In Harmony
Summer 2024
Assistant Director’s Update
Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony
“Magical.” “Unique.” “A jewel.”
These are some of the adjectives our interviewees chose to describe New Harmony in our newly released introductory film at the Atheneum Visitors Center. While perfectly apropos throughout the year, they seemed especially fitting this past season, as we’ve seen many celestial wonders and are now looking forward to the Firefly Festival this June.
On April 8, New Harmony joined thousands of other municipalities in the path of totality during the Great American Eclipse. Heavy fog filled the region during the morning hours, giving our town an eerie essence before burning off, leaving a bright, blue sky with nary a cloud in sight. As the moon stole away the sun sliver by sliver that afternoon, the anticipation rose amongst the crowd. As totality crept forward, our own David Angel’s voice rang out—counting down the seconds until our solar eclipse glasses were no longer needed. The crowd cheered mightily when the moment of totality finally arrived. How exhilarating it was to experience that communal moment of wonder with hundreds of thousands of other people. While I loved seeing the eclipse, what will stay with me is that collective moment of awe and the 360-degree sunset that was completely unexpected and utterly breathtaking.
Nearly a month later, New Harmony’s skies provided another glorious show as solar storms resulted in the aurora borealis or northern lights being visible in southern Indiana. Unlike the eclipse, which was known about and planned for more than a year, the aurora borealis was unexpected and a spontaneous occurrence in New Harmony. When I saw reports of the northern lights being visible, my husband and I stepped outside that night to see if we could see anything. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any activity in our patch of sky above our home. Luckily, Heidi Taylor-Caudill and her husband weren’t so easily dissuaded and traveled to New Harmony that evening to capture stunning images of the Atheneum with the northern lights as its backdrop.
Finally, in what is becoming an annual tradition, Historic New Harmony and One New Harmony will be hosting the Firefly Festival on Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8. The Firefly theater will soon be open to spectators, and nature will yet again be the star. We’ll honor Thomas Say and his discovery of Say’s Firefly, which was named in New Harmony and is now the state insect of Indiana. I have so many fond memories of watching and catching fireflies as a young girl, and it delights me to bring this experience to so many as an adult.
So, take a moment to pry into that sense of childlike wonder and sense of awe that too often is lacking in our day-to-day lives but is abundant in New Harmony; it is Utopia, after all.
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art Update
Exhibitions Closing in June
Residence VIII: A Showcase of Artists from the New Harmony Clay Project | Closing June 1, 2024
Residence VIII is NHGCA’s annual exhibition highlighting the most recent round of artists in-residence at New Harmony Clay Project. This exhibition is in the main space of the Gallery. More information on the 2023-2024 resident artists is available here.
Bailey Roby | Echoing Ideations | Closing June 5, 2024
Echoing Ideations is a solo exhibition by Bailey Roby, a current design student at the University of Southern Indiana. She is a contemporary artist who explores the combination of installation and imagery. More information on this exhibition is available here.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Making Memory: Sara Christensen Blair & Janine Polak | June 8-July 20, 2024
Curated by Audra Verona Lambert, Curator at New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Southern Indiana is proud to present Making Memory: Sara Christensen Blair & Janine Polak. This two-person exhibition features sculpture and installation by Polak (born in Nebraska, lives/works in New York) and Blair (born in South Dakota, lives/works in Indiana).
Works on view speak to the potent ability of material to evoke memory and lived experience. Where both artists create work in dialogue with labor, featuring tasks such as sewing, darning and knitting – work which has historically been done by women – artist Janine Polak speaks to the duality of persistence and erasure, fragility and strength. She preserves found garments into porcelain and glass sculptures that slow the eye of the viewer, prompting a reconsideration of the object itself. What at first glance appears as everyday objects reveal themselves upon closer inspection to be sculptural forms that embrace unusual and hybrid materiality and processes. Artist Sara Christensen Blair tackles the persistence of certain traditions with historical gender roles in her installation and sculpture.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors will have a truncated library of texts available to browse. These texts are on loan from the exhibition’s artists, the curator, and the New Harmony Working Men’s Institute.
Making Memory is on view from June 8 through July 20, 2024, with an opening reception on Saturday, June 8 from 3-5 p.m. Central Time at which the artists and curator will be in attendance.
Two additional events will take place in dialogue with exhibition themes. First, a virtual discussion, “Making Memory: Personal and Collective Histories in Contemporary Art,” will take place via Zoom on June 20 at 2 p.m. with the artists and curator along with University of Southern Indiana professor, Dr. Aimee Mark. Second, the Gallery will host a closing event on Saturday, July 20 from 3-5 p.m. called, “A Book of Hours: Memory and Record-Keeping.” This event will feature book-making activities, a selection of record-keeping items from Historic New Harmony’s collections, and musical guest(s) performing hits related to the theme of time and memory. Light refreshments will be served at both the opening and closing events.
Visitors can see the exhibition at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art during the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, visit the exhibition site.
Spirit of New Harmony | August 3-September 7, 2024
The Spirit of New Harmony open call for art exhibitions is ready for submissions! The theme of the exhibition is “engaging with communities in and around New Harmony,” and this idea can be expressed in whatever sense that theme holds meaning for you. We are seeking proposals that include at least 2 artists and represent the spirit of New Harmony in a broad sense. We welcome all mediums and artwork of all sizes and concepts. The selected proposal will be awarded a $250 stipend.
The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Friday, June 14, 2024. Multiple artists can join to submit one idea for a show proposal. Applicants can be residents of New Harmony or work/live nearby, but this is not necessary if the artists and artwork demonstrate direct links to the New Harmony area and can deliver their works and assist with installation in-person. The exhibition will be on view at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art from August 3-September 7, 2024.
