The Singing Winds

The Singing Winds
Newsletter of the Friends of T. C. Steele State Historic Site
Winter
2014
“A Strange New Song . . . Puts Murder on Our Minds”
2014 Murder Mystery Dinner
Two Saturdays: February 8 and 15
The Friends of T.C. Steele’s next murder mystery is set in 1954. Noted Indiana University president
Herman B Wells decides that he should host a Valentine’s Day party at his Brown County cabin with
the unstated purpose of building some local goodwill toward Dr. Alfred Kinsey and his sex research
team which released their second sensational book, Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, just a
few months earlier. Besides Kinsey, his team of researchers and their spouses, Wells has invited a
few of his many friends from Bloomington and Nashville — folks whose opinions are respected in
their communities. Wilfred Bain, dean of the growing IU School of Music, a man who lets nothing
get in his way, will be present. Also Onya LaTour, famous for her strange art collection and the
many parties she holds to shake things up in Pleasant Valley, will be in attendance.
Herman sets the date for the party on a night when his good friend Hoagy Carmichael is taking a
break from Hollywood to visit some old pals in Bloomington. Hoagy brings one of his closest
Bloomington friends, Georgia Buzzskirt, to help provide the entertainment for the evening.
The party gets underway with good food, drinks and music even though one of the invited guests
has not arrived. But then something unexpected happens!
This murder mystery plot is shaping up as one of the best yet, so it will probably sell out like those
of the previous years. Tickets for dinner, dessert, wine and beer will be $40 each ($36 for
Friends members). The profits will help underwrite several needed projects at the Site.
Participants will have a choice of two evenings: February 8 or February 15 (with February 22 as
the snow date). The fun will start at 6:30 pm each evening in Steele’s large studio at the site. As
usual, participants will be encouraged to review the cast of characters and to select a role. Some
characters will have a few lines to read. Other characters will be party participants with no official
lines but who will be adding their personal comments on rumors and speculations to the dinner
conversations. The best performer always gets an Oscar trophy at our mysteries!
Jazz pianist Ric Heeter has agreed to play and sing the role of
Hoagy. You can hear Ric in action most Thursday nights at Malibu
Grille and Friday nights at Chapman’s. Hoagy’s “former” girlfriend
will be played by Kathleen McConahay, who will accompany
Hoagy in song. Kathleen often sings with the Starduster band.
As is our custom, there will be an opportunity to toast your Valentine
– you might pick one up in the play. However, you do not need a
“date” or partner to attend this enjoyable evening with friends.
Call T.C. Steele State Historic Site at 812-988-2785
to make your reservation.
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The Singing Winds
Winter, 2014
A Tribute to Davie Keen
by Andrea deTarnowsky
It's fitting that Davida Kean's last act as a staff member was also her first act as a
volunteer. Davie retired October 31 as the Friends Member Art Show was being
prepped for installation, so she signed in as a volunteer for set-up and the opening reception. Fitting, because the show was her idea in the first place: a way to
help the Friends of T.C. Steele build membership and support within the local art
community. She has always had a clear sense of the need for the Friends and
staff members to be a team. The new Friends website design? Everyone
collaborated, but the final "look" owes a great deal to Davie's aesthetic sense
and organizational skills. The upcoming garden restoration project, even in its
infancy, has already benefited from Davie's insights. Her ability to see the big
picture and make connections make Davie's contributions especially valuable.
Before coming to T.C. Steele, Davie worked at Brown County State Park, and every single visitor there
benefited from her skills even if they didn't realize it. Nature Center exhibits? Davie designed and built
them. The big masonry signs at the entrances? Davie, again. The interpretive garden? Three guesses. In addition to construction and maintenance projects, her talents as an artist and designer could be
seen all around town. My personal acquaintance with Davie started when we worked on the annual Wildflower Foray event. (The terrific Foray logo designs? Davie.) So when Davie applied for the full-time
maintenance position at T.C. Steele SHS in January 2008, it was obvious there couldn't be a better fit for
the site's combination of — as Davie puts it — "Art, History and Nature on 211 Acres."
During her six year tenure, the site has weathered the transition from DNR to ISMHS corporation, many
administrative and procedural changes, the rise and fall (and occasional rise again) of projects, programs
and marketing strategies, and Davie stayed on top of them all. Davie, the site and the Friends are lucky to
have had the benefit of your time and talents. We wish you the very best!
Welcome Anthony Joslin
Anthony Joslin has been hired as the site’s
new grounds & maintenance supervisor.
He grew up in Trafalgar, Indiana on a thousand acre farm where Hereford cattle were
raised and crops of corn and soybeans were
grown. His father's side of the family lived in
Brown County for over a hundred years. Their
homestead was at the location of the old
"Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco" barn between Nashville and Columbus. Anthony enjoyed playing down in that creek bed by the
highway as a child and finding Native American artifacts. His mom
owns an antique shop specializing in "primitives".
