Barn stories are the passion of Gwen Gutwein, an artist with history in mind, who will be hosted by the Columbus Area Visitors Center in the fall with an exhibit.
Barn painting throughout the country fascinates Gutwein, and she likes to know about the history of a particular barn in times past. One such barn is here in Hartsville on County Road 1050E, which includes the magnificent tree nearby. Gutwein obtained a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Indiana University, and has studied in many states and in Greece. Her paintings are in private and public collections across the country.
Look forward to her fall exhibit and more can be seen at facebook.com/GwenGutweinArt.
Family
funHere we are at the end of the lovely month of June with some very hot and sunny days, a few chilly and a few rainy ones — just enough perfect weather to keep our gardens and farms blooming. My husband and I have a small menagerie of pots containing veggies, herbs and flowers in an enclosed screened-in porch, referred to as “the farm” — just enough to give us that earthly feeling of gardener/farmer, albeit city folk!
With farms in mind, a bit of travel took us to Ball State University to spend time with family and grandson Cobie from Chicago, who was registering for classes for a degree in actuarial sciences and joining the swim team. Touring the campus, we found it to be quite charming with some very interesting buildings, designed for the particular subject matter of the degree (the agricultural building structure brought that to mind). We look forward to spending more time there.
Club enjoys special setting
The governor’s residence was the site for the meeting of Magazine Club in May. A luncheon was arranged by hostesses Denise Pence, Kim Pence, Alice Leonard, Jenny Kim, Nancy Pence, and prepared by Addison Bakery of Columbus. Lovely tables were arranged by the staff with checkerboard table clothes and flowers in keeping with the race day in May theme.After lunch we were given a tour by Dexter Powell, butler of the residence for 40 years. We were brought up to date on the history and decor accomplished by many of the first ladies. Most recently, state colors of blue and gold were used by First Lady Karen Pence in the design of furniture and carpeting in the formal living room. All upholstery work was accomplished by prison inmates at Pen Products, located at Pendleton Correctional Facility as part of their rehabilitation skills.
In the formal dining room Karen Pence has displayed place settings of China patterns purchased by the most recent first ladies. The gardens were starting to bloom, tended by local master gardeners, and the bees in the hives were busy — first lady initiatives attended to and organized by Karen Pence. The weather prevented a stroll throughout the lovely premises.
Check it out
Coming in July will be international stars The King Singers, in concert at 7:30 p.m. July 9 at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, bringing their “Postcards” program of songs from around the world. Tickets are available at the church or at Viewpoint Books. For more information go online at kingsingers.comZemrah and Company, a Chicago-based jazz vocalist, will perform at 7 p.m. today at the Harlequin Theatre in FairOaks Mall. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
One of these days I’m heading to Bear Wallow Distillery, 4484 Old State Road 46 East, for a tour which they give daily on the hour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. I had an occasion at the Statehouse natural foods event to sample their bourbon flavored maple syrup which is aged in bourbon barrels for seven months.
