Friends of T.C. Steele State Historic Site, Inc.

The "Annual Spring Wildflower Foray" is a cooperative event now in its 35th years (2020). The primary focus is the natural history and environmental concerns relating to Brown County, especially as they relate to wildflower and bird populations. Included during this 3-day event are wildflower and bird walks, wetlands hikes, nature photography, and other programs related to the theme of the event.

This is a nature filled event spread over 3-days, with between 15-20 different hikes and programs. Hikes and program are held on the T.C. Steele State Historic Site grounds on established trails and on other nearby natural areas including DNR properties, Hoosier National Forest, Indiana University, Sycamore Land Trust and Nature Conservancy lands.

Over 500 nature lovers from around the Midwest gather each year at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site for a census of wildflowers. It is Indiana’s longest running count of spring blooming wildflowers.

Wildflower author and taxonomy expert Kay Yatskievych, recently retired from Missouri Botanical Gardens, helped organize the first wildflower count in Brown County 36 years ago. Three years later, the event expanded beyond wildflowers to include birdwatching, nature photography, and other nature-oriented activities, becoming the “Annual Spring Wildflower Foray.”

Andrea deTarnowsky, retired Manager of the T.C. Steele State historic Site, has served as chairperson for over 25 years. The Friends of T.C. Steele State Historic Site, Inc.. became the fiduciary agent of the event in the early 1990’s and have assisted in many ways, including funding, as one of the sponsors.

The virtual gallery is accessible to all website visitors. The gallery intends to provide the depth and breath of T.C. Steele's work and the genres which include Portraits, Landscapes, Cityscapes, Still LIfes. Many paintings selected include rare portraits and landscapes in private ownership, not accessible to the public, or not currently on view in museums.

His paintings can be categorized into three main time periods: the Munich period (1880-1885), Brookville period (1898-1906) and Brown County period (1907-1926). During the time between Munich and Brookville, Steele painted near Indianapolis or on sojourns to Vernon, Yountsville, Spencer and Metamora. He also painted in Vermont (1887), Tennessee (1899), and Oregon and California (1902 and 1903). For an in-depth examination of Steele's impact on Impressionism in the Midwest.

Public may visit the site at www.tcsteele.org and select "ART" on the tool bar.

This annual scholarship in partnership with the Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University (Indianapolis) provides the award of $1000 to an undergraduate student who is studying Painting or Art Education.

T.C. Steele had a deep involvement in the creation of the original John Herron Art Institute, which included a school and museum on the property of what is now 16th Street and Talbott Street in Indianapolis.

“Herron School of Art and Design is proud to award the 'Friends of T.C. Steele Scholarship' to a student majoring in Painting or Art Education. These areas of the school closely align with the interests of T.C. Steele. Especially exciting is the rich history that our organizations share and the role that Steele has played.”
Kim Hodges, Director of Development at Herron School of Art and Design

The T.C. Steele Trail is a progressive web application (PWA) that can be downloaded and used like an app, on both desktop and mobile devices. While a PWA can be used like any regular website, installing it will place it alongside your other favorite apps for convenient access. The Trail follows a seamless, 300-mile loop along scenic highways that passes multiple historic sites and state parks where T.C. Steele lived, worked, and painted during his lifetime.

Visitors at each virtual site on the historic trail will be able to enhance their experience at the specific location they are visiting and have at their fingertips a wealth of additional knowledge not only about Steele, but of each location and other nearby areas of interest.

Trail visitors who physically visit all 7 sites and check-in using the electronic passport feature, receive a signed certificate upon completion.