There’s no better way to appreciate heART of Huntsville than by visiting the picturesque Town Square. On this week’s session that’s exactly what we did, learning, along the way, of our town’s successful efforts to bring back the spark that once made our town the “Athens of Texas.”
Although we had to alter our original itinerary due to the imminent rain, as they say the show must go on. Our first stop for the night was Old Town Theatre on 12th Street.The historic theatre has been converted since 1997 into a non-profit community theatre for the enjoyment of the many Huntsvillian drama fans. Upon entering, we climbed the 33 narrow steps towards the balcony where we learned about the history of the theatre. Apart from hearing from Professor Yawn and Dr. Pease, those members of the community familiar with the theatre since childhood shared different stories about the early years of the amazing establishment. One interesting aspect of the theatre was its architecture, which forced technicians to develop non-conventual methods to light the stage. After that, we headed down stairs where we were able to get a backstage tour. The colorful sets of a preparing rehearsal made the tour even more exciting. Through the back of the stage, we made our way through a small hallway and into the dressing rooms. Not surprisingly, we were amused by how the women’s dressing room was larger than the men’s.
We were additionally taken into stardom delusion by the Hollywood lighting on the mirrors. Very sublime indeed!
As we headed for the rest of our adventure, Linda Pease, Wynne Home Arts Center Director, gave us a little background about the Richard Haas murals on the exterior of the building.
She explained that Richard Haas thoroughly researched the location of his murals before pitching an idea. Consequently, he found it apt to incorporate the renowned Hollywood actor, Dana Andrews, into the theater’s facade due to the star’s Huntsville birth.
It must be noted that Huntsville prides itself in having numerous Haas murals from this world famous artist who is also exhibited in the streets of New York, St. Louis, Chicago, and many more American cities. The renowned muralist was once a pupil of the celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1950s, and he chose Huntsville, Texas as home to the largest collection of his trompe l’oeil works. We are truly lucky to have this great Urban Artist’s mesmerizing works of art decorating our city!
After appreciating the Richard Haas murals we walked down the street to the Huntsville Main Street office where we met with Ms. Jasmine Moss.
Ms. Moss, interim Main Street Director and proud Bearkat, took a break from her studying to teach us about Huntsville Main Street’s mission to revitalize downtown. Huntsville Main Street hosts events year round that help market the city’s thriving cultural and community wealth. It is in charge of the nine city blocks that make up the Square, three parks, and 90+ local businesses. We were thankful that Ms. Moss was able to teach us more about our city.
The last stop before dinner was the Satellite Art Gallery.
Run by the Sam Houston State’s art department, pacing through the pair of halls of the gallery we were able to admire the photography of now accomplished artists who attended SHSU during the 70’s.
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It was evident that the participants all enjoyed the wide range of subjects depicted in the color and black and white film, from landscapes, to still photography, to artistic portraits and everything imaginable.
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Followed thereafter we stepped onto the dimming streets of Huntsville’s downtown and crossed over to the corner of the Roche Building.
Across the Huntsville Courthouse, we were greeted with great enthusiasm inside Patio on the Square Cafe. We had chicken pasta, fresh fruit, and some luscious salad, paired with our choice of ranch, Italian, or blue cheese dressings. It was evident that everyone enjoyed the wonderful flavor of the meal (which is exciting for a college student who lives 3 hours away from mother), and for dessert we had delicious cupcakes from Huntsville’s own Baking Sweet Memories. When the night ended we headed home in hopes to catch the presidential debate, but that’s a story for another blog. With the shine of the square’s streets, silver from the rain, we all bid farewell to our night of art, history, laughs, and memories, a bit melancholic as next week our heART of Huntsville strolls will meet their end.
In Dr. Carl Rollyson’s sixth visit to Huntsville, the LEAP Center welcomed him to our Texas town with a screening of Rio Bravo. The film was not only appropriate for the throng of John Wayne fans in town, but also for Dr. Rollyson, whose most recent biographies addressed one of Wayne’s frequent co-stars: Walter Brennan. Accordingly, this past Friday the LEAP Ambassadors open the doors to the Kathy E. Don Education Center…
…to make room for the Wayne/Brennan admirers (along with a few newbies to the western flicks) for a night of corrupt land owners, noble peacemakers, and the beloved Stumpy.
