The Mathers Museum of World Cultures hosts the 7th Annual Dia de los Muertos Community Altar installation. This year’s altar will be curated by Rachel DiGregorio and Michael Redman with support from Wandering Turtle Art Gallery On-Line. Community members are invited to add gifts to the altar in honor of their deceased loved ones over the course of the exhibit (October 16 – November 4). During this Mexican holiday, it is customary to leave those who have preceded us in death small offerings of items they would have enjoyed during their lifetime; thus nurturing the memory of their lives and letting them know they have not been forgotten and remain a part of our lives today. Each year the Community Altar is built on the foundation of the previous years’ offerings.

Recurring daily during regular museum hours: Tue – Fri, 9 am – 4:30 pm; Sat – Sun 1 – 4:30 pm.

October brings four new exhibits to the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center. All exhibits are available for viewing during regular gallery hours (Mon-Fri 9 am-7 pm, Sat 9 am-5 pm).

Contemporary fabric artist Sandy Hill splashes the walls with jewel-toned swirls and flourishes. Her freestyle forms employ silky-sheen fabrics and light-catching metallic threads, making a joyous quilting tour-de-force that celebrates the colors of the rainbow.

Tom Rhea takes us on a painterly tour of Bloomington’s best-loved landmarks, both town and gown. An eye for detail, a heartfelt connection with his subject matter , and an uncanny ability to render light on limestone make Rhea’s watercolors a delight for locals and visitors.

Sculptor (and writer) James Alexander Thom hand-carves fallen trees to reveal their spirits as sinuous, self-referencing, and graceful.

Fascinated by pattern and the negative space between objects, Ellen Starr Lyon says her current work is about “lushness of the commonplace.” A conservator at the IU Art Museum, Lyon is especially drawn to elements of Asian art, which are often found in her still-lifes.

When your toddler or preschool child hits the turf field at the Twin Lakes Recreation Center, they will be ready to run and play! An indoor turf field provides you and your young child with ample space to run, play on an obstacle course, and practice ball throwing and kicking skills. This free-time play is parent supervised while the TLRC provides all the equipment for an hour of healthy physical play. Check the monthly calendar for special Turf Time days with the bounce house and specially scheduled games. For children ages 1 – 6 yrs. w/parent. Every Monday and Wednesday.

Artists working in Paris and Lorraine during the Baroque period developed distinctive styles—which focused on the vibrancy of the line—that differed markedly from their Italian and Dutch contemporaries. The two print kiosks in the early part of the gallery feature French works by Jacques Bellange, Claude Lorrain, Jacques Callot, and Claude Mellan, whose engraving is a tour de force of printmaking that creates the face of Christ using a single line.

This installation, running from September 11 to December 31, will focus on three photographers Julia Margaret Cameron, Edward Weston, and Harry Callahan, who used their romantic partners as their subjects. Whether portraits or nude studies, these images reveal a sensitivity that comes from the artists and sitters’ close personal relationships.

This installation is presented in conjunction it the special exhibition “A Place Aside: Artists and their Partners,” on view at the Kinsey Institute Gallery, September 28–December 20.

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.

Pictura Gallery on the downtown Square presents two exhibits, “Watershed” by Jeff Rich and “Captive Landscapes” by Daniel Kukla, which will run through October 27. “Watershed” is a photographic study of industry and environments in rural America; “Captive Landscapes” showcases a number of artificial landscapes designed to emulate the natural world. Pictura Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am to 7 pm.

Special Exhibitions Gallery
Rachel Berenson Perry, the former fine arts curator of the Indiana State Museum and author of the exhibition catalogue, Barry Gealt: Embracing Nature, will give this gallery talk in conjunction with the special exhibition.

Booksigning and Reception to follow
Wednesday, October 17, 1–2 pm
Thomas T. Solley Atrium

This exhibit, “A Place Aside: Artists and Their Partners,” is on display at the Kinsey Institute Gallery and will run from September 28 to December 20.

Since the invention of photography, the camera has been turned towards loved ones to document birthdays, vacations, graduations, and other significant events. For each of the couples included in this exhibition, however, photography is not a method of simply recording events but a means of exploring their partnership through the creation of art. While the photographs serve as documents of a couple’s life together, they also reveal the trust and respect that each partner has for the other.

The Kinsey Institute Gallery is open to the public Monday-Friday, 1:30 pm-5 pm.

This class is offered as either a 6-week or 10-week class and is designed for those who have been diagnosed with cancer and cancer survivors. A medical clearance form from your physician is required to participate in this class. Contact your primary care provider and ask them to provide you with a letter saying that you are able to participate. If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Rigins at 812-332-5555, extension 504.

Class is held Wednesdays from September 12 to November 21.