Local gallery displays art celebrating winter’s arrival

The seasons are changing in Bloomington, but most residents are missing it. With the cold chill in the air, the changes that accompany the coming of winter often go unnoticed, as people duck their heads and hurry to the warm comforts of the inside. However, some local artists have been paying attention.\nThe Wandering Turtle Art Gallery, 224 N. College Ave., is hosting its fifth annual Winter Solstice Group Exhibit. The event celebrates the winter season and features artwork dedicated to the shifting weather.\n“A lot of the artwork we have has to do with the idea of introspect,” Wandering Turtle owner Jaime Sweany said. “When winter comes, we head inside and have more time to reflect.”\nThe exhibit began Nov. 16 and will continue through Dec. 31.\nSweany said the art pieces represent the change of flow. The gallery features photography, paintings, sculpture, wall hangings and other types of art that symbolize the new season.\nWhile some of the pieces are direct reflections of the winter season, such as the photography, others require a little imagination. The idea of dark versus light is common in many, Sweany said. One featured artist, Jill Weber, employed this inspiration in her jewelry pieces.\n“I feel that light represents knowledge and darkness represents ignorance,” Weber said.\nWeber said she believes the solstice represents a point of change in nature that represents the distance between knowledge and ignorance. \nThough the true thought processes behind the art might be complex, Sweany enjoys hearing the analysis of guests who visit the gallery.\n“There are a really neat variety of interpretations from the people who come in,” Sweany said. “It’s fascinating to see what people think of.”\nSweany said the flow of visitors to the exhibit, which picks up around the holidays, is a broad demographic mix of people of all ages and backgrounds. She said more and more college students show up every year.\nThe exhibit offers a chance for the diverse crowd to interact as well, with a station set up for hanging cards on a tree. \n“People can come in and write their wishes for the upcoming year and put them on the tree,” Sweany said. In the past, flower seeds, which were planted in the spring, accompanied these cards.\n“Our wishes grew into a garden that year,” Sweany said.\nThe Winter Solstice Exhibit is a part of Friday’s GalleryWalk. This event is a chance for Bloomington residents to visit the various art exhibits set up in the downtown area. The Wandering Turtle exhibit will have refreshments and live music.\n“I love the GalleryWalk,” Weber said. “It’s like a moveable feast for all the senses.”