THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 20, Number 28 Thursday, July 22, 2004 Open LaPorte (The Door) to Provence and More Pleasures by Paula McHugh Sense the aroma of a sunny French yellow hue, the music of sunflowers and lavender, the taste of a rolling LaPorte County landscape. Imagine seeing your surroundings through Vincent Van Gogh's vibrant palette. Provence at Purdue North Central and the Pleasures of LaPorte County present a festival of the arts, cuisine, natural beauty, health, fun and more beginning July 26. Dozens of activities centered on a provençal theme promise to accelerate a joie de vivre summer to remember, thanks to the inspiration of Judi Jacobi, Purdue North Central's Office of Campus Relations Director of Marketing, and the long list of LaPorte County participants who are making the spirit of Provence (pronounced proVAHNS) come alive. Judi, who in past travels had visited southeastern France, said that the vast field of sunflowers that bloomed on the PNC campus last summer reminded A provençal theme promises to accelerate a joie de vivre summer to her of Van Gogh's painting in Arles. It was in the areas remember, thanks to the inspiration of Judi Jacobi, Purdue North around Provence, she said, that the artist “ had cre- Central's Office of Campus Relations Director of Marketing. ated powerful artworks in the most prolific and dis- Judy thought that the idea of simply limiting this tinctive period of his short life.” The golden field of sun- experience to Purdue North Central was “missing the flowers on campus sparked a vision in Judi that point,” especially since Chancellor Dworkin has expanded well beyond the campus and into the sur- brought together city and county officials who all rounding communities. desire to move forward to develop economies inclusive of tourism, and arts and cultural tourism in partic- ular. Provence at Purdue North Central then became Provence at PNC and the Pleasures of La Porte County, Judy explained. “When I researched Provence I found that there were many parallels between it and La Porte County- - many gently rolling areas, agriculture, nearby water, a love of flowers, the hospitality of innkeepers and B and Bs, small shops, a zeal for the arts, restau- rants that have a great interest in sharing dishes provençal, even the crops we grow,” Judi said. So, with the cooperation the local Chambers of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Lubeznik Center and others, the festival's menu of events have multiplied to encompass visual arts programs, music, cinema, theatre, storytelling, cuisine, and of course, flowers and gardens–all with a French flair. A golden field of sunflowers on the Purdue North Central campus (photo by Lisa Comegys) Provence Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 July 22, 2004 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $28 6 months $16 3 months $10 1 month $5 Provence Continued from Page 1 of what we think art is and more about coming into Mini- our intuition.” Workshops & Children will get to unleash their creativity in sep- Lunch arate classes taught by Dori Huber, Susan Sandberg, Programs and Valerie Taglieri. And finally, for those who do not Let us take a want or need an instructor, PNC is hosting Open look first at hap- Studio during the morning hours from July 26 through penings in August 6. Bring your own materials and choose the Westville: pond and swans, the sunflowers, the sculptures, the Purdue North Shakespeare Garden or any other subject matter on Central's the picturesque PNC campus. Continuing Free daily lunchtime programs begin on Tuesday, Education depart- July 27 beginning with landscape architect Heidi ment has teamed Szrom presenting “Monet's Gardens at Giverney.” with the Lubeznik Later the same afternoon, Joel Knapp, current Artist- Center and its in-Residence at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore program director, will offer a free critique of your original artwork, Edwin Shelton, and in the evening, the Billy Foster Trio is present- to offer a mini series of workshops for children, teens ing a free jazz concert, underwritten by NIPSCO. and adults, taught by a group of Artists-in Residence. The first of Elizabeth Hertel's free, four-hour paper- Laurel Izard will be teaching “Dreams to Paper” and making workshops for kids will kick off on Tuesday “Exploring Creativity with Color” by utilizing visu- also. Elizabeth, who is on staff of the Indiana Dunes alization and guided meditation techniques; Ron National Lakeshore, will include an environmental Wennekes is offering “Message in a Landscape” where recycling message in her