The cultural districts are still recouping from the explosion of the Indy Fringe Festival that took place during the month of August. But if you didn't get the chance to make it out to the theater or galleries, two of the biggest art events are taking place in the month of September; IDADA's Fall Gallery Walk and the Broad Ripple Fall Gallery Tour. On First Friday, September 4, 2009, is the IDADA Fall Gallery Walk. This event features over 25 downtown venues with a wide variety of artistic experiences. One to check out is the Art Box at the Stutz (217 West 10th Street, Suite 140) "Carnival of Chaos" features the works of Caleb Weintraub, Andrew Winship and William Denton Ray. For more information visit www.idada.org

On Friday September 11th, 2009, from 5-9pm the Broad Ripple Fall Gallery Tour will open its doors to more than 19 galleries and specialty shops. Make a night out of the gallery walk, with artist demos, free horse drawn carriage rides, great shopping and dining, all in walking distance of each other. If you happen to be doing a little bit of banking in Broad Ripple while you are out be sure to check out the latest art exhibit at Key Bank; Pegboard Canvas Art by Indianapolis artist Bob Marks.

A must-see this month are the latest exhibits at the Indianapolis Art Center. Along with this year's Faculty show is a beautiful exhibit featuring creative abstract works by Gayla Hodson. Hodson was rewarded the Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship Grant that gave her the opportunity to set out and rediscover Indianapolis. Over the summer she went out to different locations around our favorite cultural districts where she documented with sketches and photographs that she took back to the studio to create her colorful interpretations of the city's life. Hodson talks about her work, "The buildings in these works show the structure and groundwork of the city, while butterflies flow through representing freedom, exploration, and transience. The city is both of these things; grounded in history and structure, and growing and changing and full of expansive energy."

Hodson's work is full of color and texture and she uses well one of my favorite painting tools, the palette knife (applying paint with a knife to the canvas). Her paintings may be two dimensional, but they have a feel of a 3D effect that almost encourages the viewer to reach out and touch the painting. Hodson adds, "I love it when someone stops and spends time looking at one of my paintings, particularly when I see them smile." If you cannot make it out to the September 11th opening the exhibit at the Indianapolis Art Center, the works will be on display until October 11th, 2009. For more information visit www.indplsartcenter.org.