July 15: Indianapolis

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Off again on another adventure!  This morning I had an early flight to Indianapolis, Indiana to visit Charles, Martin, and Alexandra.  I was so excited about the visit that I was unable to sleep and finally got up at 2:00 a.m.  Hart got up soon afterwards, and after I did my ablutions and got dressed, we still had ample time to look at the Ireland photos I had taken on my last trip.  The Super Shuttle made it by about 4:50, with four other passengers, and we sped towards the airport.  One of the passengers, a woman, was going to Akron, Ohio with her husband and son, in the back seat, and she was extraordinarily talkative.  Time flew by and before I knew it, we were at Terminal C and in line for TSA pre-check.  A painless process, and I was comfortably early for departure.  This time I had a window seat, so was able to follow the tremendous clouds and changes in landscape throughout the flight.  We arrived at 10:22, and the airport, a very light and airy construction, was a joy to behold as far as aesthetics and efficiency were concerned.  As I came to baggage claim, Charles strolled towards me.  Martin was waiting at the curb.  Both looked fit and trim, and the weather, at about 70 degrees with high clouds, was indeed ideal.  We drove back to their house, Westerley, in a wonderful enclave of beautiful mansions right off the museum grounds (Charles's commute is two minutes in length!).  The gates swung open to an absolute Shangri-la of a place with a circular driveway, three different terraces, and a garden sporting the most beautiful day lilies; a greenhouse, fountains, a little forest, a creek in the distance--very different from my humble apartment.  It had been built for the Clowes family here in Indianapolis, in the 20s, and upon his death, Allen Clowes donated the 1928 Golden Hill estate, known as Westerley, and much of its contents to the Indianapolis Museum of Art. After much study, it was determined that the home would be a suitable residence for the Museum's new Executive Director, which of course is Charles.  The first floor contains the kind of rooms which are suitable for entertaining, including an amazing kitchen, dining room, entrance hall with chandelier, French doors, and amazing views of the gardens all around.  The second floor has at least four bedrooms, a more informal den-like area, several bathrooms.  Above that is an enclave of several more bedrooms, and then there is a basement floor with another informal entertainment area and an exercise room.  No end to an easy, opulent lifestyle anyone might cherish in their wildest dreams.  Of course I took lots of pictures, and then, Charles, Martin and I went to lunch at a former train depot, where I had a fine soba noodle salad with several vegetables.  

Afterwards, Martin left for a 30-mike bike ride, and Charles and I were off to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, where he is executive director.  

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is an encyclopedic museum located located on a 152-acre campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis, northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery.  It is the ninth oldest and eighth largest encyclopedic art museum in the United States.  The permanent collection comprises over 54,000 works, including African, American, Asian, and European pieces.  Significant areas of the collection include: Neo-Impressionist paintings; Japanese paintings of the Edo period; Chinese ceramics and bronzes; paintings, sculptures, and prints by Paul Gauguin and the Pont-Aven School; a large number of works by J.M.W? Turner, and a growing contemporary art collection.n Other areas of emphasis include textiles and fashion arts as well as a recent focus on modern design, instituted by Charles.  

In addition to its collections, the museum consists of 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park; Oldfield's, a restored American Country Place era estate once owned by Josiah Lilly, and restored gardens and grounds originally designed by Percival Gallagher.  The IMA also owns the Miller House, a Mid-Century Modern home designed by Eero Saarinen and located in Columbus, Indiana.

Charles is the current Melvin and Bren Simon Director and CEO. In 2008, the IMA became the first fine art museum to be named an Energy Star partner due to its greening initiative and efforts to reduce energy consumption.  In 2009, the IMA was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service for public service, specifically the museum's free admission policy and educational programs.

Charles has much to be proud of.  He and I toured the museum and grounds for about five hours, and I was so very impressed by the beauty if the place and its possibilities for the future.  Charles has plenty of ideas for the future, and he shared them with me.  It is wonderful to see his excitement and love of the place, and it is on that plane that our now-friendship still is strong.

After the museum visit we met up with Martin and had some cooling drinks on one of the terraces, and I took more photos of the grounds.  Alexandra arrived right before 6:30, and then we were all off to a country club right around the corner, where Charles has membership, and there we had dinner--I had a jumbo crab cake which was delicious.  From there we went to the museum and joined the crowd at an amphitheater, where we watched the sunset and then the wonderful "Roman Holiday," with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn--one of my top five movies.  We returned to Westerley at midnight, and I fell asleep in. The immense quiet of this lovely estate.  What a satisfying day!  As ever, Sylvia

Sylvia M. Venable, PhD

Instructor, German

St. John's Episcopal School

Dallas, Texas