Before the show, however, the western wearing guests clanked their boots around the center to mingle and enjoy of our delicious punch and popcorn.
It was nice to visit with many friends who attended the screening of the Howard Hawks’ classic.
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Judge Tracy Sorensen brought her son, Cody, and he had seen the film some 15 times. Indeed, he knew much of the film’s plot, and was heard to complain that “John Wayne didn’t make enough movies”.
Other audience members, including many LEAP Ambassadors, took the time to pose next to our John Wayne cutout.
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Before the screen opened up to the vastness of the West, however, Dr. Rollyson gave us an overview of some of those characters who made up this endless country.
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Dr. Rollyson even acted out a couple of parts…
in his enjoyable and informative introduction to the film.
Before long, Rio Bravo began, and the audience sat still for a hundred and forty minutes of enjoyment. Among the audience we could feel the empathy towards Dude’s (Dean Martin) alcoholic struggle…
…coupled with the amusement towards the numerous comic remarks by Stumpy (Walter Brennan). Interestingly, one of the well-liked characters was Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales, who was both loyal and maddening to Sheriff Chance (Wayne’s character) but, of course, it was Wayne who was the star of the show.
Regardless, no matter how young or how old, whether this was the 50th or first time to watch, everyone who left, left with a smile in their face and a craving for more of the Duke, more of the Western thrill, and more of Brennan.
Fortunately, this latter wish came true for those who left the screening with a copy of A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan, signed by its author Dr. Carl Rollyson.
The LEAP Center was glad that everyone left happy from the screening and couldn’t miss an opportunity to take a group picture with two Texas heroes: John Wayne and Sam Houston.
The LEAP Center would like to thank Dr. Carl Rollyson for his friendship, expertise, and fine analysis of films and diverse biographical subjects!
After a fun and successful first week of heART of Huntsville, we were excited to begin the second week. We started our session at the Huntsville Statue and Visitor Center where we met the Tourism & Cultural Services Director, Kimm Thomas.
City of Huntsville’s Tourism Director, Kimm Thomas, Discuss “Big Sam”
She began by giving us an overview of the different tourism attractions within Huntsville like the magnificent Big Sam statue. She then entertained us with an animated video designed by the Animation Department at SHSU. The video, developed in partnership with SHSU students and City of Huntsville staff, amusingly explained the history behind General Sam Houston and the complex process of erecting the statue. As the clip met its end it was time to marvel at this Huntsville treasure.
Once at the foot of the towering statue, the group deemed it apt to snap a quick group picture.
Our excitement was further stimulated for we would soon have a chance to mingle with the sculptor of the 67-foot-tall Texas Hero, David Adickes.
First, however, we headed for a tour of outdoor sculptures around town led by Huntsville expert Professor Yawn.
Our first stop was the Reclining Figure by John Stewart laying its stone body along Sam Houston Avenue in front of Fire Station 1. Stewart sculpted this piece to commemorate the deceased astronauts aboard the Challenger in 1986. Our next stop was the Smither Sculpture by Andy Emmons. The artistic assortment of glass covered plaster shaped into lions, dragons, and other mystical beasts includes a silvery figure (the Protector of Child) as the center piece with little children sitting on his arm. After very crafty maneuvering by our accomplished bus driver, we arrived at City Hall for a quick view of Charles Pebworth’s sculpture Totem Number One.
Totem One, by Charles Pebworth
Along with a great work of art, City Hall is also home to a great amphitheater which sometimes hosts concerts. It was great to see the reactions of the participants as some of the life long residents had no idea about these great attractions.
After this final stop, we drove around the city admiring more sculptures such as Wynne Home’s exterior ornamented with Jesus Moroles artistic granite, the sculpture on Sam Houston’s Grave by Pompeo Coppini, and other sculptures along the way.
With hungry stomachs and a head full of art we headed to Carbonero for dinner. With the great assortment of Salvadorian cuisine we enjoyed mouthwatering tacos, enchiladas, and pupusas (a favorite among the LEAP Ambassadors). As always, food was great!
After dinner we went to the Adickes Foundation, the moment we had all been waiting for. For some of us it wasn’t our first time entering this surreal emporium of art. Regardless, the repurposed High School’s walls and hallways decorated with Adickes’ wondrous paintings are always breath taking. To welcome us to his foundation, Mr. Adickes offered a brief introduction about some of his favorite works.
