Pillar Arts Dispatch | August Exhibitions & Special Announcements August 28, 2026
Posted In: Newsletter Archives, News, Events | Posted by: Pillar Arts
We cannot believe that we’re at the end of August! As summer winds down, we’re excited to get back into the swing of the school year and welcome students back to classrooms, studios, and creative spaces across our community. Wishing everyone a fun, safe, and inspired school year ahead!
At By Hand Gallery, we’re thrilled to welcome Kwang Cha Brown’s new exhibition, Flowers & Harmony, opening Tuesday, September 1. Join us on Friday, September 4 from 5-8 PM for First Fridays to kick off the exhibition on display through October 26. Meanwhile, over at the Arts Alliance Center, we’re hosting a closing reception for this month’s digital exhibition, Unreferencing Fields 3.x by Charles Pearce, on Saturday, August 29, from 6–8 PM. We hope you’ll stop by to celebrate his incredible work before it comes down.
Looking ahead to September, the Arts Alliance Center will host En Plein Air, presented by the talented artists of Upland Plein Air. This nature-inspired show promises beautiful, engaging artwork, and we can’t wait to share it with you. As always, thank you for being part of what makes Pillar Arts such a vibrant, creative community!
WHAT’S COMING UP
Flowers and Harmony by Kwang Cha Brown
Using bold colors, layered textures, and palette knife techniques, Kwang Cha Brown’s work captures the beauty and energy of nature.
Check out the exhibit for the reception during First Friday on September 4 from 5–8 PM.
By Hand Gallery
Tuesday September 1-Monday October 26
Bloomington, IN
Learn More about Kwang Cha Brown
En Plein Air by Upland Plein Air
This show features artwork inspired by artists’ firsthand experiences with the landscapes they depict.
Come celebrate the beauty and diversity of plein air painting, on display at the Arts Alliance Center in September. Visit the opening reception on Saturday, September 12 from 3–5 PM.
Arts Alliance Center
Thursday September 3-Wednesday September 30
Bloomington, IN
Learn More about Upland Plein Air
Hoosier Jazz Inc Presents a Master Class with Saxophonist Rahsaan Barber
Don’t miss this special class with acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and educator Rahsaan Barber.
Students and community members alike are invited to learn from an accomplished jazz musician and IU Jazz Studies alumnus.
Arts Alliance Center
Friday September 4
Bloomington, IN
Learn More about Hoosier Jazz Inc
HAPPENING NOW
Unreferencing Fields 3.X by Charles Pearce
On view throughout the month of August, Charles Pearce uses digital art to explore color, composition, and movement.
See you at the reception on Saturday, August 29 from 6–8 PM at the Arts Alliance Center to celebrate the exhibition and meet the artist.
Arts Alliance Center
Saturday August 1-Monday August 31
Bloomington, IN
Learn More about Charles Pearce
Intro to Bellydance with Donna Carlton
Join us at the Arts Alliance Center for a month-long creative dance series led by Donna Carlton!
Whether you’re an experienced dancer or just getting started, this class will help you grow and learn the basics of bellydance.
Pillar Arts Alliance Center
Thursday August 6-Thursday September 17
Bloomington, IN
Learn More about Donna Carlton
CALLING HOOSIER CREATIVES
No cost. No membership. Just community. Pilot Lights Creative Incubator is a free, eight-week program open to Indiana artists, designers, musicians, authors, and performers. Pillar Arts membership not required.
Each cohort of nine meets weekly around two questions: what are you working on, and where do you feel stuck? These sessions quickly grow into shared resources, honest encouragement, and a community that understands.
Applications are open now, and spots are limited, so apply today.
EXHIBITING @ BY HAND GALLERY
Get ready to fall in love with Flowers & Harmony, a vibrant new exhibition by Kwang Cha Brown opening at By Hand Gallery next Tuesday, September 1. Brown builds her floral pieces with bold, richly colored paint and a palette knife technique that creates a broken-color, three-dimensional texture in every petal. Layering her paint’s rich thickness with touches of pointillism, she captures the raw, tactile beauty of flowers in a way that feels both vivid and alive.
Celebrate the opening at First Fridays on September 4th from 5-8 PM, when Brown’s work takes center stage alongside the gallery’s range of handmade art and goods from artists across the region. Flowers & Harmony will be on view through October 26, so there’s plenty of time to visit and take it all in.
Learn More about By Hand Gallery
MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
Bonnie Baskets
Bonnie Baskets is a creative partnership between Bonnie and Barry Martin, who make handmade rope baskets that double as art pieces. She sews each basket on a vintage sewing machine, using the cotton rope and fabric to shape the piece into forms inspired by traditional pottery. Barry then finishes each one with decorative knots and details like shells or his hand-forged copper accents.
