic foods to locally admired wines, and an insider’s view into the history and architecture that defines Bloomington. This unique and delectable experience will leave you with new culinary perspectives and satisfied appetites, yet your taste buds will be hungrier than ever to continue exploring more hidden, tasteful treasures Bloomington has to offer.