With Mr. Adickes’ great enthusiasm to tell tales of Houston’s historic art culture, we were even more excited to tour the gallery. Among the collections was a series of three paintings along with a picture of Elvis Presley’s living room. This living room was all the more intriguing as it was clearly visible that on the King’s walls hung the very same trio of paintings on the corner wall of the foundation. Apparently Mr. Adickes discovered that Elvis had previously bought a copule of his paintings, which he had to buy from the Elvis estate to display in his own foundation. Other paintings fascinated us by the unconventional techniques and materials used during it’s inception, such as implementing the use of sand and coffee beans.Many of us looked around for our favorite piece of art, but with Adickes’ talent in styles ranging from cubism to realism and everything in between, this was a tough decision.
After enjoying friendly conversation, we ended our tour sharing a selfie with Mr. Adickes and other community friends in front of one of the artist’s favorite pieces.
LEAP Ambassadors with David Adickes
As a great finale to a great tour of the city, we ended our evening back at the Sam Houston Statue ready for next week’s heART of Huntsville adventure!
In an effort to educate the campus and community about what the LEAP Center is, the LEAP Ambassadors compiled pictures of events to showcase the organization in the LSC Art Gallery.
The exhibit, which was open from September 2-September 16, showcased some 160 photographs (culled down from more than 90,000) across six categories: speakers, travel, fine arts, volunteerism, experiential learning, and programs.
LEAP Ambassadors Following Installation of Art Exhibit
This past September 14th the LEAP Center hosted an opening reception for the art exhibit. Many students, University staff, and community members came out to support the LEAP Ambassadors and learn more about what the LEAP Center does.
Each category emphasized our favorite and most notable events. For example, LEAP Ambassadors have traveled twice to see Stephen Hawking present a lecture, and we have also seen public figures such as Alan Alda, Bill Schneider, Douglas Brinkley, Governor Abbott, and Vicente Fox. All of these photos appeared under “Speakers” and, of course, additional photos were featured in the other categories.
The LEAP Center is thankful for the opportunity to showcase the organization. Numerous students attended, some of whom might make for good LEAP Ambassadors themselves someday!
We were also grateful for the support from University officials such as Provost Eglsaer…
…President Hoyt…
…Mac Woodward, Charlie Vienne, Gene Roberts, and many others. We also had a chance to see some of our favorite community people, including Linda Pease, Terry Stivers, Carol Hays, and others.
Excited murmurs could be heard from Art Building F as people were flooding in for the LEAP Centers’ 2nd annual heART of Huntsville program. Art enthusiasts from SHSU and the community are annually invited to this four-week program where they can explore various art media created by local artists around the SHSU campus and the picturesque town of Huntsville.
We started out in one of the many classrooms of the Art Department. The LEAP ambassadors were elated to see many of our community friends such as former mayor Mac Woodward and Wynne Home Director, Linda Pease; as well as friends on campus such as English Professor, Dr. Ralph Pease and Political Science Professors, Dr. Tom Haase and Wen-Jiun Wang.
After everyone had finished their survey of local art and artists (not without a few grumbles), Dr. Micheal Henderson, chair of the art department, welcomed us to the the Gaddis-Geeslin Gallery.
Inside the gallery, Dr. Henderson presented us the “Selections” exhibit by revealing the type of art that could be found within. The art gallery consisted of creations from alumni dating as far back as the late 1930’s up until the Spring semester of 2016. There were many pieces from former SHSU professor Ken Zonker. The artist had a special resonance for Leap ambassador Beatriz Martinez, a previous Wynne Home Intern who had organized a Zonker exhibit.
Dr. Wes Sanders Hangs Art by Ken Zonker at the Wynne Home
There were also pieces by Zonker’s apprentice, J Miller, who had actually painted a portrait of Mr. Zonker. Exhibited was also a painting by the renowned sculptor James Surls (whose art would appear later in the tour). Titled Cockfight, Surls produced the work in the late 1960s while he was still a student at SHSU. At this, few of the attendants revealed how the had been friends of Surls at a younger age, and we spoke with Dr. Keri Rogers, who several years ago helped hang this piece in the LSC.
LEAP Ambassadors and Keri Rogers With James Surls’ “Cockfight”
After seeing more SHSU faculty and alumni art…
…we decide to head on over to the second stop: the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS).