Visions of Utopia: Selections from the Society of Photographic Educators | September 14-October 26, 2024
This photography competition invites current members of the Society of Photographic Educators in the Midwest chapter to display the essence of their research through images. Participants may submit up to three entries, each requiring a separate submission. All entries must be original and not copied from published work, in dialogue with the theme, “Visions of Utopia.” The exhibition will be juried by gallerist Paul Paletti.
Submissions will be judged for exhibition according to the following criteria:
- Overall originality/creativity
- Aesthetic appeal of the image
- Relationship between the image and the applicant’s research
- Clarity of written description and title
Eligible members can apply here.
Upcoming Workshop
Pop-Up Sewing Maker’s Space: Open Sewing | August 10, 2024
Dust off your sewing machine or use one offered in this pop-up maker’s space. Learn how to operate your machine, repair your clothing, up-cycle a jacket...so many choices are available in this workshop. Machines, tools and supplies are provided. We also welcome you to bring your own machine or an unfinished project.
This workshop will be led by USI alum Emily Gartner, an internationally recognized textile artist and fashion designer with multiple publications and honors for her wearable art and furniture. It will take place on August 10, 2024, from 1-3 p.m. Central Time at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art. Cost: $45 per person; 8 participants maximum. Register here.
Gallery Shop Update
New work is available by Brittany Hunter, Scott Scheller, Ron Austill, and Autumn McKay.
New Harmony Second Saturdays
The New Harmony Second Saturdays event series continues through November 2024.
While New Harmony Second Saturday events for June have already been set up, please enter your information into this online document for the July 13 events before June 27, 2024, to have it published in time. Questions? Email nhsecondsaturdays@gmail.com.
For more information about upcoming programs and events, please visit the Second Saturdays website, or follow us on Instagram @newharmonysecondsaturdays and on Facebook @NHSecondSaturdays.
Historic New Harmony Updates
Saying Hello
David Angel, Experience Coordinator for Historic New Harmony
Bios are often tempting to write in the third person, but I got stuck at “David Angel….” So, I thought I’d introduce myself from this perspective instead! My education has been led by my life experiences and needs. Working as an entrepreneur led me to my Master of Business Administration from University of Illinois Chicago with concentrations in management and entrepreneurship. My love of negotiations and mediation led me to Marquette University, where I earned my Master in Dispute Resolution with a focus on conflict decision-making.
My work and consulting on conflict resolution since then have carried me from a variety of jobs and locations. From working with peacemaking and youth in Milwaukee, to non-profits and small businesses in Chicago, to international business analysis in New Delhi, India, I’ve enjoyed a wide range of opportunities to apply myself. It’s New Harmony that I fell in love with and whose history I am excited to help share with the world.
I’ve been with Historic New Harmony for almost a half year now and am grateful for the chance to take this little moment to introduce myself. I’m excited to help grow our community, share our history, and contribute to what makes our town so special. Community building and program management are passions of mine, as are audio and photography. I also love my coffee. So, if you’d like to chat over said cup(s) of coffee, or cocoa, let me know! I’m always interested to hear what great ideas, insights, and histories others share.
Welcome, Makena Stikeleather
Makena Stikeleather, Community Engagement Intern for Historic New Harmony
My name is Makena Stikeleather, and I am a Public Relations and Advertising Major at USI! I am new to the area, but I am excited to learn more about the community and help Historic New Harmony's audience expand more and more each day. I hope to try out exciting new social media initiatives and experiment with different community engagement activities. Overall, I can't wait to start this new opportunity!
Heritage Artisans Days
Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony
Heritage Artisans Days is Historic New Harmony’s longest running program and for which we’re most well-known. Nearly four decades old, some of the parent chaperones are returning to the program for a second time as adults. In a post-event survey, one teacher remarked, “You all do a fabulous job year after year. It's come a long way since I was in elementary school. I think what you have now is perfect. Love talking to all the Artisans. The marble print maker and the oxen are our favorites…. Looking forward to next year!”
This year’s Heritage Artisans Days occurred on April 24 through 26 and featured mostly beautiful weather save for a few showers on Friday morning. During the three days, 2,208 children, teachers, and chaperones attended the event from 76 traditional schools and homeschools. Several artisans returned this year, including our 1800s doctor, basket weaver, blacksmith, candle dippers, fiddler, kettle corn vendors, oxen handlers, paper marbler, rope maker, and weaver. We also had a few new artisans join the event including an interpreter in the Harmonist Garden, a hat maker, a flax processor, hide tanner, and a tinsmith. As one teacher noted, “[her students] learned how tasks were completed in the old days, and hopefully, developed an appreciation for the convenience of things done today.”
This event would not be possible without the support of many sponsors, including Indiana Humanities, Vicki and David Campbell, William and Kathleen Elliott, John H. Grizzell, Heritage Federal Credit Union, Josef Laposa, Barbara Northern, Kent and Laurie Parker Family Foundation, Laurel Vaughn, Karen Walker, Linda Willis, and Andrew Wilson. Historic New Harmony would also like to thank the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation, the Working Men’s Institute, the Town of New Harmony, and the Posey County Health Department for their support, as well as the staff and volunteers who provided so many hours of their time.
New Harmony Firefly Festival
Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony
Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink. Twinkle…twinkle…twinkle…twinkle. Flicker………flicker………flicker.
New Harmony will be abuzz with activity the weekend of June 7–9 with the Golden Raintree Antique Festival, Cruise-in, and our personal favorite—the New Harmony Firefly Festival. Historic New Harmony is partnering with One New Harmony to offer this free family-friendly event on Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8 to honor Indiana’s state insect: Say’s Firefly.
