soin 05072015

MAY 7, 2015 — Issue 64A News and Tribune Publication

finding an artful life State grants propel two Southern

Indiana artists

P u b l I s h e rB i l l H a n s o n

e d I t o rJ a s o n T h o m a s

d e s I g nC l a i re M u n n

P h o t o g r A P h YC h r i s t o p h e r F r y e r

Where to FInd soIn:on rACKs: We offer free copies of SoIn at numerous hotels and restaurants around Clark and Floyd counties.In Your PAPer: Every Thursday in the News and TribuneonlIne: newsandtribune.com /soinon FACebooK: /YourSoInWeekly

SoIn2 May 7, 2015

LEFT: A butterfly piece made out of stained glass by Donna Baldacci is pictured in a window at her studio, The Stained Glass Gallery, 416 E. Spring St., New Albany, where she works as a stained glass artist and conservationist. RIGHT: A section of braided horse hair that is being worked into a hat band is pictured in Janet Alexander's New Albany home where she creates various pieces of jewelry and accessories made out of horse hair for her business, Swishtails Custom Horsehair Jewelry. | STAFF PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER FRYER

While every SoIn issue is special, today’s edition is extra significant because it recognizes two Southern Indiana artists that made state officials take notice of their talents.

Janet Alexander and Don-na Baldacci, both of Floyd County, received $2,000 grants through the Indiana

Arts Commission’s Individual Artist Program.It’s kind of a big deal. The IAC received 135

applications for the fiscal year 2015 program, and was able to fund 38 of them, Jenna Esarey reports in today’s centerpiece. Disciplines represented included visual arts, media arts, photography, design, crafts and folk arts.

To have two artists from the same county recog-nized is quite an accomplishment.

Janet Alexander creates jewelry out of braided

horsehair. A classroom teacher for 30 years, she took up horsehair braiding after she retired, start-ing her business Swishtails Custom Horsehair Jewelry out of her home in 2012, Esarey writes. One of her community projects involved the Opening Gates Equine Therapy and Learning Center in Jeffersonville.

Baldacci has been a stained glass artist for more than 27 years, focusing primarily on historic stained glass conservation. She also designs and fabricates new art glass, Esarey writes. Her work studio fills the sanctuary of a 126-year-old church on the cor-ner of Fifth and Spring Streets in New Albany. Her studio has been busy refurbishing another church: the historic Town Clock Church in New Albany, a critical passage on the Underground Railroad.

Two artists. Two amazing accomplishments.— Jason Thomas is the editor of SoIn. He can be

reached by phone at 812-206-2127 or email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @ScoopThomas.

Jason Thomas, Editor

Funding for the arts of soIn

JEFFERSONVILLE — To be, or not to be isn’t the question.

Shakespeare in the Park will be coming to Big Four Station in Jeffersonville on Friday, May 15, for a free performance.

Kentucky Shakespeare will put on a performance of “Macbeth” at 6 p.m. at the park, which is located at the foot of the Big Four Bridge. The troupe performed at Bicentennial Park in New Albany on April 24.

The free Shakespeare series is annually featured in parks across Louisville. In addition to New Albany, Kentucky Shake-speare will also bring “Mac-

beth” to Jeffersonville this year.It’s part of the second an-

nual Shakespeare in the Parks Tour, as 18 area parks will host a 90-minute showing of “Mac-beth” through May.

For 54 years, Kentucky Shakespeare, a nonprofit organization, professional theater company and the oldest free Shakespeare Festival in

the United States, has offered Shakespeare in Central Park to Louisville residents.

Last year in celebration of Shakespeare’s 450th birthday, the organization toured its adaptation of “Hamlet” to eight Metro Parks in Louisville.

