Tippecanoe County Courthouse Tour

A quick tour of the Tippecanoe County Courthouse in Lafayette back in December revealed many treasures worth stopping for.  As with most courthouses I have visited this is actually the third one built for the county and was finished in 1882. Each courthouse gets more elaborate as they rebuild, with the architectural influence of Baroque, Gothic, Georgian, Victorian, Beaux Arts, Neo-Classical, and Second Empire styles. That's a lot of influence, but it seems to work.

The original specifications for the Courthouse described the 14 foot statue on top of the building as the Goddess of Liberty, holding a shield and sword. The statue is now holding scales that were found in the clock tower during restoration in the 1990's.

The shape of the building is a large 150 foot Greek Cross. From the ground to the top of the statue, the Indiana limestone and brick building measures 226 feet.

After going through security I stopped to have a look at two paintings on the first floor.  Unfortunately no description of the paintings was posted, but I eventually discovered that the painting below is the "Signing of the Treaty of Green Ville". It was painted by Howard Chandler Christy, who also painted those World War I posters showing the women proclaiming that they wish they were men so they could join the Navy.

Howard Chandler Christy's "Signing of the Treaty of Green Ville" was created in 1945

In addition to stairs and a standard elevator the original 1906 elevator is still in operation.  I took the stairs going up, but did ride the elevator coming back down.

First floor view, 1906 elevator cage on the right

During the restoration a new hydraulic system was added. This elevator serves floors 1-4, public access to floor 5 is not available.  Trust me, I asked!  The fifth floor used to be the attic, but during renovations was converted to space for the prosecutor's offices and has a skylight view of the dome.

My request might not have gotten me access to the 5th floor, but it did get me a private tour where I learned a few details I would not have gotten on my own.  Like the fact that if you look closely at the moulding in one of the courtrooms you can see buckshot damage to the woodwork.

Another story that was relayed to me involved the attempted bombing of the courthouse on August 2, 1998.  An unknown perpetrator crashed a pickup truck full of gasoline and explosives through the eastern entrance of the Tippecanoe County Courthouse. Local firefighters were able to put out the blazing truck, which was when they discovered it was full of flammable materials. On August 11, county authorities placed concrete barriers around the courthouse to help prevent a similar attack in the future. The case remains one of few unsolved suspected instances of domestic terrorism in the United States.

"The Battle of Tippecanoe" was painted by Robert W. Grafton.  It occupied the lobby of the Fowler Hotel until 1966 but now calls the courthouse its home.  It is 48 feet long so kind of hard to get a full image!  It needs a cleaning, I hope they are planning for that and raising the funds to bring it back to life.  I watched a video on C-SPAN about the Battle of Tippecanoe for some background information, click the link to see the video.  It was a bit dry, and I sure would have liked more information on the viewpoint of the history of the area from the Native American point of view.

Back outside I saw a statue of the Marquis de Lafayette that was added to the square in 1887 by sculptor Lorado Taft. The Courthouse also has one hundred columns, nine pieces of statuary and a cast iron dome containing four large clock-faces and a bell.

That's it for the tour, I'll fill you in on how we're faring here in Wisconsin this winter next time.

David in the Dark, David by Day

The final stop on our bourbon tour was a visit to Proof on Main.  The restaurant is located in the same historic building as the 21c Museum Hotel.

From the massive golden reproduction of David out front to the award winning bar filled with art and more than 120 types of bourbon, this was definitely the most unique place we stopped.

Just step through the bar to the hotel lobby for more art and feel free to walk around and see it all for FREE!

There are multiple hotels in the 21c family, and the current exhibit at Louisville is Dress Up, Speak Up at least until March.

My favorite pieces were displayed in the bar area.

The Native American series in the dining room was a close second, but I think Katrina liked the golden cat the best.

We ordered some food and dessert, neither of which were very special, and prices were high.  I'd suggest skipping the food and going right to the cocktail list, but to each their own.  

A return visit to the area during the day revealed a cheeky side of David...

A little more to come from our trip, but that's THE END of the Urban Bourbon Trail report!