Say’s Firefly, or Pyractomena angulata, is native to Indiana and to the United States and is named after Thomas Say, widely considered to be the Father of American Entomology after publishing American Entomology, a three-volume work in which he described and named more than 1,400 species. Say discovered Say’s Firefly in Philadelphia but named the beetle while living in New Harmony, Indiana. Say’s Firefly became Indiana’s state insect in 2018, following a campaign by local school children.
The Firefly Festival will be at the Atheneum Visitors Center, at 401 Arthur Street. The Atheneum will have extended operating hours for the festival and will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days. Food trucks and vendors will offer family-friendly food options. Harmony Homemade and the Main Street Café will provide fare beginning at 5 p.m. Friday night and will be joined by 3 Chicks Fudgery, Bursting with Love, and TTs Sammiches at 6 p.m. through 10 p.m. On Saturday, Bursting with Love will set up at noon, and will be joined by Uncle G’s Lemon Shakeups and Harmony Homemade at 5 p.m. and FireChicken at 6 p.m.
Families will have many activities to choose from on both days. Assistant Director Diane Sanders will be providing free firefly-themed storytelling and crafts at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Parents and children should meet in the Atheneum lobby. We will also be offering three free showings of a dramatic portrayal of Thomas Say at 6:30, 7:30, and 8:30 p.m. each night to hear from the Father of Entomology himself about his discovery of the firefly. Performances will be held in the Atheneum Theater and will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
On Saturday, June 8, visitors ages 10-17 will have the opportunity to “Draw Like a Naturalist” in our kid’s art workshop with artist Savannah Hoskinson. Historic New Harmony will offer two sessions of the two-hour beginner class—one at 10 am and one at 1:30 pm—where they will learn how to see and draw from natural specimens. For a $15 material fee, each artist will be provided a mini drawing kit and sketchbook to take home and enjoy. For more information and to preregister, please visit the Draw Like a Naturalist page on our website.
Finally, the star of the show will be the fireflies of Firefly Theater. Historic New Harmony will be running their tram from 8:30 p.m. through 9:45 p.m. We will pick visitors up from the Atheneum Visitors Center and drop them off at Firefly Theater (north of Main Street in the New Harmony recreational trail system) to watch fireflies with a trained naturalist and the local community. Our tram will run on a loop returning to the Atheneum Visitors Center throughout the evening. While visitors wait to visit or upon returning from Firefly Theater, visitors can experience a glow dance party on the Atheneum front lawn.
Please kick off the summer season with us this June in what is becoming a cherished annual tradition to celebrate Indiana’s state insect—Say’s Firefly! We hope to see you there!
Draw Like a Naturalist
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager for Historic New Harmony
Historic New Harmony is hosting two sessions of a new art class – Draw Like a Naturalist – during the Firefly Festival in New Harmony. University of Southern Indiana graduate Savannah Hoskinson, a science and nature-based illustrator, will lead the class. Draw Like a Naturalist is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Central Time on Saturday, June 8 at the Atheneum Visitors Center.
These sessions of Draw Like a Naturalist are designed for students ages 10-17. Participants will receive a sketchbook and mini drawing kit to use during the class and take home afterward. During the 2-hour session, they will learn how to closely observe and draw from natural history specimens much like 19th-century naturalists Thomas Say and Charles Alexandre Lesueur who used illustration to share their findings with the wider world.
The fee for the class is $15, which covers the cost of materials. Registration is highly encouraged since space is limited to 8 students per session. You can register your child through this online form or by calling the Atheneum Visitors Center at 812-682-4474.
For more information about Draw Like a Naturalist, please contact Heidi Taylor-Caudill at 812-682-6133 or hltaylorca@usi.edu.
Fourth of July Patriotic Celebration
Christine Crews, Administrative Associate for Historic New Harmony
The annual New Harmony Fourth of July Patriotic Celebration will begin at the Atheneum Visitors Center at 10 a.m. with a program sponsored by the Friends of the Working Men’s Institute. The keynote speaker will be Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony. Ben Nicholson will read the Declaration of Independence and the Community Choir will perform several patriotic songs. Following the program, a golf cart parade will continue through town and end at Maclure Park, where the Kiwanis will have food available to buy and Bob Minnette and the Dixieland Society will perform in the bandstand.
Free Admission for Military Families This Summer
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager for Historic New Harmony
Historic New Harmony has joined museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that offers free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The 2024 program began on Armed Forces Day (Saturday, May 18) and will end on Labor Day (Monday, September 2).
Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America. The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military – Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and up to 5 family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance.
Find the list of participating Blue Star museums at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.
Talking History
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager for Historic New Harmony
Earlier this year, Historic New Harmony introduced Talking History, a free monthly program aimed at local history enthusiasts. Talking History uses objects and other materials as conversation starters and encourages participants to freely explore different directions in the stories that we tell and the memories that we share. The most recent Talking History gathering took place in the Murphy Auditorium on May 25. Our theme was Schools, and we took a closer look at yearbooks, early 20th century school programs, and a 19th century spelling game from Historic New Harmony’s collections. Topics of conversation included school pranks, graduations, music lessons, changes in clothing styles, food, classes, and our favorite teachers as well as those who sent shivers down our spines!
Consider joining us at the Atheneum Visitors Center on Saturday, June 22 at 10 a.m. Central Time for our next Talking History gathering. Our theme for June is “Getting to Know New Harmony.” We will be screening the three orientation films that have been shown to New Harmony visitors at the Atheneum: The New Harmony Experience (shortened version, 1977); New Vision, New Harmony: A Place Like No Other (2015); and Utopia: The New Harmony Experience (2024). Afterward, we will have our usual conversation about New Harmony’s history.