At age 17, Anthony moved to the Bay Area in California. As
an adult he has held many hats including retail nurseryman, landscape foreman, certified tree worker, certified arborist, manager
of a fifty employee tree care company, and owner of his own tree
and landscape company for the past ten+ years. An interesting
fact about Anthony is that he teaches fencing (yes, with swords)
to kids through a program at Brown County Parks & Recreation.
“I won't pretend to know it all,” states Anthony, “but I hope
my experience can enrich this beautiful and historical site.”
Friends of TC Steele
2014 Board
Officers
Stephanie Dean, President
Mary Jo Benedict, Vice-President
Yael Ksander, Secretary
Charlie Matson, treasurer
At-Large Members
Nan Brewer
Lowell Dawson
Susan Fernandez
Patti Pizzo
January 27, 2014 is Arts Day
Arts Day brings together hundreds of artists, arts administrators, and arts business
owners from across the state to visit with
their State Senators and Representatives
and inform them about the positive impact
of the arts on Hoosier lives, communities,
and the state's economy. More information
at www,ivytechartspartner.wordpress.com.
Friends of T.C. Steele Newsletter
Winter, 2014
3
Second Annual Member Show
The Membership Show drew 23 participants to showcase their artwork in the large studio during the
month of November, 2013. The theme was “The Art of Living”, reflecting Steele’s philosophy that the
greatest of all arts is the art of living. Viewers of the exhibition had the opportunity to vote for their
favorite piece of artwork. Congratulations to the following artists who were the peoples’ choice.
1st Place: Dan Woodson
2nd Place: Davie Kean
3rd Place: Mary Ann Davis
Volunteer of the Year: Kesha Minns
Kesha Minns was awarded a gift certificate and had her name etched on a permanent plaque in recognition of being named “2013 Volunteer of the Year”.
Starting her volunteering at the site in the fall of 2012, Kesha has been a wonderful contribution to our family. She has worked with staff and volunteers on
several project and events including eARTh Day, garden workdays, Great Outdoor Art Contest and Local Tastings, Arts Outreach Program and many other projects, too many to name! Her most notable role was playing Belsnickel at the
Steele’s Country Christmas event.
Kesha’s hobbies include reading, traveling, cooking and spending time with her husband, Greg, and son,
Christian. Kesha will be graduating from Indiana University Bloomington in the spring of 2014 with a
Bachelor of Science in Recreation (BSR), Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management from the School of
Public Health. We would like to thank Kesha for all her hard work and wish her good luck as she adventures
into the work force. Stay in touch, Kesha!
Artist in Residence: Gillian Harris
We are happy to announce our next Artist-in-Residence, Gillian Harris of Bloomington, Indiana. Gillian works at the intersection of art and nature: a natural science
illustrator, a botanical artist, an amateur naturalist and an Indiana native who
draws inspiration and enormous pleasure from exploring and observing the natural
world. Gillian will be on the property at the beginning of April to continue
her passion for illustrating the value of Indiana’s natural history. Learn more about
Gillian at www.yellowwood.net.
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Winter, 2014
The Singing Winds
Winter, 2014
5
The proposed design for the Formal Garden Restoration Project is shown on the previous page
for your review. The area being restored is located on the left side of the driveway as visitors
enter the grounds, just before driving up the hill to the house. It will become an inviting gateway to the site and a homage to Selma’s dedicated work and love of nature.
Garden design services are being donated by Dan Gluesencamp of Designscapes, and by
landscape architect Christina Kroeger.
Brown County resident and Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Corporation trustee Gary
Anderson is leading an advisory panel of experts in the fields of art, horticulture and philanthropy to direct the Garden Restoration Project currently underway. Known affectionately as the
“Selma Seven” after the artist’s wife Selma who designed the original gardens at the House of
the Singing Winds, the panel includes in addition to Gary, art historians Adelheid Gealt and
Rachel Perry, art dealer Jim Ross, landscape designer Dan Gluesenkamp, gardener Martha
Tedrowe, and gardener/philanthropist Jenny Johnson. We thank the “Selma Seven” for
recognizing the potential value of the gardens for making the T.C. Steele State Historic Site into
a nationally-known travel destination.
This multi-year project will take the support of many, both through donation of time and/or
financial support. If you are interested in knowing more about the garden restoration project or
finding out how you can help, contact Andrea deTarnowsky at TCSSHS, 812-988-2785.
Winter, 2014
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Arts Outreach Program Celebrates Life and Work of T.C. Steele
Thanks to Ivy Tech Bloomington, Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, the
Indiana Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts for their financial support in art
projects throughout the state of Indiana. The Friends of T.C. Steele State Historic Site has been
awarded a grant for $3,547 to support the Arts Outreach Program for 2013-2014.
The goal of the Arts Outreach Program is to celebrate the life and work of the famous Hoosier
painter T.C. Steele and to provide free, memorable artful experiences to community members living
in rural areas. By offering a new, positive “artful experience,” we will be planting a seed for art
appreciation within our community. These programs are the building blocks and encouragement
for more community members to become inspired to participate in artful living. Four programs will
be offered: The Story of Plein Air: Finding Composition Around You; Creating Color: The History
and Science of Color; Learning to Look: Observing and Appreciating the Arts; and T.C. Steele Inspired Murals: Constructing A Creative Community.
