An exhibition of original landscape paintings, drawings, and a rare bas relief sculpture by Laconia artist, Sidney Crosier (1858-1930) will be on display at Harrison County Arts from January 13th to March 11th, 2023. These works are part of the Larry Ordner Collection being auctioned online by Beckort Auctions.

Other works in the collection that will also be on view include a 1896 watercolor painting by William Forsyth, entitled “Cedar Farm -The Evening Star”, artworks by Helen Griffin O’Leary from the Frederick Griffin Estate, as well as many other local Corydon/Harrison County historical items.

This collection being displayed offers the viewer a rare opportunity to see some of the artwoks that hold clues to the past life of Harrison County, and contribute to our self-understanding as a County.

IMPRESSIONS: A short introduction to the life and times of Sidney D. Crosier, a Harrison County Indiana artist – 1858 -1930

Harrison County Arts will be hosting its annual Small Art holiday showcase from November 18 through December 31 at 113 East Beaver Street in Downtown Corydon. Affordable creative items include paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, jewelry, ceramics, ornaments, carvings, quilts, etc.

The showcase will represent the artist-members of Harrison County Arts and invited artists from the region, who have produced many exciting works for sale to patrons who are looking for unique gifts or holiday enhancements for their homes. Carl DeGraff, a well-known local potter, shared his thoughts about creating smaller clay items: “One of the joys for a potter of small things is the fact that almost all of them are defect free and because I can take risks in construction and glazing that I cannot afford when dealing with larger pieces.” DeGraff will have both sculptural and functional ceramic pieces on exhibit.

Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

January 14 through February 26, 2022

Opening Reception: January 14, 2022 | 5:30 – 7:30 pm

Please join us for our first exhibit of the new year featuring artist Kit Miracle. Kit is the former Director of Jasper Community Arts. Her studio is on a small farm in Southern Indiana. Most people consider Miracle to be a painter, but she is much more than that. Miracle says, “I’m a storyteller.  I don’t use words to tell my stories.  My tools are paint, canvas, and paper.  I use them to convey my stories with a depth that words cannot reach”.

The exhibit will include paintings from her Intimate Spaces: Breaking Bread Series as well as other paintings showcasing scenes from Southern Indiana. This series depicts people eating, both together and alone.  Again, they often assume that no one can see them.  From the lonely diner in a fast-food restaurant with a sign urging him to “JOIN” the team, to a late-night group of teens, reminiscent of Hopper’s Nighthawks. One painting, After the Dinner Party, only suggests that guests have been there, a nod to the pandemic.  Each painting has a story, and Miracle enjoys creating a series. She feels “a series helps me to drill deeper into a subject and explore it from many angles”.
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Kit is a contemporary impressionist.  Her work is characterized by capturing the feelings of the scenes with thick brush strokes, colors placed adjacent to each other rather than mixed on the palette, common-place subject matter, and asymmetrical compositions. Her bold style aims to draw the viewer to visually participate in the artistic process. A professional artist for over 35 years, Kit has had numerous solo, and group exhibits regional and nationally.

Richard E. Leep was a long time artist-member of Harrison County Arts. Richard moved on to his heavenly studio on January 28, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Richard’s role as a landscaper for almost 40 years fueled his passion for nature, the focus of much of his creative work. He was a proficient landscape artist, which he exhibited extensively, and for which he won numerous awards. Later in his creative life, Richard began exploring abstraction and the Steampunk aesthetic, combining paint, machine parts, cogs, dolls, and rivets on canvas and other three-dimensional objects.