Artists Open Their Studio Doors for Local Art Party
Photographer / Ethan Snyder
On Friday, Nov. 21, local artists will open their studios to present An Evening at the Murray from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The art party includes a holiday art sale featuring works from the professional artists housed inside the historic Murray Building in downtown Muncie.
ART at the Murray, located above The Caffeinery, is a collective of artists with studio space inside the Murray Building. First Thursday ArtsWalk attendee Rebekah Hanna encourages visitors of ART at the Murray to walk up the 1960s green linoleum steps at the entryway to experience the art and the artists.
“I love the ART at the Murray. One of my favorite things about this building is the beautiful steps,” Hanna says. “You have to pay attention to the steps when you come up.”
Throughout the year, ART at the Murray artists open their studio doors and connect with the community for special engagements, including First Thursday ArtsWalk and the upcoming An Evening at the Murray.
ART at the Murray events offer visitors a rare opportunity to be immersed in the artistic process. Unlike an art gallery, visitors can see “working galleries” filled with paintbrushes, easels, completed works and pieces in progress.
Carrie Wright Silk Gifts and Gallery, owned by silk artist Carrie Wright, is the only art studio in the ART at the Murray suites open for regular business hours. Wright explores her artistic freedom by combining ancient and innovative silk painting techniques.
Wright says walking into spaces like ART at the Murray draws a deeper appreciation for the artist and demystifies what it means to be one.
“When a community has a space like this operating in it, the community becomes beautified,” Wright says.
Cassie Dunmyer’s art celebrates the natural world while promoting preservation practices. Influenced by nature’s beauty and the way societal norms affect it, Dunmyer’s studio is located inside ART at the Murray in Suite 308.
Dunmyer primarily uses layered acrylic and colored pencil but also incorporates other media such as ink, collaged materials, gesso and beeswax.
Through her art, Dunmyer highlights the beauty of nature while addressing modern issues including pollution, overdevelopment and the fragility of our food systems. Her work sparks reflection and meaningful conversation about our connection to nature, consumerism, climate change, wildlife decline and sustainability.
Raised in a log home, Dunmyer says she developed an early appreciation for the beauty of untouched nature.
“Untouched landscapes and sustainable living are central to my work,” Dunmyer says.
An aspiring homesteader, Dunmyer and her husband are raising their children with gardens, orchards, chickens and bees.
“We continuously try to live more sustainably,” Dunmyer says. “This journey informs my artistic practice, inspiring both the materials I use and the themes I explore.”
A Ball State University graduate with a BFA in drawing, Dunmyer has exhibited her work in juried shows including The Indianapolis Zoo’s Naturally Inspired Paint Out Exhibition at the Eiteljorg Museum and Art from the Heartland at the Indianapolis Art Center.
Her piece “The Last Little House on the Prairie” highlights suburbia’s obsession with manicured lawns and disconnection from the natural world. The work depicts a neighborhood with identical, trimmed lawns — except for one sustainable backyard garden.
“My work is definitely going down the path of promoting principles of permaculture and holistic environmental management,” Dunmyer says.
She encourages art supporters to explore ART at the Murray.
“There’s something new every time we’re open,” Dunmyer says. “You can see something completely different from one door to the next.”
Josh Dunckel and his wife, Hannah, own Dunckel Haus Photography located in Suite 305. The husband and wife photography duo specialize in wedding, family, portrait and lifestyle photography. Avid thrifters, Dunkel Haus Photography utilizes vintage and non-traditional optics to create different styles of photography paired with retro background settings, including a 1970s green floral print couch and record player.
Dunckel Haus Photography will debut their 1990s-styled holiday setting during An Evening at the Murray.
Photographer Mark Sawrie hosts his exhibition space inside ART at the Murray. His gallery features a new show every month, ranging from adult-themed digital compositions to captivating scenes from Muncie and his travels.
“Come to visit. You don’t have to talk to me. You can just stare at the work,” Sawrie says. “That’s kind of what it’s about — staring at things.”
Additional ART at the Murray artists include Hue House featuring Dr. Robin Phelps-Ward’s Viola Lou Studio and Dr. Kat Stephens-Peace’s Kat Peace Art, Kerry Shaw, and Dunckel Haus Photography by Josh and Hannah Dunckel.
The studios are filled with fine art in all media, including watercolor, oil, acrylic, photography and silk painting.
“It’s fun to see art being made. It’s fun to meet an artist,” Wright says.
During An Evening at the Murray on Nov. 21, cartoonist Dan Wright will perform live music on the third floor. Light canapés and mocktails will be served.
For more information on An Evening at the Murray, follow ART at the Murray on Facebook. For more information on Carrie Wright Silk Gifts & Gallery, visit carriewrightsilk.com. To view Cassie Dunmyer’s work, visit cassiedunmyercreative.com.