For more information, visit the website kyshakespeare. com

On the COver:

Tweet or Facebook us and your idea could be our next SoIn feature.

follow us on TWITTER @newsandtribune FACEBOOK/YourSoInWeekly

WHAT: Kentucky Shake-speare performance of ‘Macbeth’ WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday, May

15 WHERE: Big Four Station INFo: kyshakespeare.com

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COnteMpOrary quIltIng

Indulge In ChOCOlate

peruSe SOMe petS2 3What: ‘Form, Not Function: Quilt Art at the

Carnegie’ opening receptionWhen: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 8Where: Carnegie Center for Art & History, 201

W. Spring St., New AlbanyCost: FreeInfo: carnegiecenter.org“Form, Not Function: Quilt Art at the Carn-

egie,” is an exhibition exploring the world of contemporary art quilts. This annual, juried exhibit draws works of art by artists across the United States.

What: Pet FairWhen: noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9Where: New Albany-Floyd County Public

Library parking lot, 180 W. Spring St., New Albany

The Pet Fair includes live music, costumed characters, a pet parade, and lots of pet friends and the people who love and advo-cate for them. Local pet rescue groups, pet advocacy organizations, and pet-related services will educate attendees about re-sponsible pet ownership and resources that are available.

gotta go: Interested in seeing your event in our 3 To Go? Email SoIn Editor Jason Thomas at [email protected]

to go 3May 7, 2015

When: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 8Where: Spring Street, downtown

JeffersonvilleCost: $8 in advanceThe Chocolate Stroll is a fun

event held in Historic Down-town Jeffersonville where you can taste lots of different chocolates. It’s a festive event with a focus on supporting lo-cally owned businesses. On the day of the event, ticket-buyers must first visit the registra-tion area in the Glossbrenner Garden, at the corner of Spring and Chestnut streets, where they will pick up their map to visit participating shops for a tasting of chocolates.

1What: the Chocolate lovers Stroll

3

SBy JENNA ESAREY

[email protected] INDIANA — Thanks to $2,000 grants two local artists are expanding their skills and shar-ing their work with the community.

Janet Alexander and Donna Baldacci, both of Floyd County, received the grants last year through the Indi-vidual Artist Program (IAP).

Under the auspices of the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC), the IAP was created in 1999 to provide funding for artists in all disciplines for career development projects. Artists must also show how they plan to involve the community in their work.

Awards are given up to a maximum of $2,000. Funds may be used for supplies, equipment, career development work-shops and essential travel for artistic research or to present or complete work.

The IAC received 135 applications for the fiscal year 2015 program, and was able to fund 38 of them. Disciplines repre-sented included visual arts, media arts, photography, design, crafts and folk arts. A total of $75,892 was awarded this year.

For more information on the grant program and the IAC, visit in.gov/arts/individualartistprogram.htm.

Wearable art made of horsehairJanet Alexander creates jewelry out of braided horsehair. A

classroom teacher for 30 years, she took up horsehair braiding after she retired, starting her business Swishtails Custom Horsehair Jewelry out of her home in 2012.

She was unaware of the art form until a chance encounter around nine years ago. An avid horsewoman, she encountered a woman wearing a horsehair bracelet while riding the trails at the Clark State Forest.

“I was captivated and determined to learn how to make a bracelet from horse’s hair for myself,” she said.

Artful enterprisesTwo Southern Indiana artists receive state grants to share their work

A section of stained glass that is part of a restoration project for the Second Baptist Church in New Albany is pictured in Donna Baldacci’s studio, The Stained Glass Gallery, 416 E. Spring St., New Albany where she works as a stained glass art-ist and conservationist.

Janet Alexander, New Albany, braids horse hair together to create a hat band in her home studio. Alexander creates vari-ous pieces of jewelry and accessories made out of horse hair for her business, Swishtails Custom Horsehair Jewelry.

BELOW: Janet Alexander, New Albany, is pictured inside her home studio where she creates various pieces of jewelry and accesso-ries out of braided horse hair for her business, Swishtails Custom Horsehair Jewelry. | Staff photoS by ChriStopher fryer

BELOW: Donna Baldacci is pictured in her studio, The Stained Glass Gallery, 416 E. Spring St., New Albany.

