New this year in the gallery are signed, numbered, and framed giclee prints — of pastel paintings by Mrs. Pesta and photos by Jesse Pesta, who will be visiting from New York City to assist in hosting the open house. Pesta’s black and white photos feature subjects from around the world. Giclee refers to archival prints made on fine-art papers.
Joe Persinger’s framed photos of area landscapes and wildlife also will be on exhibit in the gallery. Persinger will provide musical entertainment during the weekend event. He will sing traditional folksongs as well as songs he has written, accompanying himself on the guitar.

John Pesta will be on hand to sign copies of his mystery novel, “Safely Buried,” which was published in 2011. The novel is set in Meridian County, Indiana, a fictitious place based on Jackson County. Persons who own a copy of the book may bring it with them to be signed. Anyone who wishes to purchase a copy may do so at the open house.
Mrs. Pesta’s gallery-studio is surrounded by picturesque woods alongside the Jackson-Washington State Forest, a favorite subject for her pastel paintings, which will be on display. She will demonstrate painting outdoors, weather permitting.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5, and noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 6.
This event is one of the stops along the Forest and Farms Artisan Trail through Jackson and Jennings Counties. Several such trails have been established to promote tourism, arts, and crafts in the Hoosier state.

THANKS LC! It runs daily from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If you are interested in signing up your child, please download the PDF form below, fill it out and return to us as soon as possible! Thanks and we look forward to having another great Art Camp this year!

Click Here To Download the 2012 Art Camp Application (PDF Format)

We hope to see you there! Check back with us frequently for upcoming announcements and photos from our events!

Brownstown Fund for the Arts will host a “winter hootenanny” at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at W. R. Ewing.

The program of folk, country, and folk rock music will feature David Gohn of Bloomington, Curt Kovener of Crothersville, and Joe Persinger of rural Brownstown. The evening will end with a rousing audience participation sing-along.

The event is a fundraiser for the arts group which each year brings various events and activities to the community, including concerts ranging from classical to folk to jazz, art exhibits, and art classes for adults and children.

Admission is $15 per person; however, tables for eight are just $100 and may be reserved by contacting Ewing Uniques at 358-2666. Admission may be paid at the door on the night of the event. Those attending are encouraged to provide their own snacks and beverages.

Singer/songwriter David Gohn is a former Brownstown resident who has become a popular performer in the Bloomington area, where his sound has been described as “American roots music.”

Curt Kovener, who is editor and publisher of The Crothersville Times, has appeared in a number of Jackson County Community Theatre musical productions. At the Feb. 10 event he is expected to perform some classic country tunes as well as some humorous songs.

Joe Persinger’s part of the program will feature original songs as well as familiar folk tunes from the 1960’s and ’70s.

The group will play a variety of music, standard brass quintet repertoire, pop, rhythm and blues, 90s tunes, Broadway songs, and Christmas tune.

Coomer, is a music education major from Seymour, Indiana. Aaron is a member of the University of Louisville Symphonic Band and the drum major of the Cardinal Marching Band. Aaron is also a member of the internationally acclaimed Cardinal Singers, which was ranked third in the World as of April 2011. Aaron’s past and present teachers include Bruce Heim, Dr. Amy Acklin, Diana Morgan, Camilla Gehring, Donn Everett Graham and Dr. Elizabeth Pfaffle.

Burkhardt is a native of Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. In his third semester at U of L, Seth plays principal trumpet for the University Symphony Orchestra and the University Wind Ensemble and is a member of the Cardinal Marching Band. His teachers include Dr. Michael Tunnell and Dr. Herbert Koerselman. Seth also spent the past summer in Graz, Austria, studying with several world-renowned trumpet players.

Meibers is a music composition major, hailing from Winchester, Kentucky. Joe is a member of the U of L Symphonic band and is a frequent soloist for the Cardinal Marching Band. Joe’s present teachers include Dr. Steve Rouse, Dr. Michael Tunnell and Dr. Marc Satterwhite.

Tibnor was raised in Richmond, Virginia and is currently a sophomore music education major at the University of Louisville. He performs with the U of L Jazz Ensemble and as the principle trombonist of the Symphonic Band. He has also been featured as a soloist in the Cardinal Marching Band this year. Michael currently studies under Grammy Winner, Dr. Brett Schuster.

Neal was born and raised in Louisville. A graduate of Male High School, Brandon is in his final year of U of L’s music education program. A premier undergraduate conductor, Brandon frequently gives conducting recitals and appears as a guest conductor of the Louisville’s University Symphony Orchestra. Brandon has been a student of Kimcherie Lloyd, Dr. Clinton McCanless, Nan Moore, and John Jones.

Admission is $5 for adults. Children and students will be admitted free.

(Courtesy of The Jackson County Banner – www.thebanner.com)

Brownstown Fund for the Arts will host a tour of four Jackson County log homes, as well as the Jackson County History Center, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Two of the properties are Steve and Debbie Hackman’s home and the log jail at the Jackson County History Center.

Hackman log home

The Hackman’s built their home in 2009 and it was designed with as many green features as they could justify financially.

One such item is that it is not a traditional log home.  As a matter of fact, it isn’t a log home at all. It is a stick-built home just like most brick or wood homes. It has tongue and groove walls and wood siding on the exterior. Because of the frame construction, it can be insulated and maintains economical heating and air conditioning and still possesses the log home look.

The bear carving inside the home was intended to be a decorative item, but with the help of the contractor actually became a weight-bearing beam. The chainsaw carving was done as a demonstration at the Jackson County Fair. The home’s radiant heating system has provided heat for three winters with no use of electricity, gas or oil for heat.

There was no disturbance of natural habitat when this home was built. The home’s wood frame, floors, and walls – all came from certified managed forests

Other green elements of the home include: a metal roof, recycled plastic surface porches, low-flow faucets, dual flush toilets, radiant heat, gas fireplace, natural stone countertops, no drywall or carpet, energy efficient windows and window treatments, fiberglass entry doors, EnergyStar appliances, CFL bulbs in lighting fixtures, kitchen composter, recycling center, no paint except in the garage, and low VOC compounds. No construction debris was sent to the landfill, it was all reused or recycled.

History center

Jackson History Center’s log jail was built in 2000 from leftover logs.

The slate roof is from the old jail that stood behind the present location of Snappy Tomato Pizza. Nentrupp Trading Post was built in 1827 and was Jackson County’s first trading post. It was moved to Brownstown from the Vallonia area in 2000. The church/school meetinghouse is made from several building and its fireplace was donated by the George and Maxine Gossman Trust Fund.

Tour tickets are $15 and are available at Family Drug or Ewing Uniques.  They may also be purchased at any of the homes on the day of the tour. Children may accompany their parents at no extra charge. All proceeds will help fund the activities of Brownstown Fund for the Arts.

On the evening of September 17, the arts group will sponsor an evening of jazz at W.R. Ewing. The jazz quartet Redbird Jazz, from the University of Louisville, will perform jazz standards and American popular song. Tables for eight may be reserved for $100. Individual tickets will be $15 per person. As with past events of this type, patrons may bring their own refreshments. Reservations may be made at Ewing Uniques.

Joe Reynolds is beginning an adult art class, which has been filled, on August 16.There are also tentative plans for more music events in October and November. Old movies shown at the Royal Off-the-Square Theatre have proven popular, and one is being planned for December. The BFA committee was so pleased with response to the Valentine’s Dance of 2011, that they are planning another for 2012.

Details will be published as soon as they are finalized. Anyone interested in attending the events should watch for publicity articles. The group’s website, www.brownstownfundforthearts.org will also carry information on the events.