Their designs draw on a wide range of subjects from animals to flowers and seasons, to abstract themes. They also take on commissions based on client’s photos or ideas. Fabric colors and rope choices shift with the seasons and often reflect a particular setting, like rural, urban, or coastal styles. Each basket is built to be both usable and decorative, combining traditional techniques with original design.
Chandra Craig-Rettinger
Chandra Craig-Rettinger is a visual artist working in textiles, mixed media, and ceramics. She studied at Sinclair Community College, Herron School of Art & Design, and Indiana University, where she focused on sculpture, ceramics, and art education. Her work is inspired by nature and environmental awareness, often repurposing materials like denim and household plastics into textiles and jewelry to help reduce waste.
Her current series tackles environmental issues like coral bleaching, wildfires, and melting ice sheets, using acrylics on repurposed wood panels. She’s shown work in Artists for Climate Awareness exhibits and participated in the Trashion Refashion runway show for several years. Chandra is also active in the Bloomington community, making ceramic bowls for a local hunger relief drive and teaching art to kids through various programs.
View Chandra Craig-Rettinger’s Profile
PILLAR ARTS ARTISTS DIRECTORY
SHOUTOUTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tech Time with CoDesign Commons
Got tech troubles? Tech Time is a friendly community resource for all things tech with CoDesign Commons at Endwright East in College Mall!
Whether attendees are beginners or already tech-savvy, sessions meet them where they are. Participants can bring their laptop, tablet, or smartphone for hands-on help and helpful tips. The goal is to make technology easier to understand and use.
Lifelong Arts Indiana Teaching Artist Training
The Indiana Arts Commission is accepting applications for its Lifelong Arts Indiana Teaching Artist Training, a free five-part virtual series (October 13–23, 2026) taught via Zoom by Prismatic Creative Aging’s Stephanie Haines and Dr. Jon Kay.
Designed for teaching artists building skills in creative aging programming, the training requires attendance at all sessions; graduates join a roster connecting them with arts and aging organizations for future IAC grants. Applications close September 1.
Constellation Presents Heist
A thrilling final score, a priceless ruby, and a crew of criminals with everything to lose. Heist delivers an action-packed evening of twists, double-crosses, and daring escapes.
Inspired by classic caper films like Ocean’s Eleven and The Sting, this fast-paced production has become a runaway hit across North America.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Submit your event to our community calendar to share it with a wider creative audience and help keep our local arts scene connected and thriving.
HUNTINGBURG 4TH FRIDAYSFriday August 28, 8:30-10 PM, Market Street Park HUNTINGBURG – Enjoy an evening of live music, food trucks, games, and family-friendly fun at Market Street Park during Huntingburg’s 4th Friday celebration. Presented by the City of Huntingburg and Destination Huntingburg, this free event has something for all ages.
|
NIMRODS – A GREEN DAY COMEDY (2026)Thursday September 3, 6-7:30 PM, Buskirk-Chumley Theater BLOOMINGTON – This coming-of-age comedy road trip movie is inspired by Green Day’s early DIY touring days. Three Kansas City teenagers race to Los Angeles chasing their big break. Starring Mason Thames, McKenna Grace, and more, with music by Green Day. |
6TH STREET ARTS ALLEY EVENT & 411 GALLERY OPENINGThursday September 3, 5-8 PM, Sixth Street Arts Alley Parklet COLUMBUS – Enjoy this opening and reception, featuring photographic artist Bridget Conn’s cameraless experimental work as well as live music from multi-instrumentalist Jan Bell and upright bassist Devin Brown. |
PUMPKIN STROLLFriday September 4-Sunday September 6, Various times, Historic 4th Street HUNTINGBURG – Celebrate the fall season where storefronts are decorated with scarecrows and the streets smell like pumpkin spice and fresh candles. Shop locally owned gift shops, fashion boutiques, specialty stores, and restaurants. |
WHITE RIVER POULTRY FALL SHOWSaturday September 5, Various times, Owen County Fairgrounds SPENCER – Come see chickens, ducks, and other fowl at the White River Poultry Club’s Fall Show, held in memory of Tom Chandler. This one-day show is a great chance to see a variety of poultry breeds up close. |
WRITERS GUILD FIRST SUNDAY PROSE READINGSunday September 6, 4-5:30, Juniper Art Gallery BLOOMINGTON – Visit Juniper Art Gallery for an afternoon on Indiana history with featured readers Sue Hyatt and Ed Fujawa. Both writers have worked on notable Indianapolis projects exploring the state’s people and places. |
POLLINATOR WALKTuesday September 8, 5-6:30 PM, Burkhart Creek Park MARTINSVILLE – The Morgan County Soil & Water Conservation District invites you on a guided Pollinator Walk. Learn about native pollinators and other beneficial insects that call the park home. Meet at the shelter house near the playground. |
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
