Recently, I had some family visit my studio/gallery here in Brown County, Nashville, Indiana, for several days. Whenever I have visitors, I get to “play tourist” and take advantage of the many activities and sites I might otherwise save for another day. The T.C. Steele State Historic Site is one of those local treasures I had not visited since the new Visitors Center was built in 2019.
As many of you know, T.C. Steele is one of Indiana’s most famous artists who discovered the hidden gem of Brown County in 1905. He started coming here to paint “en plein air” and built a house on 60 acres in 1907. As soon as the house was completed, he and his new bride, Selma Neubacher Steele, his second wife, moved in. They named the property “The House of the Singing Winds” for the melodic symphony of the wind on the hills through the house. There is also a book of the same title that is a fascinating read. Over time, they bought more land bringing the site total to 211 acres.
New Visitors Center
TC Steele Visitors Center, August, 2022.
From the Indiana State Museum website: “Theodore Clement “T.C.” Steele (1847-1926), noted Indiana artist and member of the Hoosier Group of Impressionist Painters, was inspired by the picturesque scenes that he encountered in Brown County. T.C. was at the forefront of the state’s art movement and remains one of Indiana’s most honored artists.”
T.C. and Selma Steele
T.C. and Selma Steele
Large Studio
T.C. Steele Large Studio, August, 2022.
You can see the new visitor’s center in the background behind the large studio.
Main House in 2010
I found this shocking photo of the main house from 2010! You can see that the house and gardens were clearly not in good condition.
T.C. Steele House in September, 2010
How Things Change
Here is how the main house looked on the day of my visit in August, 2022.
T.C. Steele Main House, August, 2022.
What a change!
T.C. Steele Main House, August, 2022.
I remember when I moved here in 1987, the house and property were in dismal condition. So much work has been done since then. The restored gardens, formal gardens, fish ponds, and buildings, in addition to the new Visitors Center, have elevated this historic treasure to new levels. Up until just recently, for security, there was always an on site custodian who lived in a portion of the main house. New security systems in place make an on site attendant no longer necessary and the main house has been mostly restored to the condition it was when the Steeles lived there.
T.C. Steele Main House, August, 2022.
Everything Intact
The wonderful, unique thing about this historic site is that Selma Steele left the entire property and all it’s contents to the state in 1946. Many historic sites have to search and hunt for period furnishings that were not original to the site. So, we are very fortunate to have all the original furnishings, props, and artwork that the Steeles’ lived with and used that fill the house, studio, and buildings. Even the palette that T.C. was using at the end was left intact, with the dried blotches of paint.
Restored Gardens
Workers and volunteers have worked hard over the years to restore the koi ponds and the formal gardens. Selma maintained extensive gardens for T.C. to use as subject matter in his paintings. Back when they lived in Brown County, there were no deer to contend with. Now, the gardens need to be enclosed in 8′ high deer fencing.
T.C. Steele Restored Koi Ponds
T.C. Steele Restored Formal Gardens
T.C. Steele Restored Formal Gardens
Oil Paintings
This wouldn’t be a blog about T.C. Steele without including a couple of his gorgeous paintings.
Valley Scene (Brown County), 1912. Oil on canvas. T.C. Steele.
I won’t even try to write a history about Steele. Tons of info out there. My family and I signed up for the 45 minute tour and it was marvelous. So informative! Our tour guide was knowledgeable and patient, answering questions and giving added details. In fact, our 45 minute tour turned out to be 1 1/2 hours long and the time flew by! Even living here and serving as an Artist in Residence (twice!), I learned new info.
Winter Sunlight was painted in 1912 and shown in the Memorial Exhibition for Theodore C. Steele 1847 – 1926 at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis (Corner Sixteenth and Pennsylvania Streets, site of the old Tinker homestead). Sponsored by the Art Association of Indianapolis, this exhibition was held during the month of December, 1926. Oil on canvas.
No comments:
Post a Comment