Fountain Park Chautauqua

The Hotel at Fountain Park Chautauqua

For the past two weeks I've been teaching painting at the Fountain Park Chautauqua in Remington, Indiana, and it truly was like stepping back in time.  It was founded in 1895 and has had families come for camaraderie and learning continuously since then, even during the depression and the wars.  There are only two others still in existence, the original in Chautauqua, NY being one of them, and Lakeside, OH the other.   Unlike the original one in New York which is very huge with internationally known speakers and a constantly changing audience, Fountain Park is almost exactly like it was 100 years ago but without the horses and buggies, and with indoor plumbing and electricity, but no air conditioning or TV. (The original Chautauqua in NY was founded by the Methodist Church to teach Sunday School teachers.)  Around the hotel, there is a huge circle of cabins which were built and owned by each family. 

So the people at Fountain Park were born into families who owned a cabin, grew up there during the summer, sometimes met their spouses there, and raised their children.  Today it's a "no growth" community.   Because there's no more land on which to build cabins, many people have built up, creating a second story for the grand children and others.  However, there is enough land for some campers and tents.   Here is a link to its history:  http://www.fountain-park.org/ABOUTAboutUs.htm   As with the first Chautauqua, music and lectures are very important along with games and art.  Here's the building for lectures and music with it's open sides and very old theater seats.

A woman named Mrs. Ethel Lough started to teach painting in 1938, and they painted under the trees until 1943 when a small building was offered to house an "art colony".   Now they have a much larger metal building with two wings, one for teaching painting to adults and the other for children to paint and for women to use for quilting.  Here's my class:

To raise money for equipment for the "art colony",  Mrs. Lough would offer a painting each year to be raffled at the end of the main two weeks of entertainment, classes, and lectures.  This tradition continues so I painted the hotel as I demonstrated the oil painting process to the art colony.

"Chautauqua Hotel"  11" x 14", oil on canvas board

The Fountain Park Chautauqua is truly a unique and almost a secret place as many people in Indiana don't know it exists.  However, the families are very welcoming to visitors who can come to see the entertainment and hear the lectures, paint in the art colony, and stay in the hotel, all meals included.  It's not surprising that it's on the National Historical Register and is truly a living history.   It was a privilege to teach there. 

The First Blush of Spring in New Harmony, IN

"Peony Garden", New Harmony, IN  9" x 12" plein air oil on canvas panel

I see that I've been very negligent about sending blogs this spring with new paintings, so I'll try to catch up with all the new paintings by sending several blogs in a row.  The first plein air painting event in Indiana each year is the April paint-out in New Harmony, the historic village at the tip of the boot of Indiana near the Wabash and the Ohio River.  As I've said in other years, it was where the Utopian, Rappite community founded the first kindergarten and public library.  It then was purchased by the Owen family who were intellectuals, explorers, and geologists who consequently founded the National Geological Survey there.  Carl Bodmer was the fabulous artist who documented the flora and fauna with Maximilian as they explored westward from New Harmony.  Quite an impressive legacy for a tiny village.  With the wonderful philanthropy of Jane Owen, who just died at about 97 years, the village has been restored.  If you should be traveling through Kentucky or Indiana, it's certainly worth a side trip. http://maxkade.iupui.edu/newharmony/home.html


"Peony Garden" was painted at the edge of town in a commercial peony garden.  The peonies are picked by hand just as they're about to bloom and then shipped by air, overnight Federal Express, to customers all over the United States and further.  Most of the painters didn't know there is a peony garden because normally they don't flower in April.  This has been such a warm year that all plantings were a month a head.

Each year at this Indiana Plein Air Painters event, there is a "Field to Finish" competition.  During the paint-out, artists paint a field study not larger than 9" x 12".  Then during the year, they paint a finished painting that can be up to 18" x 24".  This was the first year that I entered that competition, and I was happy to be one of the winners, with my paintings being the judges favorites.  Here they are:

"New Harmony Creek plein air field study", 9" x 12" April 2011, oil on canvas panel

"New Harmony Creek" 18" x 24", oil on linen canvas, July 2011

This creek feeds into a large pond with a small waterfall.  This is the field study that I painted this April for the competition next year.   Later this month, I hope to complete the finished painting which will be either 16" x 20" or 18" x 24", haven't decided yet.

