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June 2025
Hello from ArtShopLand! Summer in Bloomington is always a liminal timewarp––traffic slows with students out of town and permanent residents traveling, and yet the days still fly. It's hard to believe by next weekend July 4 will be in the rearview!
| | You might spot a few layout updates in this edition! From here on out, all our free meetups will appear under a new heading: Open Studio Events. That means it’ll be easier than ever to spot which gatherings are free, drop-in friendly, and open to anyone. | Read on to check out all the amazing community collaborations we've supported lately, and peep some exciting workshops coming up! | | |
Art Camp • Week 1
Mon. 6/30 – Thurs. 7/3
9am–1pm
Campers will spend this week exploring vibrant hues, curious combinations, and the unexpected magic that can happen when we mix, layer, and experiment.

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Art Camp • Week 2
Mon. 7/7 – Fri. 7/11
9am–1pm
This week draws inspiration from plants, animals, and the natural textures we find underfoot and overhead. We'll bring the outdoors into our artwork!
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Plein Air In Practice • Session 2
Sat. 7/19
9:30am–4pm
Join plein air painter and instructor Scott Sullivan for this monthly oil painting series designed to build your skills step by step—through guided instruction, hands-on demos, and time in the field.
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Intro to Alcohol Inks
Sat. 7/12
1-3pm
If you're new to alcohol inks or would like to revisit the basics, this beginner-friendly workshop explores color mixing, blending techniques, and texture creation.
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Art Camp • Week 3
Mon. 7/14 – Fri. 7/18
9am–1pm
From wild creatures to imaginary lands, campers will dream boldly and bring their one-of-a-kind visions to life with open-ended materials and plenty of creative freedom.
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Plein Air In Practice • Session 2
Sat. 7/19
9:30am–4pm
Join plein air painter and instructor Scott Sullivan for this monthly oil painting series designed to build your skills step by step—through guided instruction, hands-on demos, and time in the field.
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Art Camp • Week 4
Mon. 7/21 – Fri. 7/25
9am–1pm
This week, we'll delve into the joy of combining materials in playful and inventive ways! Experimenting with texture, pattern, and form, campers will blend 2D and 3D and walk away with highly tactile creations.
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Teen Intensive • Session 1
Mon. 7/21 - Fri. 7/25
1:30–6pm
Through classical techniques designed to train the eye and hand, students will explore proportion, gesture, and shading, complete a master copy, and create a personal project.
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Tai Chi and Mindful Creation
Fri. 7/25 & Sat. 7/26
Two-Part Series
This two-part workshop blends the gentle, flowing movements of Tai Chi with intuitive mark-making exercises that draw from the body’s natural rhythms. Combine presence, motion, and creativity to produce a book that captures your movement in real time.
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Zentangling In Color
Sat. 7/26
10am – 12pm
Discover the linear forms of Zentangle and take your designs a step further by infusing them with vibrant colors! Explore contrast and texture through guided exploration and visual play.
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Teen Intensive • Session 2
Mon. 7/21 - Fri. 7/25
1:30–6pm
Students will dive into the science and emotion of color, exploring color theory, mixing, and mood-building techniques to boost creative confidence and visual storytelling skills.
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Saddle Stitch Workshop
Sat. 8/2
1–4pm
Learn the art of saddle stitch bookbinding and make your own hand-bound booklets using simple tools and beginner-friendly techniques.
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Collage Collective
ON PAUSE FOR 6/26
5-7pm
Tonight's Collage Collective meetup is on pause while we have a new door installed between the shop and the Creative Commons workshop. See you at July's meetup!

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Art Club
Thurs. 7/10
5-7pm
Help us chalk the walk! We’re mixing a batch of chalk paint to transform our sidewalk into a big, bold, community-made canvas––and we need alllllll the help we can get.

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Indiana Gourd Society Meetup
Thurs. 7/17
1-3pm
Join the Bloomington Patch of the Indiana Gourd Society! This free monthly meetup creates art from hard-shelled gourds. Materials provided, all are welcome!

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Bloomington Zine Club
Thurs. 7/17
5-7pm
Share your art + writing + ideas through self-publishing! BYO project or contribute to our monthly community zine. Free, age-inclusive, and open to all.

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| | Some exciting new offerings are arriving in the Creative Commons this fall—and this is your final chance to get on the waitlist. Waitlisters will be the first to receive exclusive early access to reserve a spot before registration opens to the public.
| | Apparel Series: features clothed models in expressive poses and stylized outfits, with a focus on gesture, shape, and storytelling. | Anatomy Series: invites artists of all levels to study the nude human form in focused sessions that blend tradition, observation, and skill-building. | | | Atelier Series with Rebecca Woodward | | After School Atelier: for students ages 13–18 who are ready to grow their skills and deepen their creative practice. Meets three Wednesday afternoons a month through the fall semester. | | After Hours Atelier. for adult learners who want to return to the fundamentals, build confidence in their technique, or reconnect with their creative voice. Meets three Wednesday evenings a month through the fall semester | | This offer is reserved for subscribers. Join our list to receive these exclusive offers, early programming access, and other inbox-only perks! | | Harmony School 50th Anniversary Event | | | MCPL
Art Supply Petting Zoo | | When you shop local, it gives us the opportunity to reflect it right back at the community we share.
This month, we partnered on a not-insignificant number of programs, contributing more than $550 worth of donated materials! | |
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See you in the next edition!
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