Indianapolis Museum of Art Blog

I am ready. Ready to have my house back. Ready to throw everything out of our holding greenhouse. Ready to empty the root cellar. Ready to get on with Spring. By April the urge to throw every surviving plant in my house outside is all consuming. I’m tired of them demanding water (the sink is right there, get it yourself). I’m tired of leaves falling. I’m tired of the ones that just barely hang on so you give them more time but they never really do anything. I’m tired of them taking more than their rightful share of space. So when May arrives each day is marked off the calendar as we approach that most glorious day of all days – the day of frost-free weather.

People who do not garden fail to have even the slightest notion of how important that date is. This is the day when the dahlias can go in the ground. This is the day when the tomatoes can be planted. This is the day the houseplants can go out on the porch. THIS IS THE DAY WHEN WE GET OUR HOUSES BACK! For two months I’ve been fighting with the Enstetes in my laundry room for access to the dryer. I finally cut a leaf off one of them this week. At the same time I am so grateful that my two biggest are still alive and growing. They are actually pushing against the ceiling (say a little prayer for some of the smaller ones in the plant room). In just a few weeks their huge burgundy and green leaves will bring tropical splendor back to my yard. That’s one of them in the background of this picture.

Read the rest of this entry »

I love my DNA! I love your DNA! I love everybody’s DNA (Is that a double helix in your pocket or are you glad to see me?). It’s what makes each of us our own little traveling Freak Show. I have always been interested in genetic diversity when I think about it. I grew up in a family of 9 children. Alright, alright, I will tell you. I am 8 of 9. My parents both had essentially black hair in their youth, but the 9 offspring? Let me see – black, dirty blonde, black, dark brunette, black, auburn, brunette, coffee bean brown, dirty blonde. Can you tell which one is me? I swear in the 5th grade if someone said my hair was black I would say, “No, it’s coffee bean brown” (shut up Chad). I got it from a hair dye ad. It’s no wonder I was picked after the ugly girls for softball.

I also remember a picture of my oldest brother taken with one of those Bazooka Joe Bubble Gum cameras – I am so damn old and this is not the Joe of my youth. He was sitting out in the yard in jeans and a flannel shirt I think, about 8 probably. When I was about 6 I would cry because people would say it wasn’t me. Read the rest of this entry »

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.)

Read the rest of this entry »