Tacoma Art Museum and Legendary Doughnuts

This post is from a trip to Seattle that I took with Cory last spring.

It used to be cupcakes and cookies but now I find myself searching out donut shops while on the road.  There were a few recommended for the Seattle/Tacoma area, but I chose Legendary Donuts in Tacoma.

It was a bit off the beaten path, but worth the journey.  Legendary donuts indeed!

From there it was on to the Tacoma Art Museum where I saw the coolest moose ever.

Eternal Vigilance, Sherry Markovitch

I really liked the space in this art museum, there were a lot of windows and I prefer natural light.

The painting below was done by Melissa Weinman and is titled Patron Saint of Vision.  At the time she was intrigued by the stories of the saints and how the gory forms of their martyrdom became the basis for their spiritual responsibilities.

Known as the patron saint of vision, part of Saint Lucy's torture was to have her eyes plucked out.  Yuck! Disturbing as the topic is, I did enjoy the painting with my long history of work in the optical field.

And it wouldn't be an art museum in Tacoma if it didn't include some work by Dale Chihuly, right?

Blown glass is one medium that actually benefits from a darker room with the objects spotlighted.

The museum has a good representation of Native art, and for me it's always interesting to contrast the Native work of the Pacific Northwest with the work of the Southwest or the Midwest.

Gregg Deal's painting Childlike Identity is a commentary on how the racist names of sports teams misrepresent native people.  There was a whole series on this topic that was very thought provoking.

Not all the art in Tacoma is indoors, keep your eyes open for the outdoor art as well.

Welcome Figure

This work above was done by Shaun Peterson, follow the link to read a great interview conducted by the art museum.  No more hidden posts about my trip to Seattle!

The Great Lakes Cycle

This post is an installment from a trip to Chicago in June with Katrina

In addition to the wonderful discovery of the Chicago Mural we had an oppotunity to view some work by Alexis Rockman.  Unfortunately I took so long in writing about this so the exhibit closed on October 1st but it opens next week at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The main focus of the exhibit was The Great Lakes Cycle, a suite of paintings and other work developed out of Rockman's research, travel and interaction with people from the Great Lakes region who specialize in the lakes and their ecosystems.  The exhibit explore the past, present and future of the Great Lakes.

"Forces of Change"

These ecosystems are unfortunately threatened by pollution, climate change, invasive species, mass agriculture and urban sprawl. "Forces of Change" focuses on the area near Niagara Falls.  Horseshoe Falls is depicted in the background, with the Buffalo River in the foreground as it flows past industrial buildings. The sediment of the river is contaminated with mercury, lead and other toxins from industrial dumping.

"Watershed"

Thousands of rivers and streams empty into the Great Lakes and are key to keeping them healthy.  Chemical runoff from farm fertilizers and pollution from city sewage is a hazard to these waters now and in the future.

"Spheres of Influence"

"Spheres of Influence" was my favorite in the series. The images explore how the Great Lakes connect to the larger global ecosystem which includes weather, migrating birds, airborne contaminants and humans who have traveled on the lakes from the early canoes to 20th century freight steamers. 

Close-up of Loon diving in "Spheres of Influence"

Beneath the surface lies a DC-4 passenger plane downed by a storm over Lake Michigan in 1950, and of course many ships lies beneath these waters as well. The air teems with birds and insects, reminding us of the poisons they encounter in the ecosystem. One of these is  C. botulinum which can be found in wetlands and lakes and often exists in a spore form that is resistant to heat and drying. The "disease environment" is typical during the hot months from May through October. In some instances the bacteria may remain viable for years.  Avian Botulism affects the peripheral nerves of the bird and results in paralysis of the voluntary muscles. This results in an inability of the bird to sustain flight that is observed in the early stages of botulism. Once this has occurred, birds suffering from botulism are commonly observed propelling themselves across the water with just their wings. The next effect to occur is paralysis of the inner eyelid membrane followed by paralysis of the neck muscles. This results in an inability of the bird to hold its head erect causing "limp neck" Loss of flight and limp neck is the most recognizable signs of Avian Botulism. Once birds reach this stage, death from drowning often occurs before they reach the next stage or respiratory failure.

