The Amazing Limestone of Indiana

When the glaciers carved out the Great Lakes ( Lake Superior,  Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario) on their way south, they began to melt in northern Indiana, scraping the land flat and depositing some of the best soil in America.  This rich, dark farmland is where I live in middle north Indiana.  However, the glaciers ended about fifty miles south of my home in Brookston leaving prehistoric, sedimentary rock formations, much of it limestone.  The famous limestone quarries are in Southern Indiana, but some of the most beautiful cliffs and caves are preserved in Turkey Run State Park, northwest of Indianapolis, near Crawfordsville.  Today's oil painting is of one of those cliffs with caves large enough to crawl into if we could climb up that high. They were carved by the power of water eons ago, but water continues to shape them little by little.

"Cliff Cave", oil on canvas, 18" x 24", $1800,  ©Kathryn Clark  

I'm also very  happy to announce that I've been accepted as a Guest Artist with the Brown County Art Guild in the beautiful, southern hills of Nashville, Indiana.  This guild was central to the Indiana Impressionist movement at the turn of the century and continues to be a gallery for renown Indiana landscape painters.

www.browncountyartguild.org

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As early as 1870, artists traveled from far and wide to enjoy the "Peaceful Valley" of Brown County and to capture its beauty on their canvases. Nestled in the hills of Southern Indiana, Nashville was not an easy destination to reach; none the less, these hardy and adventurous artists arrived, worked closely together, and created a great sense of camaraderie. Some were transient, but many remained and made Brown County their home. Those early days were difficult; living conditions were very primitive, but the spirit, principles, and quality of art were soon established and Brown County Indiana quickly became well recognized throughout the United States and Europe as a premiere art colony.

The first Brown County art association was incorporated in April, 1925 with Carl Graf (originally from Bedford) as its president. It was the only art association in the county until in 1954, Marie Goth, V. J. Cariani, Carl Graf, Genevieve Goth Graf, Curry Bohm, Dale Bessire, Georges LaChance and other notable artists formed the Brown County Art Guild, Inc. Carl Graf served as the first president of the newly formed art guild.  

Lately, I've been painting in my studio almost every day, so I'll post another painting soon.  If you know of others who would enjoy this blog, please forward this on to them.  And you know I always like to hear from you.  Thank you for viewing my art.