The State of Indiana has a long history with glass and many Hoosiers love looking at objects made…read morefrom glass. (There are several glass "trails" for visitors to travel along in the state.) Although Dale Chihuly isn't from Indiana, his work occupies a number of locations around the area. One of Columbus, Indiana's points of pride is the "Sun Garden" located within the Columbus Learning Center on the north end of town. Located in a room specifically designed for showcasing a Chihuly piece, the 32 panel circular installation acts as a colorful skylight. Back in 2007, Chihuly created this plexiglass work that has each panel dedicated to the series of works he had created by that time. Each of the panels is also hand signed by the artist. I won't say any single panel is beautiful, but when gathered into this circle, the backlit colors work well together and is a "must see" for Chihuly fans when in town. Review #2735

Columbus has to be the most beautiful city in Indiana. Their city and local businesses have…read moreembraced the arts like no other with amazing sculptures and galleries. The world renowned architecture for a city of only 50,000 is incredible. The city has done a remarkable job of preserving old, while introducing new structures. As I walked through the streets and visited landmarks, I was struck by how easy Columbus is to visit. Parking is easy and there is a flow downtown that suits a walking tour. Most of the buildings are free to visit and restroom facilities were easy to find. People are friendly and eager to describe their buildings and help visitors get around. The local restaurants are really good with and interesting mix of American and International cuisines. I found prices reasonable. The local history is interesting especially the impacts made by Irwin Miller. It would take a week to see everything. Next visit, I will make reservations for some of the tours and exquisite restaurants in advance.

This is a small, but upcoming city located about 45 minutes from Indianapolis. It home to about…read more50,000 residents and is HQ for the engine company Cummins. This town has a good down home family feel to it. My kids really liked the play space in The Commons. I could not believe that it was actually free. Their is also a kids museum across the street called Kids Commons. Columbus is not the most diverse city in Indiana. 87% of its population is white. I really like this town. It is not as crazy busy as Indy, but still has a lot going on. The town host many events such as First Thursday, Holiday Pops!, Festival of lights, Canines and Cocktails and Movies in the Campground. An interesting fact about the town is that it is home to footwear pioneer Chuck Taylor. Taylor is an alumunist of Columbus High School. The town has a very storied history. It is known for its art and architecture. Be sure to check out all the public art and wonderful architecture while visiting. Some notable public art includes: Choas, History and Mystery, C, Heroes, and the Family. Some architectural structures to be on the look out for include: the Irwin Union Bank, Bartholomew County Courthouse, Columbus City Hall, First Baptist Church, First Christian Church, and the McEwen-Samuels-Marr House. Additionally, in 1844, the first railroad in Indiana was constructed to Columbus from Madison, Indiana. Additionally, the city's Crump Theatre, which was built in 1889, is the oldest theater in Indiana. This is a nice place to visit and and I like to bring my family here to spend the day sometime on a nice day to take in all of the history and sights.

Downtown Columbus is filled with public art. The Commons is the site of some wonderful pieces,…read moreboth inside and out. 2 Arcs de 212.5 is one of those on the outside. In 1987, artist Bernar Venet created this minimalist work by bending two 4.5" beams to form parts of a circular shape to precisely 212.5 degrees of the 360 needed for a completed shape. According to the artist, it is physically demanding to bend such thick pieces precisely to maintain the shape along the entire length. The pieces were then rotated so that they weren't balanced at the same point on the arcs. They were then mounted to a base and painted a vibrant red color. In 1998, the piece was moved from the Irwin home and donated to the Columbus Area Arts Council in honor of the council's 25th anniversary. The piece is commonly referred to as "The Red C" in honor of Columbus. Review #1275

This has to be one of the most beautiful modern art statues around. I understand Eos is the Goddess…read moreof Dawn. The sculpture is somewhat reddish like the slow sun rise can be. She looks towards the sky or sun, slightly spread arms stretched back... Like we would do to totally expose our front to the sun... The bottom of the statue is often covered in vegetation, giving the illusion of a long flowing gown as the long sleeves also suggest. Clearly she is enjoying herself, basking in the sun. I don't know much about art and others have already mentioned all the stats about this piece of art, but to me, this statue evokes joy... Simple joy of enjoying a good dawn.

