Recap: Face to face with art - Yazzy's at www.williamverdult.com

Museums aren't the only options for Indianapolis art lovers. Area galleries display everything from traditional oil paintings to pop-surrealist vinyl sculptures.

And despite the apprehensions of newbies, browsers are just as welcome as buyers, owners insist. In fact, window shopping has reached a new level of acceptance, thanks to the growing popularity of gallery walks. During these events, proprietors remain open beyond normal operating hours to entice first-timers and longstanding clientele alike to peruse works -- often with appetizers and drinks supplementing the art.Every month, for example, the First Friday walks, sponsored by the Indianapolis Downtown Artists & Dealers Association, involve galleries in Fountain Square and along and near Massachusetts Avenue, Indiana Avenue and the Downtown Canal, as well as Herron School of Art, Harrison Center for the Arts and other locations.

"The First Friday and the gallery openings have provided a wonderful opportunity to introduce a whole new audience to art," says Mark Ruschman, owner of Ruschman Art Gallery.

"New clientele and new faces are showing up at the gallery. . . . It gives people a comfort level. It also gives them options. They can pop their head in the door and say, 'Eh, this is not what I want to look at. But we've got 20 other places we can go.' "

But you don't have to wait for the next scheduled walk to start exploring the local gallery scene. Plan your own tour. Following are just a few places to get started.