See ARTISTS, paGe 8

INfO• For more informa-tion on Alexander and her art visit swishtails.wordpress.com or email her at [email protected].

6 May 7, 2015entertainment

AlbuMs: booKs:MoVIes:

LOUISVILLE — One of the best live acts of the past two decades will make a stop for an open-air show at Iroquois Amphitheater in

Louisville on Friday, May 8.A check of the venue’s website

show a limited number of re-served tickets remain for $40 each.

The Chicago-based band hasn’t released an album since 2011, but has a string of critically acclaimed albums to pull from. Recent setlists have run 30 songs deep and featured fan favorites such as “Camera,” “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” and “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.”

The Jeff Tweedy-led collective has singer-songwriter Steve Gunn opening. For more info, visit iro-quoisamphitheater.com

— shea Van hoy

WILCO TO PLAY IROQUOIS ON FRIDAY

May 12é “Luckiest Girl Alive” by Jes-sica Knoll “The Sound of Glass” by Karen White

May 12é “When the Smoke Clears” by Hinder “Bush” by Snoop Dogg

May 8é “Hot Pursuit” “Preggoland”

Bring Your Family, Sweetheart or

Make it a “Girls Night Out”!

Friday, May 8 20156:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Chocolate Lovers Stroll

Chocolates! Live Music!

Enticing Shops!

Sample Decadent Chocolates

Stroll Under the Trees in the Historic District

Listen to Live Music on the Sidewalks

Cash In on Special Deals in Local Shops

Special Thanks to the following:

Adult Tickets $8 in advance • $10 day of eventChildren 12 and under $5

Tickets available at:Choices Boutique (437 Spring St.)

Schimpff’s Confectionery (347 Spring St.)The Springs Salon & Spa (234 Spring St.)

Pearl Street Treats (301 Pearl St.)Budget Print Center (902 E. 10th St.)or by visiting www.JeffMainStreet.org

St.)t.)

g

In Historic Downtown Jeffersonville

booKs:

local SoIn happenings

entertainment 7May 7, 2015

Feeling left out? Send your establishment’s and/or organization’s upcoming events/new features/entertainment information to SoIn Editor Jason Thomas at [email protected]

live music at huber’sWhen: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, SundayWhere: Huber WinerySaturday, May 9: Corey & Stacey; Sunday, May 10:

Rusty Bladen; Saturday, May 16: Carl Stuck; Sunday, May 17: Petar Mandic; Saturday, May 23: Josh & Holly; Sunday, May 24: Joe Dotson; Saturday, May 30: CMN Trio; Sunday, May 31: Aquilla Bock

[huberwinery.com]

live music at Wick’sWhat: Live on StateWhere: Wick’s, 225 State St., New AlbanyFriday, May 8: Shotgun Serenade; Saturday, May 9:

Rocketwood; Friday, May 15: Radiotronic; Saturday, May 16: 812; Friday, May 22: The Blues & Greys; Saturday, May 23: Gas Money; Saturday, May 30: Soul Circus

live music at nAPhWhere: New Albany Production House, 1736 E. Main

St., New AlbanyFriday, May 15: Posphene with Caducus, Ghost

Bomb, Old Soul Envy & Dark Horse, 6:30 p.m., $6 advance/$8 day of show; Saturday, May 16: Time & Distance with Begging Victoria, 2Night’s Entertain-ment, Get Up Get Downs and Zach East, 6:30 p.m., $6 advance/$8 day of show; Sunday, May 17: Event Horizon with Mindless Giants, To Die Alone, Messed Up and Ashley Ledrick, 6:30 p.m., $6 advance/$8 day of show

[naproductionhouse.com]

live music at big Four burgers + beerWhere: Big Four Burgers + Beer, 134 Spring St., Jef-

fersonvilleWhen: Friday and Saturday

Friday, May 8: Nick Dittmeier; Saturday, May 9: Katie and Kaela; Friday, May 15: Eric and Kenny; Saturday, May 16: The Strays; Friday, May 22: mem; Saturday, May 23: mem; Friday, May 29: Kyle Hastings; Satur-day, May 30: Tyler Stiller

