Finch’s offers artists outlet

Owners Candace and Jeff Finch organized a reception Tuesday in the upstairs of their restaurant Finch’s Brasserie for Bloomington musicians and artists willing to perform or showcase their artwork in the upcoming year.

The reception allowed local artists to present their portfolios to the owners while having complimentary glasses of champagne and socializing with one another.

The Finch family has owned the restaurant for a year and a half after Truly Flat Bread closed in May 2008. Finch’s Brassiere is a “farm to table” restaurant, using local meat, cheese and organic produce from local farmers to represents all flavors of the Mediterranean.

“We are not trying to be Bluebird,” Candace Finch said, adding that she wants the upstairs part of the restaurant to be a comfortable place for people to listen to jazz or blues and grab a glass of wine and a cheese plate.

Jazz history Professor Pat Harbison brought in an audience of students when he played trumpet there in April.

“The lights were dimmed, people were drinking wine and the jazz was great,” Candace Finch said.

In late March,  the “Upstairs at Finch’s” events showcasing music performances were discontinued.

“It never took off, but now that people know who we are, they may be inclined to come,” Candace Finch said. 

Past artists to perform at Finch’s have included folk singer Krista Detor, abstract oil painter Kurt Larsen, Anne Witte and IU professor and photographer Steve Raymer.

“My goal of tonight is to meet artists and walk away from tonight with enough artists to book all through next year,” Candace Finch said.

Finch’s does not take commission nor ask the artist to pay a fee, but requires cover with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the artist, she said.

Local artist Carole Heslin paints portraits of famous people when they were kids, such as Oprah Winfrey, James Dean, John and Jackie Kennedy and Bloomington native John Mellencamp.

“I haven’t shown in town for years, and this was as good a time as any,” Heslin said about her visit to Finch’s.

Although Heslin said she once painted portraits of baseball players for the Mickey Mantle restaurant in New York City, she still feels Bloomington has a fairly vibrant art scene for the town’s size.

“It is surprising how many artists there are in such a sports town, but they are there,” Heslin said.

Local resident Sarah Manis has been designing silk scarves and jewelry for the past six years.

Manis, a member of the Cherokee Native American tribe in Oklahoma, uses Cherokee beadweaving and squarestick to create her contemporary and native designs.

“One-of-a-kind pieces are what makes it fun for me because it is all about each piece reflecting how I’m feeling at that time,” she said.

Manis said she will show her jewelry at A Fair of the Arts located at the City Hall Showers Building on Oct. 11.

In the spring, Finch’s will be holding a special exhibit of artwork by Rajia Rinpoche and a private collection of never-before-seen photographs from the Tibetan and Mongolian Culture Center to honor the Dalai Lama’s visit.

“Tibetan traditions are dwindling in society and part of His Holiness’s mission is to continue to share the culture through events just as this in a form of outreach,” Finch’s media and public relations coordinator Lisa Morrison said.

Morrison said that Finch’s has booked a multimedia show for Dec. 1 with a minimum of three artists showcasing textiles, jewelry, custom framing and potentially sculpture.
“Finch’s is a perfect venue for our mission to support independent art because of the creativity and vision of the ownership and location on Kirkwood across from the historic Sample Gates in the BEAD district,” Morrison said.

Referring to the IU students in the music and arts programs, she said, “This venue can be an incubator for these artists’ portfolios.”