Muncie residents will have the opportunity to view the Wabash River from 100 different angles in all four seasons March 24 through June 24 at Minnetrista. Local artists David Dale and Jim Faulkner traveled more than 500 miles during a span of 15 years to capture the Wabash River in order to complete the display. The finished product contains more than 100 visual impressions of the river.
The exhibit is titled "River Odyssey: Two Artists Follow the Wabash" and features paintings, artists' sketches and artifacts illustrating the river's history and natural features. "River Odyssey" includes landscapes and river town scenes from each of the counties bordering the river.
"Our mission is to create awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of East Central Indiana," Minnetrista Marketing Manager Sherri Beaty said. "['River Odyssey'] seemed like a perfect fit."
Dale and Faulkner taught at Ball State and were introduced to each other by their wives. Dale said that he and Faulkner both enjoyed the outdoors and wanted to capture the nostalgia of the river. Dale said they were attracted by the diversity project because of the people living along the river and how the river changes from where it starts to where it ends.
"In Ohio, people see it as a ditch, but in river towns like Wabash, people have pride in it," Dale said.
Faulkner said that they both enjoyed painting rivers and were looking for a project that would cover the state.
"For me, [the Wabash River] is a symbol for the state," Faulkner said.
Dale and Faulkner's goal was to paint scenes from each of the counties bordering the river, Dale said. They took one- to three-day trips to paint on site. They researched the river and interviewed people along the way. Dale and Faulkner shelved the project in 1989 because of time conflicts and returned to it in 2000. They mostly painted while observing the river firsthand but sometimes relied on photographs and painted in the studio.
Dale said he thinks the two artists' works complement each other well because they painted the same subject but from different angles and in separate styles.
"We plan, deliver and install the exhibit to ensure the integrity of the work," Dale said.
The artists not only painted the river but captured anything that caught their interest along the way, they said. Dale and Faulkner said they feel that painting on-site adds another element to their paintings.
"When you are painting on-site you experience the sounds, smells and atmosphere," Faulkner said. "That atmosphere goes into the painting. You can't see it, but you can feel it."
If you goEXHIBITIONRiver Odyssey: Two ArtistsFollow the Wabash
WHAT IT FEATURESLocal artists' sketches, paintings and artifacts devoted to the Wabash River
WHENMarch 24 to June 24
WHEREMinnetrista Cultural Center
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