[bigfourburgers.com]

live music at Charlie nobel’sWhere: Charlie Nobel’s Eatery + Draught House, 7815

Ind. 311, Sellersburg When: Friday and SaturdayFriday, May 8: Kyle Hastings; Saturday, May 9: The

Strays; Friday, May 15: Katie and Kaela

Corydon Jamboree liveWhere: 220 Hurst Lane, CorydonWhen: 7:30 p.m. SaturdaySaturday, May 9: Allen Hilbert, Leigh Ann Cooper;

Saturday, May 16: Todd Bally, Greg Perkins, Bob Demaree “Country Boy Ministries” on piano; Sunday, May 17, Special Show: The Donnie Strickland Show, 3 to 5 p.m.; Saturday, May 23: The Lloyd Wood Show, Special guest Sammy Wray; Saturday, May 30: Taylor Lynch, Susan West; Sunday, May 31: Beautiful Star Beauty Pageant

General Admission $10; children 6-12, $6; under 6, free. For reservations, directions or any other infor-mation call 812-738-1130.

[corydonjamboree.com]

ross Country JamboreeWhere: 31 Wardell St., ScottsburgWhen: 7 p.m. SaturdaysFriday, May 8: Kings of Swing Country Rock Show, 7:30

p.m., $12: Lanny McIntosh, Dave Campbell, Billy Nett, Kasey Sexton and guests; Saturday, May 9: Nat-alie Berry, Christy Miller, Lloyd Wood; Saturday, May 16: Ross Country Band; Saturday, May 23: Natalie Berry, Mike Fryman, Christina Walton; Saturday, May 30, 7:30 p.m., $25: Jimmy Fortune, Billy Nett, Maisy Reliford

General Admission $10; children 6-12, $6; under 6, free. For reservations, directions or any other infor-mation call 866-573-7677.

[rosscountryjamboree.com]

savory strawberriesWhat: 37th annual Starlight Strawberry FestivalWhen: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 23Where: 8407 St. Johns Road, StarlightThe day begins at 8 a.m. with a 5k Walk/Run for the

Berries. Build your own strawberry shortcake, enjoy a bratwurst or fish sandwich, play bingo, try your luck at a classic festival wheel, or enter a pie eating con-test. The homemade chicken dinner is served from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are kids’ inflatables, a mini-soap-box derby, and live music and entertainment.

ARTISTS: Women describe their journeys into specialized arts

8 May 7, 2015SoIn

Much of Alexander’s work now consists of consignment pieces for clients who provide her with tail hair from their own horses. Alexander said she tends to put less emphasis on embel-lishments such as metal, bead-ing, cords or ribbons, focusing instead on the actual braiding.

“Just as I was mastering the fundamentals of horsehair braid-ing and getting the bug to learn more, I discovered the IAC and its IAP grants,” she said.

She used her grant money, supplemented with money of her own, to study under a master teacher in Alberta, Canada.

“It was the experience of a lifetime,” she said. “I learned a lot and have skills to practice for years to come. My passion and talent were validated. I was inspired.”

Alexander says she now feels more confident in her abilities and that the experience has inspired her to follow her own artistic path rather than merely emulating the work of others.

Since her return, she has begun working on more complex eight-string braids and earrings. She has also created horsehair cancer awareness ribbons. She is also branching out into hatbands and stamped strings for western-style cowboy hats.

While the grant requires one community project, Alexander chose two. The first involved the Opening Gates Equine Therapy and Learning Center in Jeffer-sonville, crafting bracelets for a group graduating from the tails of their assigned horses.

“I wanted to create beautiful talismans for the grads to make them feel special and remind them of the lessons they learned form their equine teachers as they move forward in life,” she said.