The dates, times, and locations for Talking History in July and August have yet to be decided. For more information about this program, please visit the Talking History page on our website.
A Landscape Reimagined, New Harmony, Indiana Exhibition
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager for Historic New Harmony
In March 2024, award-winning British landscape architect and garden designer Alistair W. Baldwin traveled to New Harmony, Indiana, to complete a study visit of the town's gardens and landscapes. While Mr. Baldwin was here, he talked with people and organizations in New Harmony who are invested in creating spaces that are beautiful, functional, and add to the well-being of the community. From these conversations and his observations, he created conceptual drawings of New Harmony landscapes "reimagined" for the future.
On May 7, Historic New Harmony opened an exhibit at the Atheneum Visitors Center that shares Mr. Baldwin's drawings and seeks public comment. A Landscape Reimagined, New Harmony, Indiana features his recommendations for town-wide planning and thinking as well as plans for new gardens outside the Poet's House, Mother Superior Guest House, Gate House, David Lenz House, Beal House, and Maclure Square and Church Park.
This exhibit runs through June 9, 2024, on the first floor of the Atheneum Visitors Center. We encourage you to look at the drawings and ideas and then leave your thoughts in the blue notebook at the exhibit entrance. These comments will help the organizations that are considering these designs as possibilities.
For a look at projects completed by Mr. Baldwin's firm, AWB Associates, visit his company's website.
New Atheneum-Themed Merchandise
Makena Stikeleather, Community Engagement Intern for Historic New Harmony
The Museum Shop at the Atheneum Visitors Center is introducing new merchandise to its shelves! With shirts, bags, notebooks, and pens featuring the Atheneum hitting the shelves, we hope to see you in the shop. For more information about these products, please contact the Atheneum at 812-682-4474.
Historic New Harmony Launches Its First Online Collections Database
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager for Historic New Harmony
On May 15, 2024, Historic New Harmony announced the launch of its first-ever online collections database at https://historicnewharmony.catalogaccess.com. For the first time, residents of New Harmony, family historians, educators, students, researchers and others from around the world will be able to explore our collections digitally.
Historic New Harmony’s collections feature more than 2,800 objects that include decorative arts, furniture, paintings, prints, sculpture, drawings, medical equipment and textiles dating from the early 19th century to the present. We also keep an extensive archive of photographs, slides, rare books, sound and video recordings, maps, architectural drawings and manuscript collections that document the unique history of New Harmony.
While the material available through the online database is limited, we will be working to add more records over the next few years with the goal of eventually making most of our collections available online.
Historic New Harmony’s online database offers several ways to delve into our collections: simple and advanced searches, browsing records at random, looking at records by material type, narrowing your focus to objects on display, and exploring records by the people associated with them.
Launching the online database is a key step in our effort to continue highlighting the fascinating stories, places, and people of New Harmony. It is even more significant that this “opening up” of our collections to greater public access happened during Historic New Harmony’s 50th anniversary year. Over half a century of collecting efforts by Historic New Harmony staff have made this project possible and now, we are so excited to share the many objects, books, photos, and archival materials that document New Harmony’s rich history with the wider world.
Calendar of Events
Historic New Harmony Tours
Tram Tours at 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., Tuesday-Saturday and History Tours at 1 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday. Tours start at the Atheneum Visitors Center.
New Harmony Second Saturdays
Every second Saturday, March-November, at various locations.
For more information, visit: New Harmony Second Saturdays - University of Southern Indiana (usi.edu)
Firefly Festival
Friday, June 7-Saturday, June 8 at various locations in New Harmony.
The schedule of events for the Firefly Festival is available at the Visit Posey County website.
Draw Like a Naturalist
10 a.m.-noon and 1:30-3:30 p.m., Central Time, Saturday, June 8 at the Atheneum Visitors Center. $15 per student; there is a limit of 8 students per class, so pre-registration is highly encouraged.
For more information, visit the Historic New Harmony website.
Historic New Harmony Office Closed for Juneteenth
Historic New Harmony's administrative office will be closed on Wednesday, June 19 for Juneteenth. The Atheneum Visitors Center will remain open for tours that day.
Talking History
10 a.m., Saturday, June 22 at the Atheneum Visitors Center. Dates and times for July and August to be determined. For more information about the Talking History program, visit the Historic New Harmony website.
Help Historic New Harmony and the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art continue their historic preservation efforts, educational programming and more with your charitable gift to the USI Foundation. You can make your gift securely online at USI.edu/giving, calling 812-464-1918, or mailing to USI Foundation, 8600 University Blvd., Evansville, IN 47712. Your charitable gift is tax-deductible and a gift receipt will be issued.
Spring 2024 Edition
Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony
It’s my favorite time of year when we welcome visitors back to the Atheneum and begin our new tour season. Unlike the critters and creatures who spent the winter hibernating, the staff at Historic New Harmony and the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art were busy creating new experiences and exhibitions for visitors to experience this spring. We will be unveiling many of these new offerings in this issue of In Harmony but stay tuned to future editions of this newsletter and our social media channels for more announcements throughout the season!
If you have had the opportunity to visit the Atheneum Visitors Center since March 1, you may have noticed that we premiered a new introductory film. Produced by Blackstrap Media, the 11-minute film provides a brief overview of New Harmony’s history and culture and features New Harmony residents and business owners, Historic New Harmony staff and University of Southern Indiana faculty. I’m delighted by the filmmakers’ skill in capturing the essence of the town and showcasing our corner of the world so beautifully. I hope you’ll check it out.
