Art Adventures

Art Adventures comes to Fort Ben Branch on Wednesday, November 18, from 10:30 to 11:15 AM. It's a morning session for preschoolers ages 3 to 6, and this time it's led by artist Jeremy South of Ripple Mobile Arts.

The format is pretty straightforward: the kids work alongside South to explore art inspired by picture books, and they each walk away with their own masterpiece made from clay and other materials. It's a hands-on hour rather than a sit-and-listen one, so it's a good fit for that age group. The session is ASL interpreted, too. It's part of the Indianapolis Public Library's Art/Crafts/Hobbies programming, and the whole thing is made possible by the Everwise Foundation through gifts to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation.

If you haven't been to Fort Ben Branch before, it's a 22,000-square-foot branch at 9330 East 56th Street in Indianapolis. It's a high-traffic community spot with a few things worth knowing about: its rooftop solar photovoltaic system provides 80% of the building's electricity, and it was the first library branch in Indiana to become a Certified Autism Center. It's a big, bright space that's well-equipped for a group of preschoolers to get messy with clay.

Places are allocated by registration, which opens on Wednesday, November 4, at 10:30 AM. Since it's a registered session, you'll want to sign up early if you're planning to bring your little one. The session itself runs from 10:30 to 11:15 AM on November 18.