“Madison Indiana Tourism”

Two months from now the woods and canyons that surround Madison Indiana will transform from the dark bleak environment that we have lived with for the last few months, into a display of color and fragrance that makes it hard to even believe that it is the same area that we live in.

I still believe that this part of Southeastern Indiana with it’s many waterfalls and unique geographic features is the most under utilized area for tourism in the Midwest, I have traveled and hiked some of the other destinations in the East and this area is definitely right near the top for natural beauty.

With the beautiful hardwood gorges and 25 waterfalls 30 feet or bigger, the day hiker could go afield for many days just to witness the natural geographic wonders that lie in our own backyard.

And every spring these tree lined canyons explode with a display of wildflowers that rivals even the beautiful blooms of the Great Smoky and Appalachian Mountains, the only problem is I may be the only person singing the praises of this hidden gem we live in, for me personally that might be a good thing but in terms of economic and tourism dollars it’s not so good.

Clifty Falls State Park puts on a few nice walks thru the park in the spring but the area around the park is definitely being underutilized  and some sort of  leadership from city and state government needs to step up and promote the beauty that surrounds us here in Madison.

But if local government can’t get the job rolling maybe it’s time for the people in the private sector to take it into their hands and get the ball rolling and then maybe it would get noticed by someone higher up in the food chain and then we could give an already beautiful and Historic Madison another piece in the economic game of tourism dollars !!

Thanks for listening to my rant and here are just a couple of the beautiful examples of the area we call home !

                                                                                                                                                                                            

“Mystical Stream”

I have a little time today to post so here it is, shot this in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, love the surreal feel in this and how it seems the stream travels on thru the fog.

This is the part of photography I miss, I love my portrait business here in Madison Indiana but hopefully after I retire from my job I will be able to make more time for this part of my work.  As for the coaching part Lord only knows how long I can take that part of my life, great kids and extremely talented but they can really be frustrating at times lol !!

Been hoping for a little snow this year, lots of rain and storms but no snow, of course when we get closer to the wildflower season I am sure it will get a lot colder with a ton of snow…never fails !!

Hope you enjoy the image and thanks again for stopping by and taking a look, and make sure you click on the image for best result.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

Madison Indiana Photography

I find it harder and harder to post to this blog anymore  or any of my blogs for that matter, business has been great with the portrait part of my photography but the part I miss the most is the nature side. But that is the side that pays the bills, so I guess I better be careful what I wish for lol !!

Portrait photography has actually been wonderful to do so far, I haven’t ran into that so called Bridezilla or meddling mother yet so I can’t complain too much on that front it’s just being able to spend all the quality time I used to get outside has all but dried up. It doesn’t help that I am still working at the store or that I am still coaching basketball either, but the good thing is I get a little closer everyday to giving up my job I have been at for 33 years and when that happens things should really up time wise for me in a big way !!

I really miss my time in the Smoky mountains, haven’t been on a shooting trip down there for over a year now, maybe if I get caught up this spring I  might get down there for a shoot.

But like I said earlier the portrait part of my photography is doing great and all my clients have been great to work with, I went from 8 weddings last year to already booking 11 for this year and waiting to hear from three more and it’s only January. I would like to be able to do more Senior Pics and it’s getting better this year, and the family and kid sessions are booking up quite well.

So I am very thankful for all my clients and I hope my business keeps growing I just hope to be able to spend a little more time in all the beautiful canyons and gorges that surround my hometown here in Madison Indiana and trip or two down to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park would be pretty nice as well.

Thanks for stopping by and here is a recent example of the work I am doing now, hope you like the image and click on it for a better view !

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                             

West Street Art Center

I thought I might share a hidden treasure from here in Madison Indiana, a friend of mine has steadily been building  quite a reputation  with his West Street Art Center, the gallery has been hosting artists from all over the region  and the shows he has promoted have been a wonderful success for artists that grace the walls of this unique and beautiful facility.

Peter Ellis is the owner operator and in his short stint as the gallery curator he has brought a diverse  mix of mediums to the people of Madison and the surrounding area that might not have had a venue  within our community.

The lists of Artists that he has hosted in his gallery is as fine as any gallery in Indiana and the Region from Lawrence Rudolech, Robert Saueressig and Richard James to Leticia Bajuyo  all  of these wonderful artists have shown their work at the West Street Art Center.

I had a great night not to long ago shooting Richard James show, Richards work is unique and thought provoking and made for wonderful subjects to photograph, hopefully I was able to capture the beauty of his work and convey it here for you to enjoy.

The West Street Art Center will be holding many more events in the coming months and I will try to keep you up to date on the times and Artists that will be profiled and maybe if you live in the region you can make your way to this unique gallery for an event.

The images I have showcased here came from Richard James show, thanks for stopping by and taking a look.

                                                                                                                                                                                

“Madison Indiana Chautauqua of the Arts”

It’s going to be a really big weekend here in Madison Indiana. It is time for the annual Chautauqua of the Arts, which will be celebrating it’s 41th year of exhibiting fine art.

The Madison Chautauqua features artwork that is handmade and individually designed by the artist. Come and see the beautiful paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, weaving, folk art, jewelry,  wood, baskets, clay, glass, paper, leather and wearable art!

You will also find a wonderful array of ethnic foods that line the waterfront along with music and other performance artists.

You can also stroll the tree lines streets to visit and view the beautiful Architecture that makes Madison one of the most celebrated National Historic sites.

And while you are in town you can also stop by my studio and view some of my work at 201 West Main Street, is that a plug or what !!

Seriously the weather looks to be great and the town definitely puts on a show it is really worth the drive if you are close..Hope to see you here !!