"Pioneers"

"Pioneers" shows the glacial ice sheets from 10,000 years ago which carved this area and then filled with the meltwater to become the Great Lakes. These lakes have been colonized by many varieties of fish, and unfortunately humans have interfered in this process such as when ballast is ejected from freighters as shown in the painting.  That water can contain dozens of invasive species from across the globe and wreak havoc on an ecosystem not prepared for them.

"Cascade"

Humans have used the Great Lakes as a resource since the Paleo-Indians of the Ice Age.  The lakes provided resources for European explorers in fur trapping, hunting and trade. In later times logging, mining, commercial fishing and transportation have made their impact as well.  Individuals, governments and communities are all responsible for trying to protect these lakes for future.

The paintings were stunning, these photographs of course aren't the same as seeing them in person.  I really appreciated how they told a story and had a message that was so powerful and hope to see more art like this on my travels.

Lighthouses on the Mag Mile

This summer Chicago is sponsoring Lighthouses on the Mag Mile which features 51 six-foot lighthouse sculptures, created by national and local Chicago artists, many with disabilities. Here are 8 of them that I enjoyed on my walk down Michigan Avenue in June.

"A Daring Adventure"

"A Daring Adventure" by Carrie Carlson was designed to help support her interest in local prairie restoration. Diversity in the grassland ecosystem supports a healthy variety of plants and animals. Respecting diversity and protecting inclusiveness in the human population is even more important. As a high school educator, she has had the privilege and joy to teach some remarkable young adults with vision impairments and her lighthouse included this quote from Helen Keller: "Knowledge is love and light and vision".

"Dream"

"Dream" by Mark Nelson contains a wind harp inside, but there was not a stong enough breeze when I passed by to hear it sing. The windows and door are open and covered with grates to let the air pass inside.

"Lift Us"

"Lift Us" was sponsored by the Blackhawks and was created by Hamza "IN-ZO" Muhammad who uses comic book art platforms to capture and inspire his audience. He has served as a fine arts and popular culture educator for high-risk youth.

Damon Lamar Reed's mission is to use the power of art to create positive change, and his interpretation of this project moved me due to our personal experience with Cory's mental health issues. He looked up the meaning of the word disability: a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that impairs, interferes with, or limits a person's ability to engage in certain tasks or actions or participate in typical daily activities and interactions. Damon states that he knows his position may not be a popular concept, but that being born a black man could be considered a disability.  He also says we are all born with two things: an obstacle and a gift.  And we have to have a support system to soar. I know that this is a mantra I share with everyone I speak to about Cory.  Cory is still with us today because he has such a strong support system.  The flip side of that is all the people with mental illness who do NOT have a strong support system and my heart breaks for them.  I'm certain many of the homeless people one sees on the streets of Chicago are unmedicated mentally ill individuals who have no help and whose illness interferes with their ability to trust anyone and to ask for that help.

"Join the Dance"

"Join the Dance" by Sarah Jenkins is an invitation to us all to recognize each other’s unique strengths and creatively work together to include individuals with disabilities into our workplaces and communities.  She works at a day school for children with disabilities and says every day her students surprise and bless her.  She believes we must work hard to see the potential for growth in those who are disabled but that we must not romanticize their handicaps either.

"We Bloom"

Vivian Visser has shown her sculptures nationally and internationally (Cool Globes - Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet, which was at the Climate Summit in Copenhagen) and she shares her ideas about our need to create a better relationship with nature as a way to find peace within ourselves and each other  with the piece "We Bloom" .  She believes we all have the potential to "bloom" and succeed. Check out that link for the Cool Globes, they are awesome!

