Broad Ripple Art Fair

There's a lot that goes on around Indianapolis (Indy to those who know it) year round. However, the art fairs are generally in the spring and fall. These pictures are of the Broad Ripple Art Fair, put on by the Indianapolis Art Center. The other two biggies in Indy are The Talbot Street Art Fair and Penrod. Talbot Street is in the area around the Herron Art School (a rather artsy neighborhood) and Penrod is put on by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. These three shows are all nationally recognized.

Here we go, into the art fair at one of the entry points.


There were about 225 artist featured, all scattered about the grounds or in the art center itself.


There is always a good crowd for the two day event, good weather or not.



Hand crafted wooden toys are always a favorite of mine.


But let me introduce you to a couple of friends. This is Pat, she does a variety of hand crafting, and includes jewelry, many forms of glass art, and whatever else catches her imagination (which seems to be very active). I met her in Mesa, Arizona, only to find out she is an Indy resident and member of the Indianapolis Art Center.


This is Chris, who is a master with a hammer. He makes some amazing pieces, most of which are hammered into the shape he has pictured in his mind. It is not just a trick with the hammer, he must heat the pieces many times between hammerings in order to soften the metal. You see, the hammering hardens the metal to the point it will crack if not heated (annealed). Some of his pieces go through this cycle 30, 40, even 50 times in order for him to reach the shape he wants. I've watched him take a gold coin and turn it into a cuff bracelet or a 3by3 square of silver and turn it into a bowl. I met Chris at the Art Center last winter. He and I were the only males in an otherwise all female class.


......and these are my roses...nothing to do with the Art Fair, I just thought they were nice.


Would you like to see why I am so impressed with Chris's work. Go to his website at HAEPHESTOS.COM and be amazed.

The Central Canal

Indianapolis, since the state of Indiana went bankrupt in 1839, has had the never completed Central Canal. The original purpose was to join the Wabash and Erie Canal with the Ohio River. The canal has been the playground for ducks, was briefly used in power generation, provided fishing for city folk, and was a supply of freshhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif water for the city's purification plant. It has gone through phases of disrepair and then resurgence. It is now the Indianapolis Canal Walk.

The latest resurgence has been where the canal passes through the downtown area of the city. Walkways, green areas, parks, major building projects like restaurants and apartments have been constructed along the banks. The idea undoubtedly came from other cities, like San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Spokane, and others, where waterways have been turned into amazing areas for everyone's enjoyment.

Please enjoy the following pictures of the Central Canal in downtown Indianapolis in the springtime........ where you can:

Enjoy spring time colors...

eat in a remodled church, then walk off the meal...

feel comfortable knowing it is constantly patrolled...

take a tour on a Segway...

or rent a paddle boat, canoe, or peddle car...

watch a Hispanic wedding party taking in the sites...

or see kids frolicing with Wolly Mamoths outside the Indiana State Museum...

see a boy warming up for the finals of a yo yo competition...

stop in at the NCAA Hall of Champions...

walk up to street level to see the seat of Indiana government.

There are many sites within a block or two of the canal's path like, the White River State Park, the Indianapolis Zoo, Victory Field (home of the Indianapolis Indians baseball team), the old Stutz building (where the car was made) which has been renovated and turned into offices and artists studios. Of course add a few more blocks to your walk and you are in range of nearly unlimited shopping, hotels, upscale restaurants, theater, and yada, yada, yada.

A friend from out of state once told me that Indianapolis was a cornfield with lights. I don't think it is "Indian NO Place" any more.