As we got closer to the CHSS building, we stopped outside to gaze at the Water Wall by Jesus Moroles. This 9-ft wall was erected to harmonize the elements of earth, stone, and water. The attendees where then amused by how Jesus Moroles (as a lover of multimedia art), had planned to unveil the sculpture by having SHSU dance majors dance atop the CHSS building’s roof.
Fortunately for us (and the dancers), their platform became the top of the Water Wall. The Water Wall’s intended function was to offer a venue for outside lectures. Currently it is most often used as a great study spot for students, and is occasionally seen hosting CHSS socials. Once inside, we saw a piece by Bruce Marion, Confluence, lining the walls. Seeing as how the Humanities and Social Sciences college deals with human interactions and circle of connections, Marion transitioned colors and interwove circles to showcase these two ideals.
The group later traversed through the summer heat to the Lowman Student Center Art Gallery, which was probably the LEAP Ambassadors’ favorite gallery, as they had spent many hours, nails, and mounting squares in order to set up their very own LEAP exhibit. Showcasing the various features of the LEAP center, such as special speakers, fine arts, volunteerism, experiential learning, programs, and travel, it gave heART of Huntsville participants an opportunity to gain a further insight of the different fields in which LEAP Ambassadors engage.
From there, we went to the Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center where Craig Brossman, the facilities manager of the building,was waiting to give us a tour.
We toured the Concert Hall, which impressed the heArt of Huntsville participants as it has been named one of 25 best art venues in the nation. Equally impressive was the dance theater with a sprung floor which is tailored to fit a dancer’s needs. There are only 2 or 3 like it in the state, and about a dozen in the nation. We proceeded to view Kathleen Ash’s Elements, Stanley Lea’s Four Seasons, and a serpentine marble sculpture by Jesus Moroles. The most prominent installation was the 16 ft, wood and steel, Around the Flower Wall by James Surls. We also got to see some art from Charles Pebworth, whose first and biggest sculpture lies in the Woodlands at about 40ft tall. As we were exiting, we saw Jason Lawrence’s Firedance, our last beacon of crystalline light as we retired for the night.
Or at least until we got to Austin Hall. This historic building awaited us with food to be deliciously devoured upon as we interacted with the other participants and shared our anticipation for next Monday’s adventure, which will start at the grand Sam Houston Statue on Monday, September 19.
With our trip nearing its end, we stopped for one last pit stop in Arkansas. As a LEAP favorite, we diced to end our travels with a savory lunch and a interesting visit to Little Rock’s MacArthur Museum of Military History.
Our first order of business, however, was to eat at Cafe Bossa Nova. The Brazilian cuisine restaurant, located on Kavanaugh Boulevard, provided a prime resting venue for us to lunch while reflecting on the trip. First,however, we looked over the menu trying to decipher what the printed item titles meant. Fortunately, this was quickly resolved with the help of our waiter.
Thus, Professor Yawn ordered a small Quiches, Brian the Torta de Frango (chicken pie), and Paul chose the lighter fare of soup and Mista salad. Before starting on our piece de resistance however, we chose to follow our waiter’s recommendations and ordered Almondegais and Pao de Queljo. The variety of cheese from the pao, with its creamy, rich flavors, were a perfect compliment with the meaty, fired Almondegais balls. With our main course dishes placed on our table, we took hold of knife and fork to begin tasting our delicious meals. Evidently we were all similarly delighted with our sections for soon we were left with empty plates and a satisfied sigh. Soon thereafter, we thanked our hosts on way through the threshold to get on our way to the U.S. Arsenal Building.
After finishing up our repast at the Bassa Nova, we drove through the beautiful avenues of Little Rock to see the Douglas MacArthur Museum. While Paul and Brian toured this, Prof. Yawn opted for a less martial exhibit, and went to the neighboring Little Rock Arts Center instead.
The Little Rock Arts Center is small, but it has a well-curated collection, with lesser pieces by big names such as Monet and Louise Nevelson….
Louise Nevelson
..and some very nice pieces by more regional artists. Carroll Cloar’s “Moonstruck Girls,” for example, is an interesting piece…
…as is Louis Watt’s “Untitled.”