Historic New Harmony’s tours started on March 15 at the Atheneum Visitors Center, and we’re thrilled to be offering a brand-new option for visitors this season. The New Harmony Tram Tour is a family-friendly tour that will take you on a 45-minute exploration of the town aboard our tram. Interpreters will offer their local insights, telling stories and showing you the “can’t miss” spots and iconic sites that contribute to a great New Harmony experience. We’re planning to offer this tour at 10 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For the month of March, we’ll be offering the tour for free in exchange for your feedback and suggestions!
In addition to changes at the Atheneum Visitors Center, we’ve been working on new program offerings too. We started a new program series, Talking History, for visitors and residents to gather to “talk history” around a shared New Harmony theme. These programs also allow Heidi Taylor-Caudill, our Collections and Community Engagement Manager, to showcase our collections and connect community members. Our first program was well attended, and we’re looking forward to the next program at 10 a.m. on March 21 at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art.
It’s an exciting time to be at New Harmony and we hope that you’ll take the time to experience it with us anew. Please let us know what you think about the new offerings, as we’ll continue experimenting, innovating, and improving to find the right harmony between the elements, so that we can create an exceptional experience here in Utopia for you and your family.
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art Update
Welcome, Audra Verona Lambert
Audra Verona Lambert, Curator of the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
Audra is a curator and art historian with over a decade of experience organizing 60+ exhibitions in the United States. She holds an MA, Art History and Visual Culture from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO and a BA, Art History and Asian Studies from St. Peter's University in Jersey City, NJ. She has studied abroad on scholarships in the Kansai region of Japan and in Germany's Nordrhein-Westfalen region. Lambert has managed exhibitions for the Yeshiva University Museum, Art in Odd Places festival, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, More Art, White Roof Project and more. She is co-founder of the site-specific art festival, alt_break art fair, and has been invited as a guest curator/lecturer at Columbia University, New York University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Rhode Island School of Design and more. She and her spaniel mix, Patrick, live in Evansville. IN.
Learn more about Audra’s curatorial ethos in this recent feature in Shoutout North Carolina Magazine.
Totality, March 9-April 20, 2024
T Lance, Senior Gallery Associate, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Southern Indiana is proud to present Totality, an exhibition juried by professor and physicist Dr. Kent W. Scheller. On April 8, 2024, New Harmony, Indiana, will be in the path of a total solar eclipse. To commemorate this astronomical event, the gallery sought out artwork related to and/or inspired by the idea of an eclipse.
Totality will be on display Saturday, March 9 through Saturday, April 20. An opening reception was held on March 9 with a presentation by Dr. Scheller on the cultural impact exuded by a solar eclipse. New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art’s open hours are Tuesday - Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central Time, located at 506 Main Street, New Harmony, Indiana.
Exhibiting artists include Andy Batt, Ariana Chilvers, Audra Lynn Clayton, Rita H.G. Davis, Vernelle Farrington, Mary Kay Glinis, Brian Hitselberer, Heather Landry, Beata Renata Marczak, Ravyn McHugh, Rob Millard-Mendez, Sarah Moschel Miller, Jakey Mumfie, Dawn Murtaugh, Laura Foster Nicholson, Sheryl Sullivan, and Bill Tortoriello.
Juror Dr. Kent W. Scheller, Professor of Physics in the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education at the University of Southern Indiana, has been teaching physics for the past 25 years.
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art at the University of Southern Indiana promotes discourse about and access to contemporary art in the southern Indiana region. New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art is a proud outreach partner of the University of Southern Indiana. This exhibition is made possible in part by the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Upcoming Exhibitions
T Lance, Senior Gallery Associate, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
Residence VIII | April 27–June 1, 2024
Residence VIII is NHGCA’s annual exhibition highlighting the most recent round of artists in-residence at New Harmony Clay Project.
New Harmony Clay Project (NHCP) is an artist residency and educational center located in New Harmony. NHCP fosters an environment that supports the investigation of new ideas and work in the ceramic arts. It was established in 2015 by Lenny Dowhie, an internationally known ceramic sculptor and Professor Emeritus at University of Southern Indiana. NHCP is supported by the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation, Efroymson Family Fund, Greater Houston Community Foundation and Lenny and Anne Dowhie Trusts. Its goal is to encourage emerging and professional visual artists and educators in ceramics by giving them quiet space and the time to develop a new body of work. NHCP is located within the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Ceramic Studio in New Harmony, next to the Roofless Church.
Performing Place | June 8-July 20, 2024
Curated by Audra Verona Lambert.
Local Voices Exhibit | August 3-September 7, 2024
New Harmony Second Saturdays
The New Harmony Second Saturdays event series continues through November. For more information about upcoming programs and events, please visit www.usi.edu/nhsecondsaturdays, or follow us on Instagram @newharmonysecondsaturdays and on Facebook @NHSecondSaturdays.
Do you have an event for Second Saturdays that you want publicized? Add your information here.
Historic New Harmony Updates
Heritage Artisans Days – Call for Volunteers
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
Historic New Harmony needs volunteers for this year's Heritage Artisans Days program on Wednesday, April 24, Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event would not be a success without volunteers helping everything to run smoothly!
Thousands of elementary school students attend Heritage Artisan Days over three days to experience what life was like in the 19th century through the eyes of historical interpreters and period artisans.
If you're interested in volunteering with us, go to the Heritage Artisans Days page on the Historic New Harmony website and look for the Volunteer link. It will take you to the registration form, which lists available dates and shifts. Of course, we appreciate any time that you may be available during that week to help!
Please contact Heidi Taylor-Caudill at 812-682-6133 or hltaylorca@usi.edu if you have any questions about volunteering.
