Is it magic or is it science? Have great fun exploring the surprising tricks mirrors can play on your brain! This special hands-on exhibition for people of all ages is on display at WonderLab (Tuesday – Sunday) through April 13.

Opening January 3 and running until February 1, a variety of new exhibits are on display at the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center galleries.

National Society of Arts and Letters: 2014 Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition of Emerging Artists

Indiana artists aged 18-29 compete for a $1,000 Best in Show prize awarded annually by the Bloomington Chapter of the NSAL. This local group has given away over half a million dollars to support budding careers invisual arts, dance, drama, literature, music, and musical theatre since 1966.

Janelle Beasley: “Comfort Zone” (paper collages)

Lucas Adams and Bailey Tichenor: “Northern Exposure” (paintings and photographs)

Galleries are open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 7 pm, and Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm.

What: Hula Hooping to Music!
When: 4 Classes Wednesdays, January 15, 22, 29 & February 5 ; 10:00 – 11:00 am
Where: Endwright Center, 631 W. Edgewood Dr, Ellettsville, IN 47429
Who: Alli Hale
Cost: $5/Class (or $15 if pre-registered and paid in full) (Free to Endwright Center Members)
About: This is a basic introduction to hoop dancing; a fun and energizing way to improve balance and mobility, and help build core strength. No experience necessary. Hoops are provided (limited quantity) or bring your own.
For Additional Information: 812-876-3383, ext 515 http://www.area10agency.org

“Community Voices Gallery: League of Women Voters”
League of Women Voters exhibit, open now through March 29, 2014, through photos, documents, written history and objects you will be able to see the involvement of the Bloomington Chapter of this nationwide organization. Please note, museum hours are Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm.

“Giants in Cornfield, Civil War Sesquicentennial”
“Giants in Cornfield, Civil War Sesquicentennial” exhibit open now through April 12, 2014, gives an incredible look at the soldiers from Monroe County and their role in the battles of the Civil War. Please note, museum hours are Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm.

“Old Fashioned Christmas”
Come view Christmases from the past in the History Center’s “Old Fashioned Christmas” exhibit. November 29 – February 15, 2014 Please note, museum hours are Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm.

Opening January 3 and running until February 1 at Pictura Gallery is a new photography exhibit by Antonio Bolfa: “Haiti: Mass Garbage Dumps of Cite Soleil”.

“The town of Cite Soleil has the biggest garbage dumping grounds in the city of Port au Prince and possibly the country of Haiti. It is a vast wasteland that stretches to the horizon, always expanding as peoples’ waste is dumped there. On and around this massive wasteland a community has grown. People erect makeshift homes and raise families among the fields of garbage where they scavenge the refuse for food, scrap metal and other recyclable items so they can survive. There are no jobs, health care or education. A good day is when garbage trucks deliver batches of spoiled meat that are free for eating. Following the tragic earthquake on January 10th, 2010, the international community poured financial assistance into the country. Since that day, not a single penny has been received by the community of Cite Soleil. As I watched people fight for their survival, I would always think to myself, “What do these people need to sacrifice in order to live like this? Do these people have to relinquish some part of their humanity in order to survive? Or does this kind of hardship define a part of what humanity is in the 21st century?” I am still shocked that this level of poverty and base survival still exists in 2013.”

Artist talk will be held Thursday, January 30 at 7 pm. Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11 am – 7 pm.

Wednesday, January 29, 12:15–1:00 p.m.
Gallery of the Arts of Asia and the Ancient Western World, second floor
Whether wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) or wayang golek (rod puppetry), the puppets of Indonesia provide insight into character, religion, and history. The word “wayang” means mirror. The visage of a puppet—narrow eyes or gruesome teeth, for instance—tells a dynamic story on display and in performance. Jennifer Goodlander, assistant professor in the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance and faculty research Curator at the Mathers Museum, will talk about some of the puppets on display at the Art Museum and their use and meaning in performance.

What: Brain Games (weekly)

When: Wednesdays, 2:00-3:00 p.m. beginning January 8. New players welcome any time!

