Beth Wood brought Kaleidoscope Krossing to Noblesville, “to grow and connect people through creative arts, community outreach and faith. We bring fresh ideas to our workshops while also encouraging ideas from others.”
Within her first five months, her business was nominated for the Nickel Plate Arts Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
“It was a huge surprise,” Wood told The Reporter. “I was not the winner, but I’m pretty darn excited I got nominated for it in the first place.”
Wood said that nomination helped her feel like she and her business were part of the community.
“It’s very exciting to be part of that historic arts district in downtown Noblesville,” Wood said. “I think that was the first time I truly realized I am a part of those arts organizations and supporting the arts to that level in Noblesville. It was a big honor to be nominated for and to be in the same company as the other organizations downtown.”
When asked why she calls the business Kaleidoscope Krossing, Wood spoke about metaphor as it relates to her mission.
“As you look through a kaleidoscope and you turn it, the colors change, the patterns change, the things that you see through the viewfinder change,” Wood explained. “That’s representative of what I want to happen at Kaleidoscope Krossing. We are continually changing events. The key thing I focus on is bringing community and creativity together. That’s constantly changing—who’s in the community, what the creative activities are that you are offering—so it is very kaleidoscopic.”
She further explained that the ‘Krossing’ with the ‘K’ is to emphasize that they are located right along the railroad on 8th Street.
“It’s a lot of alliteration,” Wood noted. “Kaleidoscope Krossing and creating community and creativity.”
Bringing that variety of activities and classes to Noblesville is something Wood continues to focus on.
A “zentangle” is a drawing form designed to encourage relaxation and focus. (Photo provided)
“We had a class on zentangles,” Wood said. “A zentangle is a drawing form that is supposed to encourage relaxation and focus. We had kids, parents and grandparents all in the same class. It was really fun to see how the kids jumped in even quicker than the adults. That one was really fun because it had that intergenerational emphasis which is something that I am trying to encourage more in the classes.”
That class was such a success that Wood is bringing it back this month with an artist who got her interested in the idea.
“For the Oct. 25 class I have an artist, Maria Canfield, who has some black-and-white pieces and some other artwork on display at Kaleidoscope Krossing,” Wood told The Reporter. “She is going to be part of the class and talk about her technique. This is something I try to do as I promote local artists. When they come in and display things at Kaleidoscope Krossing, which can be purchased because it is an art gallery, I try to have as many of them as possible come in and teach that particular art medium to kids, adults and whomever is going to be attending the class. It is to give the message, ‘You can do this also and here is how’ as taught directly from the creator of the artwork.”
One of the upcoming events Wood wanted to talk about it an opportunity to shop local for the holidays.
“On Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. we are having our first artisan fair,” Wood explained. “That is going to be a holiday show supporting local artists. In addition to the event that day, artists can display their work through the whole holiday season so people can come in and shop from November through the Christmas season.”
If you want to participate in this or other events, contact Beth Wood by email at kalkrossing@gmail.com or call her at (317) 774-1464. You can visit their website at kalkrossing.com.
Wood can be found at Kaleidoscope Krossing, 185 S. 8th St., Noblesville, most weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Since Kaleidoscope Krossing opened its doors on May 5, 2017, a wide variety of collaborative and creative arts programs have been offered. Over 35 community workshops, Bible studies, book clubs, artists’ displays and even a Bigfoot-themed birthday party have taken place in the quaint 1930’s building at 185 S. 8th St., Noblesville.