The General MacArthur Museum was very interesting, spanning World War One to Vietnam. MacArthur is famous for being the commander of the pacific theatre of World War Two, for being a pivotal figurge in the Philippines, and for opposing President Truman in the matter of Korea. MacArthur is also famous for a speech he gave before Congress, in which he cites a “barracks ballad,” which says “old soldiers never die, they just slowly fade away.”
The museum was free, and well worth seeing. Paul enjoyed the collection of war posters from World War One, urging the viewer to buy bonds and to “Halt the Hun.”
He also liked the exhibit of Vietnam-era weaponry, including an M-79 grenade launcher, a shoulder-mounted RPG, and an AK-47. Brian seemed to have the most fun trying to take a good picture of a bust of Douglas MacArthur. Paul, Brian, and the General had a hard time fitting into the selfie, so they gave that up.
Finally we hit the road again, and made the long slog from Little Rock to Huntsville. It was a long, arduous drive, but we made it home around 10:00 p.m. We were all very glad to be back, for as a great man once said, “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home!”
As we wend our way home from “The Motor City,” we stopped in Indianapolis to see a heap of historic sites, from extensions of our research on The Vagabonds, to the Indy 500, to a presidential home, a capitol, and a fine art museum. Although it was our second-to-last day on the road, it promised to be a full one.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
We have friends who have been to the races here, and they indicate it’s pretty incredible. The Museum, however, is not incredible. It’s actually quite boring.
The Museum itself consists of approximately three rooms: a large show-case style room, a smaller room beyond the main room, and a room to the left which houses “special exhibits.” The main room has a timeline, which consists of a series of photographs on the walls, and then the winning cars from the past 100 years of races.
Indy-Winning Cars on Display at the Speedway Museum
Although it is of some interest to see the evolution of cars from long ago to today (mostly, the long-ago cars were cooler), there wasn’t a whole lot of context or the interesting tidbits you can learn from even small museums.
After looking around and wondering, “Is this all there is?”, we opted for the “short video” that provided “background.” It was short–about 8 minutes–but it provided almost no background. It was an eight-minute commercial for the special “spirit” of the Indianapolis 500. It provided little or no substantive information about the origin of the race, why Indianapolis became home to racing, or how things have changed over the years. It, too, was a disappointment.
Indiana State Capitol
Undaunted by the Speedway disappointment, we sped out of there and had breakfast at the City Cafe in downtown Indianapolis before heading to the Indiana State Capitol building.
Upon entrance to the Indiana capitol we noticed the nice but fairly typical exterior…
Indianapolis State Capitol Building
…but we were truly struck by the interior.
Indianapolis Capitol Dome
Interestingly, it houses all three branches of government; executive, legislative, and judicial. Thus we were able to see the working Governor’s office…
Governor Mike Pence’s Office
…the House and Senate chambers, and the court room of the Indiana Supreme Court, which doesn’t resemble a lot of the past statehouse tours.
Indiana Supreme Court
The interior of the Indiana Capitol is made of smooth, polished Vermont marble and Indiana limestone. The architecture is evocative of the Italian style. The rotunda at the heart of the building boasts an impressive stained-glass ceiling, and two wings that extend outwards in each direction.
The wings mirror each other, and have large open areas that go four floors upward before terminating in a glass ceiling that lets natural light filter down to the floor. Each open space is surrounded by walkways set into the walls and supported by columns in a colonnade fashion. Of special note was the fact that all three of the classical Greek styles of columns were represented. The first floor showcased doric columns; the second floor was supported by imposing, almost un-ornamented ionic columns; and the third floor was held up by thinner, more artistic corinthian columns. All of the columns were made of grey-white marble, and lacked fluting (vertical lines running up and down the length of the column).
Our tour guide led us through this pleasant architectural feat, showing off various interesting busts of famous Hoosiers.
He also made sure to impress upon us some pertinent facts about Indiana. We learned that the state bird is the cardinal, the state flower is the peony, the state tree is the tulip poplar, and the state song is “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.” Most importantly, he told us that Indiana is one of only four states with an official state pie, which for Indiana is the sugar-cream pie. It was a nice tour, with a very nice tour guide.
And although we missed seeing Governor Pence at the Capitol, we did see people protesting Pence.
Trump/Pence Protestors at Indiana State Capitol
Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial
But before heading to our next historic home, we decided to go to the Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ memorial.
