Indianapolis Museum of Art Blog

Probably the most satisfying aspect of working as a gardener at the IMA is to be present at the intersection of art and nature.  Not just being able to cruise the galleries indoors, or seeing some sculpture in the gardens; but bit by bit creating new art experiences – at least in my head.  And that is where art starts forming, as the mind combines the previously unrelated.

Ooooo, the blog is getting a little too deep and self-consciously artsy.

Who said something about art being either plagiarism or genius?  In the horticulture trade, one of the first things a gardener learns is to borrow and adapt what others do. A good gardener  gives proper credit when told, “That is a nice plant combination.”  So, John Teramoto, Marty Krause, Annette Schlagenhauff (am I forgetting anyone?) – thank you for the exhibit Lay of the Land.

The exhibit combining Asian and Western art prints and poetry, set me to thinking about how often images in the galleries, or music and poetry cause me to recall some beautiful place I’ve experienced.  Nice memories and feelings …. trying to capture the bliss of the moment.

So as Autumn brings another season to a close, I offer some images and poems, with apologies to the artists,  that reminded this gardener of the promise and beauty of Spring as compensation for labors…

Work
The corn is baking in blue smoke,
Pickled tomato is piled ready on my plate,
And the chrysocolla of a young cedar branch is close.
Yet the breakfast that should be calm and enjoyable
makes me uneasy.
I’m worried about the manure I threw yesterday
From the horsecart and left on the slope.
Kenji Miyazawa 1896-1933

Manure and compost on vegetable garden at Oldfields

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“Man, this is like going to church!” were the first words uttered by friend and colleague, Ed Blake, as he entered the Miller House and Garden property a few weeks ago.  Ed is a landscape architect from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and now working to develop the IMA’s Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park.  He was part of a small group joining Bradley Brooks and me for a special Saturday morning tour of this remarkable site.

Ed first witnessed the site decades ago while on a work assignment in Columbus.  He was then only able to peek through the already tall arborvitae hedges guarding the property’s east side, but knew the place was indeed very special.  After all, one of the 20th century’s masters of landscape design, Dan Kiley, had worked his magic here.  For all of us in the field, this is a place for reverence.

Miller House, summer 2009 (Ed Blake and Bradley Brooks on far right)

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Have you ever wondered how the IMA ended up in what is at once a beautiful, yet (relatively speaking) a remote, setting? For many people, the answer lies in the 1966 gift of the family estate by the children of J.K. Lilly, Jr.—but true as that is, there’s an even more fascinating story that precedes the Lilly family’s arrival on the site. That’s the story of Hugh McKennan Landon and his partner Linnaes Boyd, who bought 52 acres of land in 1907 which they intended to develop into an enclave of country estates.

Their reasoning was sound. At the time, country estates were all the rage among wealthy Americans, who yearned to escape the noise and pollution of the cities—noise and pollution often created by the very manufacturing plants that had made them wealthy in the first place. And Landon and Boyd’s property at the intersection of Michigan and Maple Roads was both remote enough to qualify as countryside, yet near enough to the city to make commuting easy. (The Interurban rail line ran past on the western edge of the property.) Maple Road, which we know today as 38th St., ended at the White River—there was no bridge at that time.

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I’m tired of cold weather. It’s been unseasonably cold in Indianapolis. Spring officially began 13 days ago, but I’m pretty sure Mother Nature didn’t get the message. It’s freezing outside. Literally! I scraped ice off of my windshield this morning. Brrrr.

Well, winter weather be damned. Here’s a day-by-day plan to heat up your weekend, despite the frigid temps.

On Thursday, Enjoy a Cocktail – Nothing says warm weather like a fruity drink. After work today, start your weekend early by grabbing a cocktail at Puck’s Happy Hour. As you sip your Orange Crush or Pomegranate Martini, close your eyes and imagine strolling along a beach or lounging by the pool. Once you have finished your drink and awakened from your daydream, stay warm by strolling through the galleries or enjoying a talk about the “Art of the Parade” with Alison Heimstead. (Learn more about Alison Heimstead, by clicking here.)

On Friday, Strut your Stuff –Don’t miss the “haute”est show in town. Friday night, the IMA heats things up with Project IMA – a runway show featuring the outrageous / beautiful / irreverent / glamorous designs of 16 fashion designers from the Indianapolis area (pictured below). The event is free and starts at 7:00 pm. Between the fashion and the music of DJ Stefan, it’s going to be one sizzling Friday night. (Learn more about Project IMA, by clicking here.)

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