The Fishers Arts Council in cooperation with Nickel Plate Arts and The City of Fishers announces the seventh Art in City Hall exhibit, Life on the Prairie, featuring art work from the library of Conner Prairie Museum and of local artists Alice Harpel, John Hollinger, Carolyn Martens, Craig Mullins and Carol Griffith. The exhibit runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting on Friday, Aug. 3 and continues through to Tuesday, Aug. 28. There will be an artist reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 20, which will be free and open to the public to meet the artists and representative from Conner Prairie.
Conner Prairie spans more than 1,000 wooded acres in Central Indiana, where it welcomes more than 400,000 visitors of all ages annually. As Indiana’s first Smithsonian Institute affiliate, Conner Prairie offers various outdoor, historically-themed encounters and indoor experiential learning spaces that combine history and art with science, technology and math to offer an authentic look into history that shapes society today.
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Conner Prairie is a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization – accredited by the American Alliance of Museums – that relies on grants and philanthropic donations from individuals, corporations and foundations for sustainability and growth.
Hopefully this exhibit stimulates you visually but also kinetically to go visit Conner Prairie. You can reach out to them at connerprairie.org or call (800) 966-1836 for admission dates, hours, ticket prices and opportunities to donate and volunteer.
The art shared by the library of Conner Prairie depicts life as the settlers lived it at the time this area was settled. The local artists exhibiting share their views of the Indiana landscape as well.
“When people view my art, they see vibrant colors used with traditional uncluttered imagery,” said Dr. Alice Harpal.
Upon retirement she returned to her passion of artistry. As a child, Alice grew up in the country where she was provided many hours of enjoyment. Today, as an adult, she goes back to those times with her art.
Today she works mostly in acrylics and tries to capture the beauty “… of my community, Sugar Creek, Shades State Park, local roads and the farmers market …” She often shows her works at some of the local farmers markets. She gets a joy when people have “… a smile on their faces and tell me that my work makes them happy. And that is what keeps me motivated to continue.”
About John Hollinger
John Hollinger is a self-taught artist, learning, in his words, “from trial and error and feedback from others regarding my work art expressions …” John works include laser engraving of wood, acrylics and photography. He is a member of the Photo Venture Camera Club. John has taken over 40,000 photography through as a member of the Photo Venture Camera Club. He has exhibited in Wildlife Artists exhibit and a juried exhibit at Wassenberg Art Center.
About Carolyn Martens
Carolyn Martens is a Hamilton County artist who has recently shown work at the Indiana State House for the Hoosier Women Artist Award 2016, 2017, the Nickel Plate Arts Judge Stone Gallery 2015, 2016, IUPUI’s Cultural Arts Gallery in 2015, and at ArtSplash Gallery in Carmel from 2014 to 2017. She has completed several major art projects for Carmel Clay Schools including a large, 12-panel mural that wraps around the rotunda of Carmel High School’s Media Center.
Carolyn’s background includes fine art, public art and managing national outdoor billboard, poster art, radio and TV mass advertising campaigns for one of America’s largest banks. She has a BA with honors in studio art and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA with a marketing focus from Queens University in Charlotte, N.C.
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About Craig Mullins
Craig Mullins’ professional training is as an architect with a degree from Ball State University.
He was attracted early to art and was supported by his family in that endeavor. He taught at the College of Architecture and Planning for two years before entering private practice.
While attending BSU, Craig took a wide range of courses with an artistic bent. He went on to private practice at Browning Day Dierdorff Mullins Architects from which he tired as CEO and President.
Now, he is devoting his time to his passion to art. He is drawn to expressionist artists such as Monet and the early 1900 Hoosier artists. While Craig paints portraits, floral and seascape, he is drawn to landscapes. “I am very intrigued with the ability to create a mood of time, space and color that in a photograph can’t captured,” he said.
The reception has been updated to Tuesday August 7, 2018 from 6-8p for Life on the Prairie.