New Harmony Tram Tour
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
We are so happy to share that in addition to our usual New Harmony History Tour, we are introducing a new tram tour of New Harmony. This family-friendly tour takes you on a 45-minute exploration of New Harmony aboard our tram. As you travel around town, an interpreter will offer their local insight, telling stories and showing you the "can't miss" spots and iconic sites that contribute to a great New Harmony experience. This tour would be perfect for first-time and returning visitors, residents with out-of-town guests, and anyone who just wants to learn more about the community.
We wish to thank the Kent and Laurie Parker Family Foundation for their generous gift to fund the purchase of the tram for Historic New Harmony.
As the New Harmony Tram Tour is a new program, we are still experimenting with the route and stories that we tell. For the month of March, we are offering free tour tickets and asking participants to share their opinions on improvements we could make. For more information, call the Atheneum Visitors Center at 812-682-4474.
Tour Schedule:
New Harmony Tram Tour (45 minutes)
10 a.m., Tuesday-Saturday
New Harmony History Tour (2 hours)
1 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday
The Harmonist Connection: Economy, Pennsylvania
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
On Sunday, March 10, Old Economy Village curator Sarah Buffington and museum educator David Miller presented a Harmonist Connection talk on the Harmonists’ relocation in 1824-1825 from New Harmony, Indiana, to Economy, Pennsylvania. The event took place over Zoom on the 343rd anniversary of Pennsylvania’s charter and during Old Economy Village’s bicentennial year.
The Harmonist Connection is a free virtual program sponsored by Historic New Harmony, Historic Harmony, and Old Economy Village. It brings the three sites of the Harmony Society together to discuss what connects us. Past talks have covered the Harmonists and topics of religion and symbolism, redware pottery, cemeteries, town planning, and gardens.
Recordings of all the talks are available to watch on the Harmonist Connection YouTube channel.
Talking History
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
In February 2024, Historic New Harmony launched a new, free monthly program for local history lovers to gather to share and discuss historical topics of interest related to New Harmony. This program, Talking History, uses objects and other materials to inspire conversation. Though each meeting is guided by a theme, participants are free to go “off script” and take the conversation in different directions. We also encourage participants to bring objects, photographs, or other materials to share with the group. No reservations are required - just show up to the gathering and bring your memories, thoughts, and questions!
The first Talking History gathering happened at Black Lodge Coffee Roasters in New Harmony, Indiana, on Saturday, February 24. 18 people attended the event. Objects shared included three items from Historic New Harmony’s artifact collection and two photograph albums brought by a participant wanting to know more about her family’s history in New Harmony. Another participant played a recording of an oral history interview for the group.
The next Talking History gathering will take place on Thursday, March 21 at 10 a.m. at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art, 506 Main Street in New Harmony. While there, participants will have the chance to see the NHGCA’s current exhibition, Totality, on view now through April 20.
Our theme for March is Seasons. As we head into Spring in New Harmony, reflect on your memories of the seasons here. What is your favorite type of weather? Do you have any stories about storms or flooding here in southwestern Indiana? Did you ever go swimming in the Wabash River?
We hope to see you at the next gathering! For more information about the latest program, visit the Talking History page.
Read Up on Intentional Communities
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
Intentional communities - a movement of people choosing to live in communities based on shared values and co-operative culture - can be found all around the world and throughout history. New Harmony was the site of two intentional communities: the Harmony Society (1814-1824) and the Owen/Maclure community (1825-1827). If you’ve learned about New Harmony’s history and want to delve more deeply into the idea of intentional communities, check out these books available in the Atheneum Museum Store.
Seeing Like a Commons: Eighty Years of Intentional Community Building and Commons Stewardship in Celo, North Carolina
Joshua Lockyer (2023, Rowan & Littlefield)
In Seeing Like a Commons, Joshua Lockyer demonstrates how a growing group of people have, over the last eighty years, deliberately built Celo Community, a communal settlement on 1,200 acres of commonly owned land in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Joshua Lockyer highlights the potential for intentional communities like Celo to raise awareness of global interconnectivity and structural inequalities, enabling people and communities to become better stewards and citizens of both local landscapes and global commons.
Camphill and the Future: Spirituality and Disability in an Evolving Communal Movement
Dan McKanan (2020, University of California Press)
The Camphill movement, one of the world’s largest and most enduring networks of intentional communities, deserves both recognition and study. Founded in Scotland at the beginning of the Second World War, Camphill communities still thrive today, encompassing thousands of people living in more than one hundred twenty schools, villages, and urban neighborhoods on four continents. Camphillers of all abilities share daily work, family life, and festive celebrations with one another and their neighbors. Unlike movements that reject mainstream society, Camphill expressly seeks to be “a seed of social renewal” by evolving along with society to promote the full inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities, who comprise nearly half of their residents. In this multifaceted exploration of Camphill, Dan McKanan traces the complexities of the movement’s history, envisions its possible future, and invites ongoing dialogue between the fields of disability studies and communal studies.
What Is Happening in Your Community? Why Community Development Matters
Matthew J. Hanka (2023, Rowman & Littlefield)
Communities are not static or stationary organisms. They are fluid and dynamic and change over time. The role of community development in the change and transformation of a community is critical to improving and enhancing the quality of life of the community and its residents. This book examines how community development changes a community and why that change matters, while also examining the relationship between community development and social capital. When a community improves its social capital, change can happen because people can leverage their networks to produce better results for themselves. This book also looks at comprehensive community development and collective impact models and several case studies that utilize these models. It also looks at how the transformation and revitalization of a neighborhood through new housing creates opportunities for people everywhere, and how effective placemaking strategies empower diverse groups of people in a community to reimagine their public spaces and the built environment to be more livable, walkable, creative, and sustainable while fostering greater connections with people in their community.