"Falling Water in New Harmony Pond"   9" x 12" plein air field study, April 2012

Over one hundred painters painted together this year from all over the Midwest and beyond.  It's quite a fun event.  If anyone reading this would like information about the Indiana Plein Air Painters or would like to consider attending the "First Blush of Spring" next April, please contact me or IPAPA.  www.inpainters.org

Thank you for viewing this blog and for all your comments.  If you know others who would enjoy seeing this blog please forward this on to them.  They can join my blog as a "Follower" or sign up to receive new blogs by e-mail.  You can see all of my paintings with prices on my web site http//www.kathrynclarkfineart.com

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.

Preserving Indiana

"The Farmer's Institute", 11" x 14", oil on canvas panel, $650

Opened in 1851, this was the first school of higher learning in rural Tippecanoe County and was built by the Society of Friends (Quakers).  Some foremost educators of the day taught here.  Successful operation ceased in 1874, but it continues to be used as a Meeting House by the Quakers.  I was impressed with its historical importance and wanted to paint it in the afternoon light.

Two years ago, the Indiana Plein Air Painters and the Indiana Historical Society came together to create a new book which will highlight important buildings and places in Indiana that need to be preserved.  The plein air painters, including me, began painting Indiana architecture two years ago but had to keep those paintings secret, not exhibiting them or publishing them on our web sites until they were judged in the competition to be included in the book.  That competition happened last November, and the juror was Stephen Doherty, the editor of the highly regarded Plein Air Magazine.  So now I can show you the paintings I did that were NOT included in the book.  I submitted six paintings, and three were chosen for inclusion in Painting Indiana III.  The three that will be in the book must remain a secret until it is published at the end of this year.  All the paintings submitted were required to be painted plein air, that is painted on site, and each artist had to take a photo of herself with the painting and the subject in the image to prove it was painted on site and not in the studio. Many painters succeeded in jumping through all these hoops for the book and Indiana history.

"The Brookville Cemetery Gate", 11" x 14",  oil on canvas panel,  $650

Brookville, IN was the home of Indiana Impressionist T.C. Steele and Otis Adams near the turn of the 19th century.  This historic church sits in the middle of Brookville, and its cemetery is one of the oldest in Indiana.

"Brookville Church and Cemetery", 11" x 14", oil on canvas panel,  $650

Here is another view of the historical Brookville church, one that I did not submit for the book. 

"Rappite House in New Harmony, IN", 11" x 14", oil on canvas panel, $650
New Harmony is the site of two of America's great utopian communities.  The first, Harmonie on the Wabash (1814-1824),  was founded by the Harmony Society, a group of Separatists from the German Lutheran Church.  In 1814, led by their charismatic leader Johann Gorg Rapp, they left their first American home in Harmonie, PA.  This new land in Indiana's lower Wabash Valley on the western frontier gave them the opportunity to acquire a much larger tract of land.  Their houses are still there.  Later, under the direction of the Owen family, this small village was also the site of the first public library and the first kindergarten in America.  It has been restored beautifully and is a tourist destination worth the trip.  

At the end of this year, when Painting Indiana III is published by Indiana University Press, I'll show you the other three paintings I submitted.  I hope you've enjoyed this diversion into Indiana history, and I thank you for viewing my art. 

It's Good to be Painting Again in 2012

I'm shocked to see that I haven't sent a post since November 8th.  To catch you up,  the holidays are always a busy time and therefore not much time for painting.  We had a cozy holiday at home over Christmas and the New Year, but then met my twin sister on Big island, Hawaii for our birthday in January.  Sorry, no painting, with only a week to explore.  I dropped my camera and thought I broke it, as it was jammed, i.e. not working, no more photos of Hawaii.  However, after returning home, my local camera store, Barry's in Lafayette, IN, brought it back to life--a little miracle I thought.  I'd like to paint an image of the black lava against the ocean, and I did get a couple of photos I could use as a reference, so who knows.  There may be a lava painting in my future.  Then in February, Howard and I gave a lecture and workshop on hand papermaking at the Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota, FL., helping them set up a Book Arts Program.  So you see this winter has been filled with sun and sand and many amazing people in Sarasota.  Along with all that,  I started to teach private lessons in oil painting in January which is also taking time away from painting.  However, I do have a new painting or two to show you.

"Afternoon at Burnett's Creek", 20" x 16", oil on linen canvas, $900

"May Iris", 14" x 11", oil on canvas panel, 2010, sold for $900

While I was in Florida, the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette had their annual fund raiser dinner and auction for Valentines Day, "The Heart of Art".   Three artists were asked to donate a painting, and many other objects and fun events were auctioned as well.  I donated  "May Iris" and was delighted that it sold for $900.  Wish I could have been there, but it's a law of nature that everything happens at once. 