Who: Heather Short, a Patient Care Coordinator for Indiana Home Health.

Where: The Endwright Center, 631 W. Edgewood Drive, Ellettsville, 47429

Cost: Free! (Donations gratefully accepted!)

Additional Information: Heather Short of Indiana Home Health will lead participants in “Brain Games,” a weekly activity of playing fun trivia games to jump start our brains. The games will help participants retain information; maintain mental acuity, while learning fascinating new trivia facts at the same time! New players welcome any time! Refreshments will be provided by Indiana Home Health, a home health agency providing nursing, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy care in the comfort of their clients’ own home. Sponsored by Area 10 Agency on Aging and Indiana Home Health. Please call Heather at 812-345-7021 for more information regarding Indiana Home Health services.

For more information: call the center at 876-3383 ex. 515.

What: Golden Slippers Chi Gong (Eight Treasures)

When: Wednesdays (weekly), 4:30 – 5:30 pm, beginning Wednesday, January 8.
New students may join at any time!

Who: Certified instructor, Elisa K. Pokral

Where: Endwright Center, 631 W. Edgewood Drive, Ellettsville, 47429

Cost: $10 per class – join any time!

About:
Chi Gong is a form of Tai Chi with easily memorized movements. Scientific studies indicate its effectiveness for all ages. Benefits include stress reduction, mindfulness, and weight control, strengthening of heart, lungs, circulation, and skeletal system. Chi Gong also increases flexibility and balance.

Classes are taught for students at all levels and are open to any individual over 18 years of age. You will find this flowing form of relaxing movement to be a source of renewed vitality that you can also practice at home. Stop by to check out our new
EC After Hours offerings (after your daily activities, work, or after school!). Find yourself both relaxed and revitalized before you begin your evening by discovering the benefits of Golden Slippers Chi Gong! New students may join at any time!

Certified instructor:
Elisa K. Pokral is a certified Tai Chi Chuan instructor. She has taught Tai Chi since 1995. She incorporates a variety of energy work in health and wellness including Reiki, self-empowerment, and meditation.
For Additional Information Contact: 812-876-3383, ext 515

Do you have stories to pass along to your children, grandkids… or the whole world?

The nonprofit Career Resource Center of Nashville, Indiana, is now offering exciting new classes for people who have a book inside them, just waiting to get out. Whether you’ve already written a book, are currently writing one, or are simply dreaming of writing one in the future, these courses are ideal for you.

The first is “Self-Publish a Paperback at Little or No Cost.” It consists of six weekly classes covering topics from preparation of manuscripts in Word format for self-publication, to actual printing of books at Lulu.com and Amazon’s CreateSpace.com, to methods for developing an audience for a self-published book after publication.

The second is “Self-Publish an e-Book at Little or No Cost,” showing you how to publish your book at Amazon’s ‘Kindle Direct Publishing’ and make it available to readers worldwide, without spending a dime.

Your book does NOT need to be fully written to learn the techniques in these courses. Bring your manuscript, finished or unfinished, to each class on a flash drive, laptop or tablet computer in Microsoft Word format. This will allow you to apply the methods explained during classes in real life. Basic (but not advanced) skills using Word are needed for best results.

The instructor is Harvard graduate Danny O. Snow, editor / publisher of SelfPublishersMonthly.com, a new e-Book series available worldwide from Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble.

Each course will emphasize what Snow calls “Do-it-Yourself-Publishing” with low-to-no investment, versus paying a vanity press hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars.

Students from previous classes have already made their books available on Amazon without spending a dime — you can too!

The cost is just $75 for six weekly classes. You may attend class any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday each week at 6 pm by appointment only; please call 206-666-5484 or e-mail [email protected] to reserve a seat beforehand.

Insight Meditation Instruction and Group Meditation is held every Wednesday at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center. Based on the model developed by Jon Kabat Zinn. No previous meditation experience necessary. All are welcome. No charge. Donations appreciated.