It was hard to miss this beautiful sculpture in Columbus and I had to pull into the adjacent…read moreparking lot to check it out. Titled "EOS", it is by artist Dessa Kirk (1974). It was installed in 2006. Originally part of the 2006 Sculpture Invitational, it so popular that the citizens of Columbus raised the money to purchase it and ensure it stays. The artist's statement: "Columbus, Indiana has all these amazing buildings by amazing architects that were commissioned by Cummins. The one great sculpture, the Henry Moore, I want to be in the same city as Henry Moore, why not, it's a beautiful thing. Beautiful city in a beautiful setting. You want to see great architecture, go there. There's New York City, but Columbus is where you want to go. And there's great sculpture, my all-time favorite sculptor, Tinguely. I want to be a part of that, I want to be there hanging out with those guys." [Review 20535 overall - 79 in Indiana - 1516 of 2023.]

I used to get to Shelbyville, Indiana a lot more than I do when I worked out in the field. These…read moredays, a trip to the seat of Shelby County tends to be a bit of a day trip for a special event or to visit friends (or even a former doctor who now works with Shelbyville-based Major Hospital). In the 2020 census, Shelbyville had just over 20,000 residents. The area that became Shelbyville was ceded by the Miami tribe in 1818. The city was platted in 1822 and named after Isaac Shelby, the first and fifth Governor of Kentucky. The town incorporated in 1850, though had a post office back in 1823. The first railroad in Indiana connected Shelbyville to Indianapolis in the 1830s. Horseshoe Indianapolis (owned by Caesars Entertainment) opened here in 2009 and is known to bring it solid entertainment. The Grover Museum is definitely worth a visit. Blue River Trail is great for trail users. Meltzer Park is great. You also have to visit Skyline Drive-In, one of the few drive-ins still around and it has an awesomely retro vibe. Blue River Park also hosts "Music in the Park" events. While lots of cities hold music in their parks, these events seem to always be well attended. There's a definite communal spirit in Shelbyville that I really appreciate. Because this is an older area, there are lots of buildings worth checking out for historical value. Of course, as a wheelchair user I've also experienced quite a few that lack full accessibility. I really like the downtown area. It has a very old school charm. People are friendly and welcoming. Overall, I'm always quite pleased here. It's about 26 miles southeast of Indy. It's a pretty easy trip that feels longer and I always regret not visiting more when I do visit. Linnie's Cafe & Bakery is definitely a place to visit. When my former primary care physician transferred to Major, I was really tempted to follow her as there's just something about Shelbyville I love. If you haven't been, I definitely recommend it as an enjoyable day trip.

Shelbyville isn't your typical Indiana City. I had passed by the City on US 74 for decades, never…read morestopping. This past week, I visited to attend the funeral of a dear friend. I took time to learn about the town he called home. Shelbyville is the county seat of Shelby County. The town was platted in 1822 by pioneers willing to take on the challenge of taming a dense swampy forest. The city was named to honor Isaac Shelby, a Revolutionary War hero and Governor from nearby Kentucky. The rich history of the town is incredibly archived at the Grover Museum. I was struck by the beauty and well preserved architecture of the 200 year old city. The Visitors Center offers a walking tour map that explains the local architecture. The Public Square is inviting and lovely with a magnificent fountain and surrounding gardens. Everywhere I went, the people were incredibly friendly. The deputies at the courthouse, the curator at the Grover Museum, even restaurant servers were welcoming and helpful. There is a sense of community that was evident at the busy library. I found many mom and pop, locally owned restaurants around town filled with salt of the earth people and comfort food. Each meal was a unique experience. Must see: Shelbyville Public Square Grover Museum Walk along the Blue River Have a meal at a locally owned restaurant.

A real-life Chihuly in Columbus, Indiana?! Heck yes! This famous glass artist with work seen in…read moreSeattle's Chihuly museum, Indy's Children Museum, and many other well-known spots across the globe, it's an honor to have such a large piece in a town's visitor's center. Columbus, Indiana may be small, but they're known for their world-class architecture and public sculptures. This chandelier is no exception to that. Make sure you stop in the visitor's center and look at this gorgeous glass, hanging from the ceiling in the stairwell. Enjoy!