View of Indiana Solders’ and Sailors’ Memorial from the Capitol
This edifice boasts a pool and fountain beneath a circular, raised dais decorated by various sculptures. Soaring above it all is a tower that rears upwards toward the clouds.
You can actually climb up a set of 330 stairs on the inside of the obelisk, or take an elevator to the top for a small fee. Prof. Yawn elected to pay, while Brian and Paul adventurously took the stairs all the way to the top, compelled to do so after all of the vertigo-filled adventures of the trip. It was a beautiful view from up above, making the climb up worth it.
Brian and Paul from the Memorial’s Observation Deck
Our feat of athleticism was soon rewarded by a short visit to the Chocolate Cafe right across the street from the memorial. While sipping on a very sweet, creamy Chocolate Chai and nibbling on a very rich caramel sea salt chocolate, we people-watched. This was made more interesting by the gathering of people in our midst. There was, for example, a convention of sorts for Mennonites, who sang on a town square…
Circling them, on a pedal-powered bar (“The Pickled Pedaler) was a party of some sort (perhaps a wedding based on the sign on the back, which read, “Congratulations Tom & Ed”).
How you effectively avoid Mennonites and traffic in a town the size of Indianapolis–while drinking alcohol–is beyond us. It’s also not clear how this doesn’t violate some drinking and driving ordinance. Presumably, the steering-wheel operator doesn’t drink, but the people providing the power do.
Amidst all of this, it was also Gen-Con, a convention of strange people dressed as super-heroes and other characters.
It wasn’t quite the bar scene in Star Wars, but it wasn’t far off, and it wasn’t what we were expecting from Indianpolis, “The Crossroads of America.”
Benjamin Harrison Home
Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States of America, was a native of Indiana. He raised a regiment during the Civil War, and fought as a general on the Union side. Interestingly, he was preceded in the presidency by Grover Cleveland and was, oddly enough, succeeded by the same man! Other aspects of his presidency were how his federal spending exceeded $1 billion for the first time in American history; he started the process of preserving places of natural beauty; and he strengthened the United States by modernizing the navy, making it the 5th most powerful in the world. This later may have come in handy for the coming First World War.
As a very interesting president, his home was just as special in that 70-80% of the furniture is both authentic (not replicas) and on display.
Benjamin Harrison’s Parlor
You can see his prodigious library, the many of the gifts that he was given in life, including a strange chair given by a Texan…
Benjamin Harrison’s Chair
…made of Longhorn horns, a bobcat hide seat, and the overall look of Texas tacky. We also saw his death bed, which was covered with the same comforter he used…
Benjamin Harrison’s Bed
…which was not Texas-Tacky, but was tacky-cool.
Harrison was a volunteer fireman, and the staircase was fashioned from a fireman’s hose…
…the home’s foyer was adorned with a 38-star flag (reflecting the number of states when Harrison took office)…
…and his desk was the height of 19th-century organization which, in our book, beats 21st century simplicity.
Benjamin Harrison Desk
However, such an artifact was in no way detrimental to the rest of the home’s beauty…
Paul Oliver and Brian Aldaco at the Harrison Home
…almost comparable to our next item on the day’s itinerary.
Indianapolis Museum of Art
After leaving the home, we soon reached the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The art museum, to our pleasant surprise, shared a few similarities with Harrison’s home in that within the halls were exhibited works by Jacob Cox. Cox’s works were also present inside the Hoosier president’s parlor room. He and other Indiana artists were being commemorated in the “19th Stars” special museum exhibit which included renewed artists of talent such as T.C. Steele, Robert Indiana, and George Rickey among others.
George Rickey Art
After appreciating sights of silver mobiles, beautiful landscapes, and painted canvases with the intent to reflect on society’s morals, all from the creativity of Indiana natives, we continued on through the halls of the museum.
Nearing the first exhibit room we noticed that the art had been arranged in chronological order, allowing us to view a sort of art evolution. Beginning with the realist school of American painters such as Charles Wilson Peale…
“George Washington,” by Charles Wilson Peale
…Albert Bierstadt…
“Alaska” by Albert Bierstadt
and John Haberle, we were further schooled in the art of capturing the essence of reality. Such an aspect in art was truly captured in Haberle’s depiction of American currency in U.S.A. (1889). The oil painting was mistaken for real money upon unveiling which caused near tremulous sensation as viewers claimed the artist had glued money on a canvas. We later saw paintings of other American artists which we had seen on previous museums such as those by Georgia O’Keefe and a very expressive Norman Rockwell by the name of The Love Song.