"Eye Wonder"

Being a former Optician turned Eyeglass Frame Sales Representative of course I couldn't help but be drawn to "Eye Wonder" by Lisa Birmingham.  She is The Chicago Lighthouse’s Chief Creative Director, but prior to her appointment with the Lighthouse she was the staff medical illustrator for the Ophthalmology Department at The University of Illinois at Chicago. For over twenty five years, Lisa has developed a deep understanding of eye anatomy and has been in awe of the beauty of its various tissues and structures. The partnership of a medical illustrator with physicians and researchers helps advance medicine in the treatment and prevention of eye disease.

"Northern Lights" shines outisde the Tribune Tower

Lori Murphy is currently funded by a grant to teach studio art to young adults with autism and she created this piece along with Fiona Murphy. The silver metallic paint changes in different light, and luminescent paint in the windows and the streaks representing the Northern Lights absorbs light from the sun during the day and glows at night.

"Make the World Felt"

But my favorite was the simple yet startling "Make the World Felt" by Yu-hui Huang & Eduardo Arias.  I didn't know the meaning and as I hustled down the street all I could think about was who were those people trying to break through? Here's a quote from the Lighthouses website from the artists: "...The community created by arts is a great source of inspiration for activists who work to transcend the stigmatization of other people, positions, and worldviews sadly endemic in public today. They hope art will take part in discussions of social issues and artists will be included when leaders consider solutions to the challenges we face in the world today."  Ahhh, that explains it's attraction to me!  They use their artistic talents to craft facial prosthetics, and used prosthetic hands to symbolize breaking down barriers to promote access for people with disabilities.

Tomorrow I'll talk a little about our experience seeing Kathy Griffin at the Chicago Theatre!

Preschool Perspectives

I stopped in Sheboygan recently and even though I only had about 10 minutes to spare I darted in to the John Michael Kohler Center for the Arts.  Since donation is encouraged but admission is free I'll catch them with a donation sometime this summer when I come back again.

I was glad I stopped in; those 10 minutes really made my day! The following information is quoted directly from their website about the exhibit "Preschool Perspectives".

This year, the Preschool celebrates fifty years of creative learning through the arts. The students crossed the threshold into the galleries regularly to explore The Road Less Traveled and Unseen Forces exhibition series. These experiences were folded into the activities in the classrooms.

During The Road Less Traveled exhibition series recently featured at the Arts Center, the children became fast friends with artists Loy Bowlin (aka the “Original Rhinestone Cowboy”), Emery Blagdon, Charles Smith, Stella Waitzkin, and Eugene Von Brunchenhein through observing, discussing, sketching, and journaling about the artists’ work. In the studio classrooms, they worked collaboratively to create elements for their own art environment and exhibition.

My favorite part of this tableau - the kettle labeled "Hot"!

Children were invited to be curious, ask questions, and problem solve as they created patterns, hammered, drilled, spread glue, sprinkled glitter, and rolled paint, all while learning to take turns and work together developing their social-emotional skills.

So much to love here, but the stuffed animals under the bed tugged at my heart

Little fingers twisted, pinched, cut, sewed, drew, painted, printed, wrapped, and tied, just to name a few techniques. A variety of found objects, recyclables, natural and man-made materials, and fine art supplies were explored throughout the creative process. 

Welcome to our garden

Our mantra, “No, no, don’t throw that away! I can make that into something!” has been exclaimed many times both at Preschool and at home.

Can you imagine what our society would look like if all children had access to an early childhood education of this quality?  Can you imagine what our society would look like if that education continued to be so rich through to adulthood?  If I had the opportunity I would love to work with children again, shaping little hearts and minds.  Someday I'm sure I will.

On my way out I also paused to look at an exhibition of some of the work of artist Don Baum.  Originally from Escanaba in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, he moved to Chicago when he was 18 where he attended the Art Institute, the Institute of Design, and the University of Chicago.

In addition to being an artist he eventually became a curator and taught emerging artists in Chicago.

The little houses with their collage of images drew me right in, I wish I'd had more time to examine them and think about why they spoke to me though I suspect it's because "home" has always been a complicated concept for me with my footloose lifestyle and Navy childhood.  What images would decorate my home if I made one?  Maybe this is a project I'll pursue...if I do I'll share the result. I show the same two houses here but from two different angles/sides.