Some artists have such distinctive styles that you can recognize their main style anywhere. Such…read moreis the case with the work of Dale Chihuly. His glass sculpture "Yellow Neon Chandelier" is a familiar style for anyone who has visited the Children's Museum in Indianapolis. Inside the Visitors Center in Columbus, the west stairwell holds the 9' high (6' wide) chandelier of multiple bright yellow swirl pointed tubes. The collection of tubes are broadest near the top and then taper to a point at the bottom. Each of the tubes is blown glass. Chihuly isn't limited to one style of artwork though. Inside the Center, there are lithographs that were created by the artist. But there is no doubt that creating fascinating works of glass requires as much knowledge of engineering as it does talent. In addition to the chandelier, the Center has a collection of "Persians" that are displayed below it. According to Chihuly's website, "Persians are an exploration of form, shape and color--a celebration of wild asymmetry and swirling pattern. They have an ancient sensibility, and for Chihuly, conjure notions of Venice, and the Near and Far East." And if these pieces aren't enough, take a short trip up to the IUPUC campus (4555 Central Avenue) to see the "Sun Garden" (2007) which is a painted plexiglass disc suspended from the ceiling of the Columbus Learning Center. While at the Visitors Center, don't be afraid to ask the staff about the artist. I learned a lot about his process and his history from them. Review #1304

Discovery is a kugel sculpture (German for "ball") that was created by Kusser Granitwerke. The…read moresphere is carved as a globe and is three feet in diameter, made from South African New Belfast black granite. The sphere weighs over 2,000 pounds and rides on the surface of 12 psi water pressure; when running, viewers can move the granite sphere. The sculpture was donated by Mike and Phyllis Ryan and installed in 2007. Discovery is a sculpture consisting of a granite Earth (2,000lbs) revolving on water atop a stack of three massive books (7,000lbs) made of Bavarian Forest's tittlinger granite, tittlinger grobkorn granite and furstensteiner granite. The piece, made by Kusser Granitwerke, was installed at IUPU-Columbus. It was made to reflect the college's commitment to helping their students compete in a global economy and become citizens, not just of Columbus or Indiana, but of the world. It also alludes to the balance of experience and education required to obtain knowledge. The viewers ability to physically touch and spin the globe symbolizes the ability of one single person to change the world. (Public art archive.org) This is a cool sculpture that I noticed when I was visiting IUC for work, someone told me that I could touch it as well since the water is clean, check this out if you are in the area, I've included the description from public art archive. Org as well.

As I have traveled around central Indiana, I have found several of this type of artwork. A…read morecombination of water sculpture and fine marble detail, this "Kugel" (German for ball) is 3 feet in diameter and weighs nearly 2300 pounds, yet freely spins on its base supported by a mere 12 psi of water. It is made from New Belfast black Granite from South Africa. The ball has the detail of a global map etched into the surface of the ball. The ball is one that visitors can easily touch the exposed surface to rotate the massive weight to view a specific location on the map. Beneath the ball are three over sized books also made from granite found in the Bavarian Forest of Germany and have a combined weight of 9400 pounds! The theme of Discovery fits the location on the IUPUC campus. The combination of education and experience lead to knowledge and is clearly represented by the piece. Review #1307

Unfortunately I wasn't able to snap any pictures since I was driving. However, I did enjoy them…read moreseveral times, as I was somewhat lost and passed by them a few times, which is also how I noticed that I was lost... Darn GPS... Whish I could have had a closer look, but those are really really close to the road and no parking around that I could see. They are quite similar at first glance, but when you actually look at them, each one is different.

Stretching 300 feet along SR 46 (Third Street) between Brown and Lindsey is an eleven piece…read moreartistic installation on the north side of the road. "Ancestral Way" was completed by local artist Robert Pulley in 2006 and was purchased by the City of Columbus. The individual pieces are uniformly spaced along the route and are about 5' high and sit on 2' square pedestals. The forms are made from stoneware clay, brick and stone. None of the pieces are the same, but all use a very natural organic color scheme and blend in with the colors of the environment around them (especially in the fall.) Pulley, a BSU graduate, has maintained a studio since 1971 and draws his inspiration from the long, solitary walks through nature as a young man. He has observed plants, animals, rock formations, streams, and many other natural items through their life cycle, or seasonal transformations. So, a lot of the pieces reflect that inspiration. Review #1301