“Love Song,” by Norman Rockwell
Throughout the other rooms we viewed other artists of remarkable ability, one of which was George Seurat who rightfully deserves the description. His pioneered pointillism-style of expression inspired fellow talented impressionists of his time such as Paul Signac, Henry Van de Velde, Camille Pissarro (these being among Brian’s favorites), and Van Gogh.
Van Gogh Landscape
Wandering through the other rooms we were delighted upon nearing a ver peculiar modernist painting by the name of Man and Woman. In a style resembling that of Picasso’s cubism, the shapes of color and shadows form two figures, a man and a woman, embracing each other’s kiss. Even though the depiction in itself was phenomenal, it was the man behind the brush strokes, Fernand Leger, that caught our attention. Between the years of 1948 and 1950 a young Huntsville artist by the name of David Adickes traveled to France to study art under the teachings of Leger. Adickes, as any Hunstvillian may know, was the talented sculptor who erected the Sam Houston statute which towers at the town’s edge. Satisfied that we were able to identify with one of the celebrated artists, we toured some more of the halls to later exit onto the grounds. With a scenic gushing fountain, the grounds were decorated by sculptures by Roy Lichtenstein…
Brian and Roy Lichtenstein
…and Robert Indiana’s famous LOVE sculpture, which we have seen at three or more art museums throughout the US.
Robert Indiana and Roy Lichtenstein’s Artwork on the Lawn of Indianapolis Museum of Art
Robert Indiana, interestingly, was born Robert Clark. But he changed his name to honor his home state. Interestingly, one of his pieces, a 12-foot LOVE sculpture (which are obviously not unique) recently sold for 4.1 million dollars.
After enjoying the green fields of artistic delight, we regrouped in our mini-van and buckled up for our stretch towards the end of our trip. As we only have one more day left in our Mid-Western tour, we arrived in our hotel late at night eager to get some rest and prepare for an exciting last day of our odyssey, in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The LEAP Ambassadors are on the road again as we return from Dearborn, Michigan. Even though we left yesterday, our trip back to Huntsville is, in LEAP style, exploiting the learning opportunities along the way. Driving through the Midwest, we have been enjoying fields of green, skies of blue and white ornamented with sunny streaks, while visiting locations of historic prominence. From the birthplace of one of the fathers of the modern age to the resting place of our nation’s 29th president, we knew that our Friday itinerary would be as fun as any of the previous adventures in our Vagabond trip.
Constructed along the banks of the Milan Canal in 1839, this modest home was where young Edison spent his childhood until he was seven-years old. Even though the family left in 1854 due to the town’s low job opportunities, the home would be owned again by the original family when Marion (older sister of Thomas) bought the home. Eventually the home was bought by Tomas Edison and efforts from his wife and sister were later made to turn the home into a historic site. These finally came to fruition in 1947 when the home was inaugurated as a museum on 100th anniversary of Edison’s birth.
Upon arrival to the restored home along Edison Avenue, seemingly as common as the neighboring homes, we stepped into the birthplace of one of the most important inventors of all time. On the living room stood a cradling bench, one that would have been used to cradle young Edison. What was of greater interest was the adjacent room. In a small, four-walled enclosure, intended for the younger children’s living quarters, stood a complimentary rope bed. Mother Nancy Edison moved to the warmer, oven-heated space on which she gave birth to her youngest child. We stood on the threshold of where Thomas Edison had been born on a February evening in 1847. As we stepped upstairs we were able to sense young Edison’s childhood.
The first bedroom we went into would have been young Marion’s room, now decorated with her christening gown and a knitted tapestry on the wall which she chose not to finish. We then crossed to the opposite room which Thomas and wife Mina Millar used as a bedroom after purchasing the home. Various pieces of apparel owned by the Wizard of Menlo Park were exhibited in the closets. One garment which we found amusing was a pair of slippers, the preferred footwear for the insomniac inventor who would often nap on the strategically placed cots located around his laboratory in Orange, New Jersey.
