takes center stage with series of lectures

By Jenna Esarey Special to the Courier-Journal

The Filson Historical Society may be based in Louisville, but it doesn’trestrict itself to Kentucky history alone. “Really,Southern Indiana is such Four ice sculptors entertain during ashow at the Water Tower. alarge part of the Valley’s history,” said Jamie Evans, market- artists-for-artists network that’sanoff- ing and public relations coordinator shoot of the Louisville Visual Art Associa- for the historical society. “Alot of tion. people don’tmake that connection.” Jim Holmberg holds apainting of It’sdesigned to appeal to younger,more To help people make that connec- . PAMSPAULDING/THE adventuresome and experimental local art- tion, Jeffersonville’sCarnegie Li- COURIER-JOURNAL ists. brary will hold aseries of three FILSON LECTURE SERIES The next Third Thursday event is this lectures titled “Our Shared History: week’s“Balls on Baxter” Skeeball Art Show The Filson at the Carnegie Library.” What: Speakers from the Filson Historical for Charity,with music, skeeball, pizza and Sponsored by The Filson Histori- Society will deliver three lectures in a drinks, at Wick’sPizza on Baxter Avenue at cal Society,the Jeffersonville Car- series called “Our Shared History: The Highland Avenue in the Triangle. negie Library Foundation and The Filson at the Carnegie Library” The Fire &Ice event, held at the Louis- Paul Ogle Foundation, the lectures Where: Jeffersonville Carnegie Library, ville Visual Art Association building in the will utilize artifacts, manuscripts 129E.Court Ave. Water Tower Complex, attracted abig and other items from the Filson’s When: Noon Tuesday, April 18 and May crowd of all ages, and people waited in line Marcus Price is part of the fire-spinning collections to spotlight Southern In- 16 outside to get in. group called Art After Dark. diana’simpact on historical events. Sign up: Limited to 75 people; reserva- It’saway to get people interested in the The series begins at noon Tu es- tions are required. To register,call (502) arts, the “start of aconversation,” said Alli NEXT THIRD THURSDAY day with “The Hannibal of the West: 635-5083 or go to www.filsonhistor- Wiles, 26, of the Highlands, amember of the EVENT George Rogers Clark and the Amer- ical.org Louisville Artists Syndicate. ican Revolution in the West” with Ben Hamilton, 27, of the Highlands, who What: “Balls on Baxter” decorated skeeball Jim Holmberg, curator of special Vacant for the past two years, attended the event, said he knew members art exhibit for charity, sponsored by the collections at The Filson. Jeffersonville’sBeaux Arts-style of the band playing inside, Busted Soles, Louisville Artists Syndicate On April 18,visitors will hear Carnegie Library was designed by and also was intrigued by the “impractical” When: 6to9p.m. Thursday about “The Great River Catastro- Jeffersonville native Arthur Loomis concept of having fire next to ice —which Where: Wick’sPizza on Baxter,Baxter and phe: The Collision of the Steamboats and operated as alibrary from 1905 could melt it. Highland avenues America and on the until the mid-1960s. It underwent a At one point during “Fire &Ice,” the en- Cost: Free admission and skeeball game in 1868” with Mark V. $4 million renovation around 2006. tertainment proved too extreme for the playing; $10 for all-you-can-eat pizza/beer Wetherington, director of the Filson. The lecture series kicks off with electrical system, and the chain saws (ex- Information: www.louisvillevisualart.org/ And on May 16, “The ‘Hard Di- Holmberg’slook at George Rogers cept one gas-powered one) and the band artistsyndicate.html lemma’ of Quaker Pacifists in Civil Clark. He will discuss Clark’sepic went silent when fuses blew. WarAmerica” with A. Glenn Croth- 1778-79 campaign. Clark’s Longtime ice sculptor Steve Stewart of realize how important water is.” ers, director of research at the Fil- success helped secure the United Fern Creek stood by while organizers Fire dancer Stephanie Tandy,21, de- son, will be presented. States’ claim to the area north of the worked to restore the power,saying he usu- scribed dancing with fire as “cool.” She said “They will be top-notch presenta- Ohio River that eventually became ally carves in awalk-in freezer at his house. there’ssome danger involved and that usu- tions,” said TomLindley,chairman five states, including Indiana. “Nobody sees me,” he said. ally the women cover their hair,although of the Jeffersonville Carnegie Li- The Filson has agood-sized col- Ultimately,the power returned and he hers was loose that night. brary Foundation board. “They (the lection of items related to Clark, was back at it, carving his block into the The fire leaves black marks on their historical society) want to increase including aposthumous (and ideal- shape of three angel fish. skin, but “it doesn’taffect you,” she said. their presence in Southern Indiana ized) portrait of the man, letters and Somehow,even the power outage just “They wash off.” The troupe practices in and so much of their collection documents, and abighorn sheep seemed to add to the drama of the evening, warm weather at the giant tepee pavilion in comes out of Southern Indiana.” horn, which his youngest brother, which also included an art exhibit, laser Cherokee Park. He added, “It’sachance for more William Clark, brought back with demonstration, amovie projected onto the Members of the Louisville Artists Syn- people to see the inside of the li- him from the Lewis and Clark Expe- ceiling and dancers performing in cat cos- dicate get together to collaborate on pro- brary.” dition as agift to their sister Fanny. tumes. jects and critique each others’ efforts, as Jeffersonville’sCarnegie Library Since its founding in 1884, the Joe Autry,the ice carver with the gas- well as promote artistic expression in the is one of 1,679 libraries across the Filson has worked to collect and powered chain saw who has studied with city,said Rick Sneed, apublicist for the art country funded by steel and railroad preserve significant items from Russian ice carvers in Siberia, was creating association. magnate Andrew Carnegie between Kentucky,the Ohio Valley and the an abstract sculpture. His approach Generally,they aren’tthe types who 1883 and 1929. Upper South’shistory and culture. seemed to perfectly reflect the free spirit support the Fund for the Arts or even the With 165Carnegie Libraries, In- The Filson is headquartered in of the artists syndicate. Visual Art Association, he said. diana has significantly more than the Ferguson Mansion in Old Louis- “I’ve just been making it up as Iwork,” any other state. The next closest is ville and houses alibrary,amuseum he said. “Ilike the impermanence of it. It Reporter Martha Elson can be reached at California with 142. Kentucky has and aspecial collections depart- doesn’tlast. It’sfrozen water.Itmakes me (502) 582-7061. 23. ment.

Wednesday, March 14,2012 | TheCourier-Journal NEIGHBORHOODS | courier-journal.com/highlands HIGHLANDS/CRESCENT HILL | PAGE 5