Pictured is the exterior of the South Bend Art Museum. Photo provided by Darla McCammon.

By Darla McCammon and guest author Darlene Romano

This week, we want to introduce you to a great museum to visit that is close to home, the South Bend Art Museum. The museum was established in 1947 through a bequest from schoolteacher Carlotta Banta. The South Bend Art Association was created through the efforts of local leaders and was originally established in the carriage house of the Studebaker mansion. In the early 1970’s, the city and the arts council combined efforts to create the new Century Center on the banks of the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend. The museum occupies three levels of the north wing of the building with spacious galleries and studios.

The museum collection is rich in regional art, from the nineteenth century to the present, and has long engaged with contemporary artists from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri. The museum puts on several exhibitions a year. The current exhibition, the Performing Arts Festival, showcases new works of integrated media with emerging technologies by artists who are unapologetically crossing disciplinary boundaries. The exhibition runs from Jan. 14 through March 19.

The museum offers many classes for all ages — children, teens, adults, and families — and includes summer camps, First Fridays, Meet Me On The Island, Best Week Ever and outreach programs in schools, community centers and wellness organizations. The ceramic studio in the museum is the largest and most professional facility in northern Indiana, attracting students from near and far. There are available classes in drawing, painting and jewelry-making, in addition to ceramics.
The South Bend Art Museum is located near the Snite Museum, which we reviewed two weeks ago, on the campus of Notre Dame, and both museums can easily be visited in one day. The South Bend Museum of Art is open from noon to 5 pm. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, call (574) 235-9102 or visit southbendart.org.

Honeywell Arts and Entertainment 92 County Art Show Winners:

Best of Show

• Goven J. Martinez – “The Red Ball”

Painting

• Walter Woodhams – “A Barn Next to a Pond in the Woods” – First Place
• Sarah Luginbill – “Winter Bridge” – Second Place
• Tim Swagerie – “Alley View” – Third Place

Drawing

• Lisa Bliss Rush – “Falter Pride” – First Place
• Laurie Gates – “Childlike Faith” – Second Place
• Jody Keilholtz – “Simple Country” – Third Place

Other Art Forms

• Daniel -*Hollenbeck – “Coffee Bean Urn” – First Place
• Marv Amador – “What Holds You Together” – Second Place
• Heidi Bailey – “Guardians of a Fairytale Pulpit” – Third Place

Honorable Mentions

• Rebecca Burton – “Tower Hill, Warren Dunes”
• Will Carpenter – “Semblance Project”
• Rebecca Gazarik – “Evening Melody”
• Charles Hollar – “Moments of Memories”
• David P. Johnson – “Whitetail Deer in Indiana Winter”
• Brenda Ramseier – “Come, Sit a Spell”

2023 Judges

• Cynthia Bryan, Warsaw
• Danielle Winger, LaFontaine

All of the juried artwork is on display through Feb. 13 at the Honeywell Clark Gallery in Wabash. Many of the juried pieces of artwork are for sale and can be purchased at the gallery box office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (260) 274-1411 or visit honeywellarts.org.

Events:

Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery: Local artist Deana Harvey will be displaying her artwork beginning Jan. 11 through the end of March. Make sure you stop by to view her work! To exhibit at Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery, contact Darla McCammon, curator, by leaving a message at  (574) 527-4044 or by emailing [email protected].

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