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The annual conference of Region VI of The English-Speaking Union was held at the Clifty Inn, Clifty Falls State Park, in Madison, Indiana, on Friday, May 7, and Saturday, May 8. The national ESU is divided into eight regions and the Indianapolis Branch is one of ten Branches in Region VI (the others are Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Kentucky/Louisville, Chicago, Michigan/Detroit, St. Louis, and Kansas City). Indianapolis and Kentucky Branch member Barbara Kiffmeyer organized the conference.
Barbara hosted a delightful dinner party at her home on Friday evening for the approximately 25 people who attended the conference. Her home, filled with beautiful antiques and Indiana art, sits on a high ridge overlooking the Ohio River. On Saturday, roundtable discussions were held on membership (Jim Fadely), programs (Annalee), board development (Pat Moore), and communication (Doe Thornburg) at the Clifty Inn. In the business meeting, Alice Boyne, president and chief executive officer of the national English-Speaking Union, came from headquarters in New York City to give members an update on the national organization. Ed Harvey, Region VI treasurer, gave a report on regional finances. The following people were elected officers of Region VI for the coming year:
President: Sylvia Bruton of the Kentucky Branch.
Vice President: Barbara Kiffmeyer of the Indianapolis and Kentucky Branches.
Treasurer: Ed Harvey of the Cleveland Branch.
Secretary: Pat Moore of the Columbus Branch.
A resolution of thanks to Barbara Kiffmeyer was passed at the conclusion of the conference (please see below).
After the business meeting, members attended an "Evening in the Garden" at the Jefferson County Historical Society in Historic Madison. Many later had a convivial dinner together at the Key West Shrimp House.
English-Speaking Union - Resolutions
Program: Indianapolis Artist Rosanna Hardin Hall and English Gardens
Date: Sunday, October 17, 2010
Painter and journalist Rosanna Hardin Hall shared her recent experiences of visiting the Cotswolds, where she created “Plein Air Paintings of English Gardens.” The Indianapolis Branch of the English Speaking Union (ESU) met at Woodstock Club on October 17th and, after enjoying brunch at 1 PM, were greeted by Rosanna as she entered the dining room in painting attire, complete with backpack, easel, paints, and canvasses. “Is this Woodstock?” she asked tongue-in-cheek. “If so, I will put my umbrella away and share my painting stories from September when I spent most of the month in England.”
Relying on trains, buses, and taxis and using Cirencester as her base, Roseanna began her photo-slide show by saying, “I, as artist, see gardens differently. I work like staff there with my plein air paintings. I look for form and space, particularly statues, hedges, trees, and flower beds. I first crop what I’m going to paint and walk with the crop to get my composition. It’s rather like forming a stage play. I am an eye, a camera.” Rosanna held up examples of the sketches she made after choosing her composition at each of the five gardens. “I also use a black mirror to cut out glare and to darken the tonality,” she added. When asked about the use of photography, she answered, “I never photograph until after I complete the painting.”
Rosanna’s twenty-two photograph-presentation comprised maps showing where the five gardens were located in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, the plein paintings, and photographs of the garden areas. She explained how she made her choices from the many scenes she enjoyed. Often she chose to include a large shape in the foreground such as Cupid blowing his horn at Westonbirt School, the lion guarding Ditchley Park, Mercury in front of swans at Rousham Manor, Churchill’s Venus at Blenheim Palace, and Elephants at the Gate at Sezincote Manor. After her presentation, ESU members enjoyed looking at the original paintings that seemed to be framed by the golden autumn colors of Woodstock’s own gardens.
Thank you, Rosanna Hardin Hall.
Article about ESU event - Wrench speaker, November 12, 2010
View the 2009-10 Fund Donors.
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