Editor’s note: The following is a press release from the Monroe County History Center. Bloom has republished it here with minor style edits.
The Monroe County History Center welcomed its newest exhibit, “Hoosier- in-Residence: T.C. Steele’s Franklin Hall Studio” on July 10th. The exhibit, supported by the Indiana University Office of Bicentennial, is a part of the university’s bicentennial celebrations for 2020. “Hoosier-in-Residence” will be on display until November 13, 2020.
With the support of a grant from the Indiana University Office of the Bicentennial, the History Center was able to recreate Steele’s Franklin Hall studio from his days as artist-in-residence at IU in the 1920s.
“It’s so exciting for us to be able to share this new exhibit with the community,” says Susan Dyar, director of the Monroe County History Center. Steele’s 1922 studio no longer exists, but with the help of photographs, original furniture and paintings on loan from the Indiana State Museum, the Eskenazi Museum of Art, and private collector Dr. Robert Sexton, we can all imagine the space.”
“The Office of the Bicentennial’s project grant program provided opportunities for partners to develop unique projects that commemorate and explore Indiana University’s past, present, and future,” says Jeremy Hackerd, project manager for the Office of the Bicentennial. “As IU’s artist-in-residence, Steele captured the beauty of the Bloomington campus through his paintings and enriched IU’s art collection with his work. The Office is thrilled that this exhibit is now available to the public.”
“T. C. Steele had a talent, refined it, and worked tirelessly to bring Indiana to the forefront of American art. To have his presence on campus for four years was valuable to more than just aspiring artists,” adds A.J. Gianopoulos, Exhibits Manager of the History Center. Born
and raised a Hoosier, T. C. Steele captured the beauty of the Indiana landscape and introduced it to a developing modern world.
Hours for the exhibit are Tuesday – Friday 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-17 and free for ages 5 and under. The Monroe County History Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to collect, preserve, research, interpret and present the genealogy, history, and artifacts of Monroe County, Indiana, and to provide an accessible learning environment for all to enjoy.
