Art Colony Pilgrimage

I knew nothing about Brown County, Indiana, when Michael Chesley Johnson mentioned last spring that he and Indiana artist, Doug Runyon, were planning a retreat there for May 2018.  My thoughts:  a painting trip with my buddies, a car packed with art supplies and spring weather!  Where do I sign up?

The retreat grouped gathered at the Hill Top cabins north or Nashville, IN.  Our Ohio crew needed more beds and baths so we rented the cabin above on Grandma Barnes Road.  Grandma Barnes was a character reminiscent of Granny Clampett and a popular subject of the artists in the local colony.

On Sunday Doug gave us a schedule that was a great mix of art, Brown County history and opportunities to paint at sites we’d have never found on our own.

The making of a Gustave Baumman print

On Monday we visited the Brown County Museum where Lyn Letsinger Miller showed us some of the amazing paintings in their permanent collection.  It’s hard to imagine coming to the hilly, undeveloped county in the early 1900’s without running water, good transportation or electricity to make art, but T.C Steele led the way and so many others who were well trained artists from major cities followed him.  http://www.browncountyartgallery.org/

Since Michael has written two blog posts about our trip that focus more on the artists and our activities you might want to read his blog 

On the first day we painted at the Brown County State Park.

While most of the crew painted at the lookout tower, Marty Husted and I went on a quest that ended up at a very pretty creek and indoor restrooms (always a plein air plus).  When we saw people in hazmat suits we were a little alarmed.  They were researchers from Purdue out collecting ticks in the woods. Beware!

Each morning we held a critique of the previous day’s paintings.

The next day we painted at the Flower and Herb Barn.  There were so many detailed structures, planters and garden  ornaments that I decided to keep it simple and just capture a backlit scene with early spring greens.  While we were having a fabulously fresh lunch at the Farmhouse Café, the wind blew over my easel, but the painting survived.

Cabin at Camp Palawopec

Wednesday was my favorite day.  We painted at a summer camp with some very cool structures and interesting landscape.  I could have spent the whole week there.  At our critique the next morning one of our fellow painters asked if I’d sell my painting.  I wanted it as a souvenir but decided to part with it. That evening we were hosted for dinner by Leo and Lyn Miller and their friends.

On Thursday it rained quite a bit so we visited  the TC Steele State Historic Site.  This was my favorite of his paintings.  His son’s expression – “I’m trying not to cry, but I really can’t sit here much longer in my Sunday clothes.”

We didn’t paint as a group, but I went downtown to sketch a lovely little church and painted dogwood flowers in the evening until dark.  My friends laugh at my obsession with painting on these trips.  While some are content to do a painting or two and just relax, I’m driven to wear out my brushes. (With that said, I’m the queen of accomplishing little to nothing at home.)

On the last day we visited a private residence where artist Adolf Shulz lived.  Then we went to a private home/antique shop to paint.  I liked the potting shed, playing around with lots of paint and a knife. 

After a delicious lunch it was time to pack up.  I’m hoping our group’s aspiration to visit some of the other artist colonies around the country provides as wonderful an opportunity as this one did.