Zoar: The Story of an Intentional Community
Kathleen Fernandez (2019, The Kent State University Press)
In 1817, a group of German religious dissenters immigrated to Ohio. Less than two years later, in order to keep their distinctive religion and its adherents together, they formed a communal society (eine güter gemeinschaft or “community of goods”), where all shared equally. Their bold experiment thrived and continued through three generations; the Zoar Separatists are considered one of the longest-lasting communal groups in US history.
Fernandez traces the Separatists’ beginnings in Württemberg, Germany, and their disputes with authorities over religious differences, their immigration to America, and their establishment of the communal Society of Separatists of Zoar.
The community’s development, particularly in terms of its business activities with the outside world, demonstrates its success and influence in the 19th century. Though the Society dissolved in 1898, today its site is a significant historical attraction. Zoar is based on ample primary source material, some never before utilized by historians, and illustrated with thirty historic photographs.
American Community: Radical Experiments in Intentional Living
Mark S. Ferrara (2020, Rutgers University Press)
American Community takes us inside forty of the most interesting intentional communities in the nation’s history, from the colonial era to the present day. You will learn about such little-known experiments in cooperative living as the Icarian communities, which took the utopian ideas expounded in a 1840 French novel and put them into practice, ultimately spreading to five states over fifty years. Plus, it covers more recent communities such as Arizona’s Arcosanti, designed by architect Paolo Soleri as a model for ecologically sustainable living.
In this provocative and engaging book, Mark Ferrara guides readers through an array of intentional communities that boldly challenged capitalist economic arrangements in order to attain ideals of harmony, equality, and social justice. By shining a light on these forgotten histories, it shows that far from being foreign concepts, communitarianism and socialism have always been vital parts of the American experience.
Eco-Alchemy: Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism
Dan McKanan (2017, University of California Press)
For nearly a century, the worldwide anthroposophical movement has been a catalyst for environmental activism, helping to bring to life many modern ecological practices such as organic farming, community-supported agriculture, and green banking. Yet the spiritual practice of anthroposophy remains unknown to most environmentalists. A historical and ethnographic study of the environmental movement, Eco-Alchemy uncovers for the first time the profound influences of anthroposophy and its founder, Rudolf Steiner, whose holistic worldview, rooted in esoteric spirituality, inspired the movement. Dan McKanan shows that environmentalism is itself a complex ecosystem and that it would not be as diverse or as transformative without the contributions of anthroposophy.
Calendar of Events
Alistair W. Baldwin Lecture
7 p.m., Thursday, March 21 at the Atheneum Visitors Center
Alistair W. Baldwin is an award-winning landscape architect and garden designer from Yorkshire, England. He will talk about the restoration, regeneration, and enhancement of historical gardens in England, Scotland, and New Harmony.
The StumpGrinders! A Special Eclipse Extravaganza Concert
8 p.m., Sunday, April 7 at the Murphy Auditorium
For more information, please visit:
Total Solar Eclipse Fundraiser Watch Party
10 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday, April 8 at the Atheneum Visitors Center
Tickets are on sale at: Eclipse - University of Southern Indiana (usi.edu). Note: the deadline to purchase tickets for this event is Monday, March 25.
New Harmony Second Saturdays
Every second Saturday, March-November, at various locations
For more information, please visit: New Harmony Second Saturdays - University of Southern Indiana (usi.edu)
Under the Beams Concert: Mokoomba
7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 20 at the Murphy Auditorium
For more information, please visit: Under The Beams | New Harmony, IN
Heritage Artisan Days
Wednesday, April 24 through Friday, April 26 in New Harmony
For more information, please visit: Heritage Artisans Days - University of Southern Indiana (usi.edu)
Firefly Festival
Friday, June 7-Saturday, June 8 at various locations in New Harmony
Fall 2023 Edition
Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony
I interviewed for the Assistant Director position last October and experienced the beauty of New Harmony arguably during its prettiest season. Since moving here, I have patiently waited for fall to return, so I could enjoy the splendor that made me fall in love with New Harmony all over again. I particularly love driving into town via Maple Hill Road and enjoy how the fiery canopy overhead frames the landscape. It certainly highlights New Harmony’s status as a “Tree City” by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Despite the tranquil picture that the landscape often paints, New Harmony has been bustling with visitors. Historic New Harmony served more than 7,000 visitors between August and October this year—nearly doubling last year’s attendance figures. While the beautiful weather certainly contributed to our success, we also offered several programs throughout the season that drew numerous participants.
We offered two sessions of our Natural Dyes, Colorful Textiles workshop in partnership with instructor Peggy Taylor of Raintree Cottage Textile School at the Double Log Cabin and David Lenz House dye garden this fall. These sessions were generously funded by the Lifelong Arts Indiana Creative Aging Program, which allowed us to offer the classes free of charge to participants. Each session featured morning and afternoon classes over the course of four days in August and September. Geared toward senior learners, this program aimed to create community while participants learned new skills. The workshops were well received, and participants indicated that they were interested in attending similar workshops at our historic sites. Given the enthusiastic response, we are looking into the possibility of offering more hands-on workshops as lifelong learning opportunities.
We hosted several hundred University of Southern Indiana freshman on September 12 for the UNIV101 New Harmony Freshman Experience Day. Students explored 12 historic sites throughout the town to complete their scavenger hunts and compete for prizes. Students also enjoyed the fare from four food trucks at Church Park, explored the shops throughout town and participated in a spirit fair at the Atheneum. This year's focus on community building was particularly successful, as we heard many accounts of students making friends, enjoying New Harmony's atmosphere and generally having a great time. We thank all our staff, advisory board, volunteers, and community partners for helping us make this event a great success! We are already looking forward to planning next year’s event!
