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.

This is such an artsy setting for an art studio! A charming house broken into mini studios makes…read morefor an interesting tour. We came here during a fairy event where you could purchase the supplies and make a fairy wand. Our daughter loved it. They were very patient with her and had great supplies to use.

I want to see Nickel Plate Arts get more love from Yelpers!…read more NPA is an arts campus located just a few steps south of the Hamilton County Courthouse. It's a cluster of old buildings now housing artist studios, gallery spaces and more. On any given day, you can browse artists' studio spaces and connect with them in person to purchase art or commission a piece - I'm in awe of their talents! NPA is active in the local arts community and hosts engaging programming for all ages year-round. Take art classes, attend a First Friday gathering or bring your kids for kid-friendly activities like Superhero Day. Check out "Handmade in Indiana" in December, a gallery show/gift shop where you can browse local handmade goods, some from artists-in-residence at NPA. Shop local during the holiday season!

A very interesting work space in broad ripple. I came upon this studio during the broad ripple art…read morewalk. After talking with the potter about her work and the size of her kiln, I perused her display area and was quite impressed with the quality of her work. Vases and plates and other creative pieces. So easy to stop in here and buy someone a truly unique piece of art.

One-of-a-kind Modern art gallery to visit if you find yourself in Indianapolis. Great selection…read moreonline with shipping available for most items.

This gallery has a little bit of everything, but its real standouts are its sculptures. There are…read moremany works of Frederick Hart on display here...beautiful and rather large sculptures rendered in acrylic. These truly looked like pure crystal and they are fascinating to view from every which angle you can manage. The gallery also features some smaller sculptures in what appears to be precious and semi-precious crystals and minerals. One of our favorites was a bird that had been carved from what looked like rose quartz and amethyst, perched atop a rough amethyst "chunk". Nothing in this gallery was affordable for us, but we sure enjoyed taking it all in. Some of the Frederick Hart pieces carried five-digit prices, but we also saw a few things that were around a couple thousand dollars.

This has been the most calming, therapeutic 1.5 hours in a long time! Erin O'Rear owns and runs the…read morebusiness and she is so passionate and creative with making everyone feel comfortable with clay pottery even as first timers. She offers a wide variety of classes to suit your needs so check her out on Facebook or email at erorear@gmail.com. Erin usually advises booking 2-3 weeks ahead to figure a timing and day of your choice. Erin was super flexible with letting us understand, learn and create our clay pieces. It was a wonderful learning experience and I highly recommend it for solo, couples, families or even as a group at work or friends,

Great addition to community. Art gallery for beginners to experts to throw clay, glaze, and paint…read more Erin is always helpful and instructive while educating. If you have younger artists you should definitely check out the art classes and camps.

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.

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.