art instruction, which will words, symbols and abstract shapes will form the core feature flower seeds. of an expressive canvas. Valerie Taglieri will expose Seven more one-hour lunchtime programs include artists of any level and age to the colors of the sun in a diverse lineup of subjects– from Birding Hotspots watercolors, and Robert Stanley will have his class by PNC naturalist Susan Bagby, to exploring explore the emotional, intellectual, and technical U.S./Europe Contrasts: The African American Artist aspects of Monet's work. Michael Zieve's “Infinite in France, presented by J. Allen Johnson, Esq. Author River” classes will encourage participants to unlock Jackie Stewart will highlight examples from her their creativity by exploring uncharted regions of book, The Glaciers' Treasure Trove: A Field Guide to the heart. the Lake Michigan Riviera. Mari Jae Benning of “The classes I teach are about using art making as Indianapolis will present an artist's perspective of a form of meditation,” Mike Zieve told The Beacher. Provence, and Judi Jacobi will give an overview of Van “It's about letting go of all of our conventional ideas Gogh's life in southern France. Joel Brussell, of New THE July 22, 2004 Page 3 Buffalo, will present a pair of lunchtime programs on consecutive days. Of his upcoming presentation, Open ‘til 7 p.m. writer and humorist Joel said: Evenings “For the Creative Process: Muses 'Schmuzes' I will explore, without the miner's hat, the over romanticized notion of www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the divine inspiration. [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel Creativity comes as much as from the panic in the silence as it does from the almighty.” Opening Day So exciting is the line- up of events that will spread over two weeks and beyond that, we do Joel Brussell. Patterns not want to forget mentioning opening day. Mark your calendar for noon on Monday, July 26 and antic- Maison Blue & Jasmine ipate a colorful expedition awash in art on the PNC campus. An original mural painted by the children from and Selected Items the Boys and Girls Club of Michigan City with direc- tion from the Lubeznik Center for the Arts will make its debut of “A Child's View of Van Gogh's Fields.” Dessa ALL 20% OFF Kirk, whose past sculptures have graced the PNC cam- pus, will debut her latest flower-themed work and offer remarks about its construction. Artists-in-Residence Mari Jae Benning, Valerie Tagliere, Laurel Izard, Mike Zieve, Robert Stanley and Ron Wennekes kick off their group exhibit that will continue through mid-September. NEW PATTERNS & BAG STYLES IN STOCK NOW! Mari Jae Benning will present an artist’s perspective of Provence during a Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show free lunchtime program on July 30. (Photo by Lisa Comegys) THURSDAY, JULY 22 - ROSKOE’S, LAPORTE Lisa Comegys will display her photographic works THURSDAY, JULY 29 - TIPPECANOE PLACE, SOUTH BEND that reflect a Hoosier provençal landscape. And to add to the color and fun, Orky and Chips–”les clowns Custom Monogramming Available and les artistes”–will be bending and pulling their trade- 409 Alexander Street LaPorte, IN 326-8602 mark balloons into sculptural works of art for young- On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway sters. Turn Right on Alexander Monday - Friday 9:30 to 7 Saturday 9:30 to 5 Provence Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 July 22, 2004 Provence Continued from Page 3 Hold on to your For those who might be visiting the campus for the berets—there is much, first time, the ongoing Odyssey Sculpture exhibit of much more! more than 20 large contemporary works will add to Sketching at other the ambience of the art-full festivities. points on the LaPorte Purdue County map leads to North Central's International Friend- Grounds Sup- ship Gardens, where, ervisor, Steven as part of a “Picnic in Taylor, said Provence,” artists on that he is hop- August 1 will have a ing that the chance to paint on loca- days and tion amid dreamy evenings lead- strains of strolling ing up to the musicians and a violin Provence kick- mini-concert by Nic off warm up a Orbovich. A sunflower little more. Yet drawing contest for despite the fact children is being spon- that the sun- sored by the Bookstore flower field had in the Works at Purdue North Central's Grounds Supervisor, Steven Taylor is due credit for not only planting the yet to blossom Lighthouse Place, field of sunflowers, but for the “tremendous job of by June's end, along with a “This is making the campus look so beautiful,” according clusters of The Sunflower” Story to Judi Jacobi.