Bloomington, Indiana – The Waldron Arts Center is welcoming spring with a vibrant lineup of new exhibitions, featuring three distinct shows that highlight unique artistic perspectives. Running throughout March and April 2025, these exhibitions—Thin Slices of Time, House Series, and Renaissance Pinball—offer visitors a chance to engage with thought-provoking works that span neuroscience, geometric exploration, and religious symbolism. Each show brings a different narrative and artistic approach, providing a diverse experience for art lovers in Bloomington.
Thin Slices of Time: A Neuroscientist’s Artistic Vision
Renowned neuroscientist Aina Puce presents her first solo exhibition, Thin Slices of Time, in the Educational Gallery. Known for her extensive research on brain activity, Puce now turns her focus to the art of photography, capturing fleeting moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. Her work explores themes of singularity, detail, and minimalism, aiming to highlight the beauty found in everyday scenes—whether it’s the intricate veins of a plant, the symmetry of an architectural element, or the subtleties of a landscape.
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Puce’s background as a neuroscientist informs her artistic approach, leading her to explore the way images are perceived and processed by the human brain. Her exhibition is a culmination of over 35 years of self-taught photography, blending traditional and experimental techniques. Visitors will have the opportunity to hear Puce discuss her work in a gallery talk on Saturday, March 22, at 5 p.m., where she will share insights into her creative process and the intersection of art and science.
House Series: A Study in Simplicity and Symbolism
In the Spotlight Gallery, Terre Haute-based artist Rod Bradfield presents House Series, a collection that focuses on a single, universally recognizable form—the basic house shape. Unlike his previous highly detailed and often humorous works, this series takes a more restrained approach, using simplified geometric forms and bold colors. The use of brown Canson paper as a uniform background ties the series together, allowing the interplay of color and shape to take center stage.
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Bradfield’s artistic journey has spanned decades, with an extensive career in fine arts and art education. His influences trace back to his time at the Art Institute of Chicago, and his experience as a secondary-level visual arts teacher for 34 years has shaped his approach to both art and storytelling. House Series reflects a personal and introspective shift in Bradfield’s work, showcasing how minimalism can convey deep meaning through consistent form and color variation.
Renaissance Pinball: A Modern Take on Religious Iconography
Jennifer Herrold brings a playful yet thought-provoking twist to religious art with Renaissance Pinball, featured in the Miller Gallery. Drawing inspiration from the Renaissance period, Herrold reimagines traditional religious iconography through the familiar form of pinball playfields. Her work juxtaposes the reverence of historical religious figures with the whimsical, fast-paced energy of pinball machines, creating a unique and engaging visual experience.
A standout feature of the exhibition is a fully restored 1977 Williams pinball machine, Argosy, which ties the theme together. Herrold’s art bridges the gap between past and present, using humor and contemporary references to make historical religious symbols more accessible and relatable. Her background in fiber arts, ceramics, visual communication, and painting—combined with her upbringing in an artist family—adds depth and texture to her pieces, making this exhibition a must-see for those interested in both historical and modern artistic interpretations.
A Season of Artistic Exploration at Waldron Arts Center
These three exhibitions underscore the Waldron Arts Center’s commitment to showcasing diverse and innovative art forms. Whether it’s Puce’s neuroscientific exploration of time through photography, Bradfield’s minimalist yet powerful house icons, or Herrold’s fusion of religious tradition and contemporary amusement, each show offers a fresh perspective that challenges conventional artistic boundaries.
Visitors are encouraged to experience these exhibitions firsthand and engage with the artists’ creative journeys. The Waldron Arts Center continues to be a hub for artistic expression, bringing together established and emerging artists to share their unique visions with the Bloomington community.
The exhibitions will run through March and April 2025, offering ample opportunity for art enthusiasts to immerse themselves in these compelling collections.
