A Night of New Beginnings: Harrison Center Kicks Off First Friday 2025 With Bold Art, Live Performance, and Community Creativity

Perchance to Dream by Johnny McKee

The Harrison Center is ringing in the new year with a vibrant celebration of artistry, expression, and community connection. On Friday, January 2nd from 6 to 9 p.m., First Friday returns — transforming the historic venue into a dynamic showcase of color, movement, music, and storytelling.

Each gallery throughout the building will introduce a fresh body of work, offering guests the chance to explore a range of mediums and perspectives bursting with creativity and emotion.

A New Chapter in Color and Chaos

In the Harrison Gallery, artist Johnny McKee presents Love-Handles and Cowlicks, a bold leap into abstract expressionism. His non-representational pieces buzz with texture and unpredictability — drips, splatters, and urgent strokes that embrace the beauty of being imperfect. McKee’s latest evolution feels like an invitation to revel in the messy, exuberant act of being human.

Quiet Strength in Fragile Spaces

Stephanie Robertson’s The Resilience of Hope, showcased in the Speck Gallery, traces the quiet persistence of life. Through small watercolor studies and sweeping silk-painted, quilted panels, Robertson captures transformation in subtle moments — ice giving way to pavement, water reshaping itself, greenery breaking through concrete — reminding us that hope never fully disappears.

The Blues Take Shape

In the City Gallery, Indianapolis native Warren Beal turns the rhythm of the blues into striking visual form. His exhibition All Night Boogie features compositions made from discarded urban materials reassembled into artworks that echo the improvisation of late-night jam sessions. Each piece vibrates with the spirit and pulse of the city itself.

Storytelling in the Margins

Downstairs in the Underground Gallery, Chris Hill’s Everyday Poetics elevates everyday marks and messages found in public spaces — the kind often overlooked but deeply significant to belonging and identity. Through mixed media pairings with photography, Hill highlights how even the smallest gestures in the urban landscape affirm existence and voice, especially within marginalized communities.

Birdsong in Color and Wax

The Sky Gallery presents Listen by Elizabeth Guipe Hall, an exploration of what happens when bird songs become visual art. Through layers of wax, collage, and texture, Hall translates sound into vibrant imagery — bridging two sensory realms and revealing the hidden music of nature.

A New Season of Growth

In Hank & Dolly’s Gallery, Florescence by Leslie Dolin reflects on personal transformation. Created during her transition into empty nesting, Dolin’s oil and mixed-media works reimagine flowers as symbols of renewal and self-discovery — a blooming reminder that growth doesn’t end with change, but begins there.

Stories of a City

Finally, in the Lift Gallery, Cierra Johnson debuts Circle City Made, a handcrafted collection of collages, photography, and design work rooted in personal narrative and place. Each piece honors the people, history, and lived experiences that shape community identity.

More Than an Art Show

First Friday promises plenty beyond the gallery walls. In the Historic Gymnasium, expect high-energy thrills with Wrestling is Art, featuring WWE-style entertainment by Zane Pasley. Outside in the Courtyard, visitors can immerse themselves in Se(e) Change, a large-scale installation by Michelle Walkey-Thornburg and Aaron Thornburg, complete with dance performances by Neil Cain and a cozy fireside gathering spot. And for those craving something delicious, IndiTaco is serving up flavorful Indian–Mexican fusion just steps away.

Plan Your Visit

All exhibitions open at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026.• In-person gallery tours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.• Online galleries launch January 3 at harrisoncenter.org/buy-art• Special Senior Hours: Every Friday, 2–4 p.m., no appointment necessary.