As we walked downstairs into the parlor room we spotted a portrait which depicted Edison on a fireside’s edge telling a story to a group of children and friends, on of which we recognized as a very attentive man with the name of Henry Ford. As we had spent a week researching the pairs’ 1915-1926 trips across the nation, it was exciting to view signs of their great friendship. We were further amazed, however, by the small space behind the parlor room. On this small storage room stood dozens of artifacts that the inventor had patented during his lifetime. As T. Edison held a list of over 1000 patents, it was rewarding to view artifacts such as the electric pen and the talking doll (the first toy of its kind in the US.) Other items included one of his first successful lightbulbs of bamboo filament (the lightbulb still works), a Western Union telegraph machine which he sold for $40,000 after its creation, and Edison spark plugs, which further helped solidify his connection with Ford.
With our tour ending at the home’s basement, in which artifacts from the period such as a pole latter and a waffle maker were shown to us, we took our last glimpse of the home and started on our way towards Marion, Ohio.
Before reaching the home town of William G. Harding, however, our homesickness was too strong. Along the road, we came across Tackett’s Southern Bar-B-Que. After overlooking the menu, Paul ordered a brisket sandwich, Professor Yawn chose a plate of pork, and Brian ordered a meal of St. Louis ribs, a bit incongruous considering the venue’s advertised title. Regardless of the cut’s name, the ribs of mouthwatering delight, along with the other meats, were savory to our southern palates. Accompanied with a side of coleslaw and beans (which were bathed in barbecue with a trace of meat) our lunch was more than enough to satisfy our appetite for Texas cuisine.
Warren G. Harding Historic Sites, by Paul Oliver
After lunch we headed to the Warren G. Harding home. Harding was President of the United States after Woodrow Wilson. This meant the he had to oversee the period immediately following the First World War. Importantly, for the purposes of our trip, Harding was also a Vagabond camper, having joined Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone on their 1921 trip.
Ford, Edison, Harding, Firestone “Camping”
Unfortunately for us, we were running short on time, therefore, could no take the tour of the home, only visit some of its exhibits, tour the grounds, and look over the gift shop.
Warren G. Harding Home
However, we did manage to head down the street to the Tomb of the both President Harding and the First Lady.
Warren G. Harding Tomb
The tomb is a beautiful structure. Circular columns form the exterior. These columns themselves stand upon a massive base of what appeared to be white marble or polished granite. Inside the pillar arrangement was a walkway, shaded by an overhang above. This overhang was in turn supported by an interior range of columns, of the slight ornate iconic order. In the center of the tomb was a circle of green grass, bushes, and a tall tree whose branches seemed to reach upwards towards the sun, with roots streaming down on to two large grey sarcophagi.
Behind the twin stone coffins of Mr. and Mrs. Harding was an inscription carved into the back wall which contained their names and dates of death. It was an impressive monument to a President from a bygone era.
Ohio Capitol, by Paul Oliver
After touring the monument, the three of us jumped back into the van, and set off towards Columbus to tour the capitol of Ohio. We arrived just in time to join the tour, and were treated to an hour-long walk through of the grand statehouse. Interestingly, unlike most capitals, the Ohio capitols is not domed, at least not from the exterior.
Rather, it was built with a towering cupola perched atop its roof. The interior of the capitol, however, offered a view from the rotunda of what appeared, from the interior, to be a dome.
The capitol was built earlier than most capitols (construction began in 1838), so it was somewhat less grand than many others (say, the Texas Capitol). But it offered interesting exhibits and interactive features…
…as well as some interesting interior art.
Interestingly, for a state that produced eight presidents, the large portraits on their walls were dedicated not to these presidents but to Thomas Edison on one side…
…and the Wright Brothers on the other side.
Aside from the art, we were able to visit both the House…
…and the senate.
Although not a spectacular capitol, it was a stop well worth our time, and we enjoyed the tour very much.
As we finished our capitol tour to step outside and view a little of Columbus architecture, we continued on our 160-mile journey towards Indianapolis, Indiana. We arrived at the city accordingly for we were already getting hungry. Therefore, we stopped for dinner at a deli which served exceptionally good subs. Paul enjoyed a 12” Italian sandwich, while Brian and Professor Yawn shared an Italian and a Reuben sandwich between them. After a cookie desert, tired from a long trip and days’ adventure, we retired to our hotel. We contemplated how tomorrow we would have a long day of sight-seeing and total of 7-hours of driving. But with the proper LEAP attitude, we greet tomorrow and days to come, anticipating the best of adventures.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 