Our Arts Outreach Volunteer Team will be traveling to all of IAC Region 8 counties (Brown, Greene,
Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, and Owen). If you would like to join our team or
know an organization within these eight counties who would benefit from one of these programs,
please contact Megan Richards, Arts Program Developer, at [email protected].
Restored Beaded Lamp Returns
Detail of bead work on lamp
which was restored.
Recently, a middle eastern style lamp was
restored with rewiring, a new silk lining and beadwork. Restoration experts at the Indiana State
Museum were able to locate authentic antique
beads. They were guided by a Frank Hohenberger
black and white photo to recreate a close copy of
the original.
Funding for this project was provided through the
Heydon & Margaret Franzen Memorial Preservation Fund which supports restoration and preservation of historic artifacts and structures, excluding artwork, at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site.
Heydon and Margaret (Peg) Franzen were founding members of the Friends of T.C. Steele and
shared the very first Volunteer of the Year award
in 1993.
Next time you tour the “House of the Singing
Winds,” be sure to admire this newly repaired
period piece.
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Winter, 2014
Thanks to Our New and Renewed Friends
Received in October, November, December 2013
Sponsor
Emanuel & Judith Klein
Supporting
Jan & Jeffry Carter, Cathy Haggerty, Paul & Kim Mannweiler, Peter & Monika Kroener
Family
Cynthia Pauszek, Pamela Perry, Tim Shelly, Rex Higgins, Cathy & Glen Bengson, Eugene & Mary Lou
Henderson, Howard Creveling, Steve & Mary Simmons, Judy Stewart & Michael Fulton, Alice & Richard
Johnson, Melissa & Todd DeGroff, David & Dorothy Owen, David Gahimer, Ruth Ingraham,
Robert & Carole Kinder, Carl & Susan Douglas, Amy Metzger, John Craun, Mike & Sally Dunn, Ruellen
Fessenbacker & Carl Kulow, Carol & Richard Routh, Marcia Veldman
Single
Joshua Sutton, Tricia Hillenburg, Donna S. Whitsitt, Donna Shortt, Sara McQueen, Diane Burnett,
Beverly Mathis, Thomas Woodson, Dan L. Woodson, Cheryl Gregg Duckworth, Julia London-Meddles,
Thomas Matthew Gridley, Chris Newlund, Dennis N. Barron, Carol Bell, Pat Kruse, Anita Leason,
Patricia Siddiq, Anabel Hopkins, James R. Bishop, Betty Wagoner, Andrew Morrison, Pam Raider
Earned Membership (volunteered 25 hours or more)
Dalton Beasley, Linda Badger, Mary Jo Benedict, Deb Davis, Stephanie Dean, Susan Fernandes, Brenda
Jackson, Tina Jernigan, Kesha Minns, Martha Tedrowe, Julia Jelley, Nikki Weekly, Max Kipfer, Sam Williams
Reminder notices were sent in October, November, December and January
to persons whose memberships were expiring in those months.
If you overlooked this reminder, please use the below form to renew today.
I would like to be a Friend of T.C. Steele
NAME _______________________________________
PHONE __________________________
ADDRESS ____________________________________
E-MAIL __________________________
CITY _________________________ STATE __________
ZIP ___________
____ $25 Single
____ $100 Supporting
____ $500 Patron
_____$40 Family
____ $200 Sponsor
____$1000 Lifetime
I would like to make an additional gift to one of the special projects below:
Adopt-a-Painting $ ______
Garden Development $_______ Historic Tree Preservation $______
Artist-in-Residence Program $ _______ Heydon Franzen Memorial Restoration Fund $_______
Make checks payable to Friends of T.C. Steele.
Mail to Friends of T.C. Steele, 4220 T.C. Steele Road,
Nashville, IN 47448.
Membership can also be renewed online at www.tcsteele.org/get-involved.
Currently on View in the Large Studio
SITE HOURS
Historic Artist Homes & Studios
Photography Exhibition
Tuesday-Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm
Sunday: 1 to 5 pm
December 13, 2013—March 2, 2014
(standard admission fees apply)
Photographs and quotations from historic American
artists explore how their relationships with their homes
and studios both informed and inspired their work.
Artists as diverse in time and style as the Hudson River
School’s Thomas Cole (1801-1848) to Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)—as well as T.C.
Steele, himself—will be represented.
T.C. Steele State Historic Site will be the only
Midwestern venue for this traveling exhibit from
the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Friends of T.C. Steele State Historic Site, Inc.
4220 T. C. Steele Road
Nashville, IN 47448-9586
Closed Mondays and some holidays
Guided tours of home and studio
available on quarter hour
beginning at 9:15 am.
(1:15 pm on Sundays)
Admission to House and Studio
Adults: $5 Seniors: $4 Children: $2
Free to Friends of TC Steele
Contact Information
(812) 988-2785
[email protected]
www.tcsteele.org