Her second project allowed her to interact with the public. Demonstrating her craft at the

Oktoberfest in Salem provided her the challenge of making it visually interesting.

“I introduced a new art form to some folks and offered others a local alternative to the geo-graphically distant artists who advertise on the Internet.”

Although she does not know of any, Alexander said that she would love to connect with other local horsehair artists.

“I am a newbie with a lot yet to learn and it would be so nice to have a local support group to share knowledge and ideas with.”

Artistry in stained glassDonna Baldacci has been a

stained glass artist for more than 27 years, focusing primarily on historic stained glass conserva-tion. She also designs and fabri-cates new art glass.

Her work studio fills the sanctuary of a 126-year-old church on the corner of Fifth and Spring Streets in New Albany. Massive 90-year-old stained glass windows dominate two walls. “We’ve got 8,000 square feet so we’ll never outgrow it,” she said.

Baldacci handles private com-

missions and retail, but her love is historic preservation.

“What I do is a dying art. I’m literally a dinosaur,” she said.

Everything is done by hand.“There is no automation in this

craft,” she said. “A woodworker has a lathe. In my world there is no tool. Every aspect is by hand. It’s very, very laborious.”

She is currently working on three church restoration projects, including New Albany’s historic Town Clock Church.

“We have clients from coast to coast,” she said.

Originally from Los Angeles, Baldacci fell in love with stained glass as a child walking to school every day past a stained glass studio.

“I always wanted to go in,” she said.

At age 17 or so, she finally worked up the nerve and stepped inside.

“I knew right away. I turned into a shop kitty,” she said. “Al-ways sitting in the corner watch-ing. They saw that I was serious. I was absolutely hooked.”

She learned the craft and dabbled with commission work, but then “reality set in and you have to pay bills,” she said. She moved to Lake Tahoe working for the casinos during the day and stained glass consignments at night.

When the casinos opened in Indiana around 18 years ago, she relocated, working part time at the casino for a while before deciding to take the plunge and make stained glass her career.

Along with her husband Kirk

Richmond, now also a stained glass artist, she opened a retail store in Clarksville while work-ing on stained glass in their home.

In 2013 they purchased the church building, relocating much of their work to the old sanctuary but maintaining a home studio as well.

Her grant money went toward the purchase of a new program-mable kiln for her painted and fired glasswork.

Her community project will involve making the kiln available to other artists for a firing fee and offering beginning and advanced classes in stained glass and kiln-formed glass.

“I promised myself that if I can make it and had my own stu-dio I would give back,” she said.

“I’ve never applied for a grant before,” she said. “I got online and read all about the IAP. It’s a wonderful program. I’m so proud that Indiana has that.

“I’m so, so eternally grateful that I get to do this for a living. I will never be a millionaire. I will never be rich,” she added. “You have to be born to do this. The wages are not great. I think I’m up to four cents an hour. It’s a labor of love.”

INFo• To learn more about Baldacci and her work, visit her studio at 416 E. Spring St., New Albany, go to face-book.com/SGGStudio, or email her at [email protected]

IF YoU Go• WHo: Donna Baldacci and Kirk Richmond, Stained Glass Gallery• WHAT: Talk on the restoration of the stained glass at historic Town Clock Church• WHEN: 7 p.m. today, May 7Where: Stained Glass Gallery, 416 East Spring St., New Albany• WHY: Attendees will be able to view up-close and learn about the conservation process being performed on the stained glass windows for the historic Second Baptist Church. Refreshments will be served.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

Donna Baldacci works on a restoration project in her studio, The Stained Glass Gallery, 416 E. Spring St., New Albany, where she works as a stained glass artist and conservationist.

Janet Alexander, New Albany, braids horse hair together to create a hat band in her home studio. Alexander creates various pieces of jewelry and accessories made out of horse hair for her business, Swishtails Cus-tom Horsehair Jewelry. | STAFF PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER FRYER

soin 05072015

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