The Harrison Center and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Join Forces for First Friday Event

The 2024 Cannon Blast  by Justin Vining

Join the Harrison Center and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 2nd, for a special First Friday celebration and the annual Porch Party Indy Kick-Off! From 6 to 9 p.m., enjoy an evening packed with local flavor, art, and race-day excitement.

Highlights include Open Studio Night, live music on the rooftop bar, thrilling performances by Suspended Animation Aerials, a race flag wreath-making workshop, food trucks, and plenty of entertainment. Don’t forget to grab your free porch party decorations and yard signs while supplies last!

Throughout the month of May, race fans are invited to celebrate “This is May” by hosting their own racing-themed Porch Parties. It’s a great way to bring neighbors together, build community spirit, and honor the legacy of the Indianapolis 500. Show your Hoosier pride and get your neighborhood revved up for May!

In the Harrison Gallery, 

Chasing Light by Justin Vining. In this exhibition, Justin Vining embraces a bold, swashbuckling painting style, marked by thick, vibrant strokes and confident, direct compositions. This show, featuring a blend of nature scenes and urban landscapes, reflects Vining's unyielding drive to create despite life's demands. Whether in the studio or navigating parenting, his work remains a testament to the necessity of artistic expression as a means of both discovery and balance.

In the Gallery Annex, 

Process & Play by JD Bills. This show invites viewers into the space between exploration and execution. This collection highlights a range of styles, materials, and approaches—some polished, some in progress—all reflecting the joy, risk, and curiosity at the heart of the creative process. 

Hecho en México by Kyle Ragsdale. This exhibition builds on Ragsdale’s November show, showcasing new work created during his third visit to Guanajuato and a masterclass with Ron Pokrasso. Using monotypes, solar plates, and intricate layering, Ragsdale blends his signature imagery of Mexican cowgirls and Victorian women with vibrant colors, creating textured compositions that reflect his evolving artistic vision.

In the Speck Gallery, 

Strength in Motion by Johnson Simon and ROSEY. This show explores the resilience found in physical and mental movement, particularly through the lens of disability. This collaboration uses acrylic, oil, and oil stick to express how creativity becomes a powerful outlet for self-expression. The dynamic use of color and form captures the complexity of inner struggles, inviting viewers to reflect on the diverse strength that emerges through the act of creation.

In the City Gallery,

New Works by Amiah Mims. Through bold color, texture, and composition, Mims expressively captures beauty. The focus of each painting is the delight itself, depicted in a more realistic style than the abstract background, representing something solid amidst the chaos.

In the Hank & Dolly’s Gallery,

Dreamscapes and Paradoxes by Kent Brinkley. This show delves into the fluidity of identity, perception, and the vast unknown. Using oil, mixed media, and sculpture, Brinkley blurs the lines between reality and dreams, inviting viewers to question their understanding of existence. The layered forms and paradoxical imagery evoke mystery and introspection, challenging the boundaries of what we see and imagine.

In the Sky Gallery, 

Astral Itinerary by Deonna Craig. This exhibition draws inspiration from the artist's global travels and personal transformation, capturing themes of movement, discovery, and ancestral connections. Through these works, the artist explores the intersection of cosmic exploration and self-discovery, symbolizing journeys across dimensions and time. Each piece invites viewers to reflect on their own paths of growth and connection to the greater universe. 

In the Lift Gallery,

May Reverie by Kristi Marsh Watson. Watson seeks to capture the feeling of May through color, movement, and texture, which she achieves through her unique process of spraying and dripping paint onto her surfaces.

In the Underground Gallery,

Who Am I to Answer the Call? A Collaborative Exhibition from the Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts Seminar, a program from the Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University Indianapolis. This exhibition explores the tension between responsibility and doubt, a response to Moses' encounter with the burning bush in Exodus 3.

All shows will open at 6:00 pm on Friday, May 2nd. 

Visitors can take in-person gallery tours Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Online galleries will open on April 5th. You can make an appointment or view the online galleries at harrisoncenter.org/buy-art.