Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cate Whetzel, 812.988.2785, [email protected]

NASHVILLE, Ind. — The public is invited to a fun and relaxing day at the 28th annual Great Outdoor Art Contest (GOAC) at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site in Brown County on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The contest honors the birthday of T.C. Steele (Sept. 11, 1847). The “en plein air” (in open air) art competition is open to emerging and well-known artists of all ages.

“Late summer and autumn flowers will be blooming in the newly renovated Formal Garden to provide a lot of color for the painters,” said Andrea deTarnowsky, T.C. Steele State Historic Site manager. “We believe they will inspire today’s artists just as they did T.C. Steele.”

The Formal Garden and Water Lily Gardens at the site have been the focus of a major rehabilitation campaign that began last year. The broken stone arches at the entrance to the property, damaged last July with the loss of the Old Oak, have recently been reconstructed and restored as well.

The festival will feature artists painting on the site grounds from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. All PaintOut entries must be created the day of the contest at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site or in Brown County. Artists participating must have their blank canvases or pages stamped prior to beginning their work. Judging will begin at 2 p.m.

Adult categories include oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media and drawing. Children ages 12 and under, as well as teens, may enter any media. The first place winner and the people’s choice winner will be displayed at the Brown County Art Guild in downtown Nashville. First place winners will be awarded a commemorative mug from Brown County Redware.

Early bird registration is available with a discount offered through August 31. Registration rates will apply September 1 through 10. The first 20 artists to register will receive a commemorative mug from Brown County Redware in honor of the Indiana bicentennial.

Artists and visitors may visit the Large Studio and view the latest painting rotation of Steele’s work, recently installed. In the Studio, guests will also be able to enjoy the work of GOAC judges Donna Shortt, Mary Ann Davis and Rick Wilson, on view for one day only.

Celtica, a Celtic progressive band that includes traditional instruments, will perform at 1:30 p.m. on site. Ralph and Ava’s Catering will begin serving lunch at 11:30 a.m. Brown County Kettle Corn and BarisGo Coffee will be serving snacks and drinks throughout the day. Grand Junction Brewing Co. will serve beer in the beer garden. Please bring cash to enjoy the beer garden and the food vendors.

Registration forms and guidelines are available online at www.tcsteele.org/programs. Artists who wish to register by phone may call the site at 812.988.2785.

Please mail completed registration forms, along with the entry fee, to:

Attn: PaintOut
T.C. Steele State Historic Site
4220 T.C. Steele Rd.
Nashville, IN 47448

There will be a $3 parking fee for the general public.

For more information on this event or to register, please contact Cate Whetzel, program developer at 812.273.4531 or [email protected].

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T.C. Steele State Historic Site is located on Hwy 46 just west of Nashville in the heart of artistic Brown County. Part of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, the site is where nature’s beauty meets the artist’s canvas. The home, studio and gardens of this noted Hoosier artist still provide inspiration today through site tours, outdoor painting competitions and artist-in-residence programs. For more information, call 812.988.2785 or visit indianamuseum.org/tc_steele.