Sunday, September 27, 2015

Topiary


Last week, while on my search for pizza, I found another 
of  The Public Collection installations.
This one, called Topiary, is by sculptor Eric Nordgulen.


He intends it as a natural outgrowth of the
surrounding garden space, one that shows reading
"as another form of growth."


The tubular steel sculpture is located just off 
Washington Street at Virginia Avenue.
These installations, meant to promote literacy and the arts,
hope to provide books to people who may have 
difficulty gaining access to reading matter.
Research has found that, while middle class households
can average thirteen books per person, folks
in less well-off households have, on average,

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

A New Angle


After swim practice Monday morning,
I went downtown for lunch. I decided to have 
a little pizza instead of my favorite turkey burger. 
The change meant little detour, 
away from my usual rat trail. I headed
into the southeast section of downtown Indy
where I walked along the short block
called Pearl Street. I looked up to see the restored
buildings along Washington Street, now full
of restaurants, art galleries, and a barber shop.
In the background, Victory pokes up 
from atop her perch on Monument Circle, while other 
buildings, all built within the past thirty years,
stand in stark blahness compared
to the older beauties in the foreground.
Bigger is definitely not better.


And my pizza? Meh. 
At least it had a nice thin, crispy crust
and plenty of cheese. I found another
 pizza place afterward on Pearl Street.
I'll have to try it next time.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Chard


Chard, kale, and green onions are some 
of the veggies planted in a garden 
just outside Eskenazi Health, in a patch 
near the little sandwich shop.



Sunday, September 13, 2015

The Art of Healing



When the plans for Eskenazi Health were taking shape, 
one of the first considerations was that art
should be an important focus, both of the building itself 
and within its walls. This has been accomplished
with great success; many artists responded to the hospital's
request for proposals and the results are hanging
from the ceilings and walls, as well as on the exterior
of the building itself. It's a beautiful place,
making the experience of healing more tolerable, 
which can all too often be difficult and tragic 
for both patient and caregiver alike.


However, the use of art to provide a pleasant and 
inspiring atmosphere for the patients is not new.
In 1914, Hoosier Group artist William Forsyth led 
a group of his contemporaries in creating murals intended
to "promote healing and wellness." When completed
in 1916, patients could view artwork by Forsyth, John
Hardrick, Otto Starke, and others. 


The most famous of these artists was, perhaps, 
T. C. Steele, whose paintings now hang in a room 
at the south end of the Eskenazi Health main lobby.
The fate of the others have not been quite so fortunate.
Their story, and of the efforts to restore them has been
detailed in an article in this week's Nuvo Weekly.
Perhaps the doctors who practice at IU Health and at
Eskenazi might get together, contribute an hour or two of
their fees to restore these paintings and to


And, when you get the opportunity, go take a look 
at Steele's paintings. Titled The Four Seasons,
Steele's landscapes drew me into their composition;
I could almost smell the grass, the trees, and hear
the sound of the water as it flowed in the creek.
And the artist used little to no black in his work,
making him a man after my heart.


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Family Scenes Seen


These last few weeks of summer are bringing changes.
As the temperatures hang in the 90s, a hot breeze swirls 
in the streets, a welcome relief as the sidewalks 
and buildings radiate the sun's warmth 
onto the passers-by and commuters.
Here people wait for their buses home, 
hoping that they will be able to ride in the
comfort of air conditioning.
Storms are forecast for the overnight, 
bringing a cold front that will provide 
a precursor of fall weather.
Too soon, we'll all be cursing the cold
weather as we stand in snow and frigid air,
waiting for buses that provide a few
minutes shelter in snug warmth.


Sunday, September 6, 2015

Strawberry



Oops! There it was, spray-painted on the sidewalk,
a few inches from the foundation of a shop
 on Delaware Street. I'd stopped in at a runners'
specialty store to purchase an item and noticed
the solitary strawberry as I left.
No reason. No copy. No identification,
just a solitary picture of a bit of fruit
to decorate the cracked sidewalk.

Friday, September 4, 2015

View from the Bottom of the Washing Machine


When I looked up from inside this installation 
at the IUPUI Library, all I saw was the white light 
coming in through the skylight. 
Later, at home, the image took on the look of a sun, 
multi-colored rays emanating from its white heat.
Then again, it could just be a loose button's view 
from the bottom of a washing machine after
the spin cycle has completed and all the T-shirts 
are stuck to the sides of basket.



Thursday, September 3, 2015

Curiousity: Theme Day Missed, But It was Worth It

A public library is the most enduring of memorials, 
the trustiest monument for the preservation of an event 
or a name or an affection; for it, and it only, 
is respected by wars and revolutions, 
and survives them.  -- Mark Twain 


 I had intended to have a post for Theme Day. 
There aren't many "curiousities/ oddities" in Indy 
that don't verge on the downright scary.
What I had planned was pretty standard fare, 
but I missed it due to an odd conjunction
of circumstances not worth repeating.
Instead, I hied myself to Monument Circle
on Tuesday, September 2nd to take pictures
of Monument, one of six installations
Developed to promote public art and literacy,
I found a wide range of books
provided by the Marion County Public Library,
titles that could entice just about anyone to
borrow something to read.
I found one for myself, a bit of historical
fiction that allows me to indulge
some life-long romantic fantasies. 


The SPARK Project continues on the Circle,
allowing visitors to mix and mingle among little
seating areas to play chess or checkers,
to stack giant Legos, play Foosball or ping-pong.
The temperatures were in the sun-baked
and humid ninetys so many folks, instead, 
seemed to prefer to sit in the shade with a bowl
of ice cream. 


But the serene and quiet activity at Monument 
and SPARK screened the main event of the lunch-time
displays of their Top Fuel and Funny Car dragsters.
They are in town for the annual NHRA Nationals
held each Labor Day weekend since 1955 
at Lucas Oil Raceway, just a few miles west
of Indianapolis.


I don't care for drag racing - it's just
not my thing, nor do I like Corvettes, but I 
do like the Camaro shown above.
Of course, I'd like it; priced at over $150,000
it was a beautiful expression of technologies
and mechanics wrapped in a sleek yellow and black
aerodynamic skin. If given enough money
to buy the damn thing, would I pay my bills or
have this low-flying road sculpture?


The Chevy Funny Car shown above belongs to 
NHRA Champion driver, John Force,
Shown below at the Fan Fest Autograph session 
with his daughters Ashley and Courtney,
themselves champion drivers who 
often beat their dad. He's taught them well.


While sitting in my own spot of shade with a dish of ice cream, 
I happened to notice a young man sitting at a picnic table. 
For whatever reason, I recognized him right away. 
He was Graham Rahal, Indy Car driver, son of 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal, and fiance of Courtney Force.
He was waiting for her to complete a radio interview promoting this weekend's drag racing. Between the book kiosk, 
the cars and their drivers, and the displays at SPARK, 
seeing him made my day, topping both my curiosities and 
my interests with a little cherry.