I have another painting to show you as soon as I get it photographed so, hopefully, I'll get back in the rhythm of sending a blog this year.  You can see all my paintings on my web site  www.kathrynclarkfineart.com

I hope your winter has been as warm as mine was.  Thank you for viewing my art. 

A Long Dry Spell---"Is That Artist Block?"

I see that my last blog post was September 5th, and today is November 8th. With October being one of the most beautiful months in Indiana to paint the landscape, I'm shocked that I didn't manage to paint even one canvas.  There were many interruptions, like cleaning off the vegetable and flower gardens and going to Appleton, Wisconsin for a conference on hand papermaking.  But when I really look at the month, I realize that I had a severe case of artist block.  I even read four John Grisham novels.  Could seeing my paintings hanging in a gallery cause fear-of-failure?

Well, I broke the spell this past weekend with a 16" x 20" oil of a bend in Moot's Creek which meanders around on the south edge of Brookston, where I live.   It's a studio painting from a photo reference and several trips to the site to see the color and light.  First, you'll see the beginning of the painting on the easel and then the finished piece.

"October on Moot's Creek", Oil, 16" x 20" © Kathryn Clark

Well, I think the spell has been broken; I'm energized again and am looking forward to applying paint to canvas.  

This month, I'm also donating an oil painting to the main fundraiser for the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.

 "Plucked Tree Peony", oil, 14" x 11", © Kathryn Clark

The ICO sent the invited artists three musical works on a CD to inspire the painting.  I chose William Bolcom's Concerto in D or Violin and Orchestra because it is quite dramatic and yet intimate and delicate at the same time.  http://www.icomusic.org/ .  If you'd like to bid on this painting, you can contact the ICO office on their web site. 

With the Halloween demons put to rest, I hope your November will be enjoyable and fruitful.  Thank you for viewing my art.  

"From Sketchbook to Canvas"

For a painter, or any artist, the process of creating is the "reason for being", the thrill of trying to solve a self imposed problem.  It's about learning, self discovery, and sharing your personality with the viewer.  Rarely does the viewer get to see anything but the final result.  This month, I'm participating in an exhibition at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation, Lafayette, IN, with three other painters (Therese Lynch, Margaret Hanke, and Susan Doster) in which we'll hang fully developed oil paintings along with their sketches, field studies, and progressive photos.  You'll get to learn how paintings are created. The exhibition opens Friday, September 16th at TAF, 638 North St., Lafayette, IN 47901.  You'll also be treated to gypsy jazz music by The Hot Club of Colfax with my husband, Howie, playing his rhythm guitar.   I hope you can come!!  If you can't make it, the exhibition will be on display through October 21st.  Sept. 16th is also the evening of Art Walk in Lafayette with many other exhibits open to the public as well.  

In this post, I'm going to show you the development of one painting which will be in this exhibit.  "April Morning:  New Harmony, IN" is a featured painting with sketches, a field study, progressive photos, and the final, large developed painting.  

Thumbnail sketch and Value Study

"Field Study" painted plein air in New Harmony, IN, April 2011, 8" x 10"

"Initial Drawing" on  18" x 24" linen, oil primed canvas with a brush

"The Block In":  large areas are indicated with general color

my palette, brushes, rags, and odorless mineral spirits

Finished painting, "April Morning: New Harmony"  oil on linen canvas, 18" x 24", August, 2011 in my studio

This will give you a preview of the Tippecanoe Arts Federation exhibition this month--Oct 21. If you get to see the full exhibition, I'd certainly enjoy your comments.   You can see this and all my paintings on my web site along with purchasing information.  www.kathrynclarkfineart.com

Now I have another treat for you.  After I sent my post about the West Baden Springs Hotel Paint-Out, I found out that the Brown County Art Gallery in Nashville, IN, http://www.browncountyartgallery.org/westbaden/springshotel.html who sponsored the event, created a great video of it.  You'll see Howard playing his guitar and hear him playing the background music at the beginning of the video.  You'll also see me painting along with others, the huge domed atrium of the hotel , the sale of paintings on the veranda, and the very last painting they show in the video is my finished plein air of the hotel.  Here's the link:http://www.browncountyartgallery.org/westbaden/paintout.html

The fall is going to be busy and exciting around here; I trust it will be for you too.