Just a few short weeks later, Historic New Harmony hosted the 50th Communal Studies Association conference during the first week of October. Conference sessions were held at the Atheneum, Murphy Auditorium, and the Working Men’s Institute. More than 100 attendees participated in the conference and hailed from around the world. People from France, Germany, Sweden and across the United States gathered in New Harmony for the conference. The University of Southern Indiana was well represented with participants across numerous departments, colleges and disciplines. Faculty and staff participated in 5 sessions overall with 10 presentations total. Members of academia, historic sites and active intentional community members joined together to share their experiences of communal societies—both past and present.
Next spring, Historic New Harmony will be unveiling a new orientation film in the Atheneum Visitors Center. We are working with Blackstrap Media to create a new film that will better orient visitors to New Harmony’s past, while painting a vision for its future. In addition to filming during the UNIV101 event, Blackstrap Media’s team has been out to New Harmony several times this November to shoot footage and conduct interviews with university staff and community members.
Speaking of interviews, we’ve been doing that a lot this season! We have been focused on filling our open positions, and I’m pleased to announce that Historic New Harmony’s administrative team is now fully staffed! We welcomed Heidi Taylor-Caudill to the team in September as our Collections and Community Engagement Manager. In addition to stewarding our collections, Heidi manages educational programming, community outreach, university engagement and communication activities. You’ll hear more from her in this edition of the newsletter. Our new Experience Coordinator, David Angel, joined us this month; he oversees visitor services at the Atheneum, manages our interpretive and museum shop staff and facility rentals. We will feature David in our next issue. Both Heidi and David bring great experience to their positions, and I’m looking forward to planning Historic New Harmony’s future with such a talented team.
I hope you will join us at one of several events coming up at Historic New Harmony and at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art, many of which are featured in this issue of the newsletter. If you haven’t visited lately, be sure to take a historic tour at 1:00 pm (CST) Saturdays and Sundays, before Historic New Harmony’s last day of the season on Saturday, December 16. The New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art will continue to remain open during the winter months.
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art Update
FILLED UP 4: A Ceramic Cup Show
T Lance, Senior Gallery Associate, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
Left to right: Grant Akiyama, James Tingey, Samantha Purze and Andrew Tran
The University of Southern Indiana New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art (NHGCA) is proud to present Filled Up 4, A Ceramic Cup Show, in partnership with New Harmony Clay Project. Filled Up 4 features ceramic cups by contributing artists around the United States, juried by noted ceramic artist Pattie Chalmers.
The exhibit opens at 3 p.m. and will host a public opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, November 11, featuring a juror’s talk and an award announcement.
An additional public reception for Filled Up 4 will be held Saturday, December 2 in conjunction with Christmas in New Harmony from 4 to 6 p.m. where visitors can remove purchased works from the Gallery.
Partnering with New Harmony Clay Project, over 80 submissions were received, 57 of which were accepted by the juror. The cup, one of ceramics' more iconic productions, has been used as a metaphor, a sculptural element, a sculptural foundation and a functional daily piece of dinnerware. Whether you choose to fill your cups with beverages, food, pencils, or ideology, this exhibition will feature a multitude of handmade creations from artists across the country.
Chalmers currently serves as a Professor at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Professionally, Chalmers has exhibited in group exhibitions on five continents, in six countries and in 34 states. She has had six solo exhibitions in the past five years. Recent exhibitions include The Mudmaid Museum at the Sheldon Art Center in St. Louis, Missouri, and Imperfect Ramblings at Merwin Gallery at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. Chalmers has taught at the University of Minnesota and Ohio University.
She earned a bachelor’s in fine arts degree in printmaking in 1994 from the University of Manitoba and a master’s degree in fine arts in ceramics in 2001 from the University of Minnesota.
New Harmony Clay Project (NHCP) is an artist residency and educational center located in historic New Harmony, Indiana. NHCP fosters an environment that supports the investigation of new ideas and work in the ceramic arts. It was established in 2015 by Lenny Dowhie, an internationally known ceramic sculptor and Professor Emeritus of Ceramics at USI.
NHCP is supported by the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation, Efroymson Family Fund, Greater Houston Community Foundation and Lenny and Anne Dowhie Trusts. The goal is to encourage emerging and professional visual artists/ educators in ceramics by giving them quiet space and time to develop a new body of work. The Clay Project is located within the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Ceramic Studio in New Harmony, next to the Roofless Church.
The NHGCA promotes discourse about and access to contemporary art in the southern Indiana region and is an outreach partner of USI. The gallery is located at 506 Main Street in New Harmony, Indiana. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit the NHGCA website, or call 812-682-3156.
This exhibition is made possible in part by the Lenny and Anne Dowhie Trust, Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Did you miss the WEEE Artist Talk with Rachel Stallings Thomander?
View it here: https://youtu.be/0ZA-jXjeTGs
Upcoming Exhibitions
T Lance, Senior Gallery Associate, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
Juan William Chávez | January 20–March 2, 2024
Juan William Chávez is an artist and cultural activist who creates and shares space in the built and natural environments to address community identified issues. At the heart of Chavez’s practice is his studio research, which includes drawings, films, photographs, craft, labor, architectural interventions and unconventional forms of beekeeping and agriculture. Chávez utilizes art as a way of researching, developing and implementing projects of creative placemaking and social engagement. His exhibitions feature his studio research in the form of multimedia installations. Chavez has exhibited his work at venues such as ArtPace, Van Abbemuseum, McColl Center for Art + Innovation, Tube Factory Artspace, 21c Museum Hotel, Laumeier Sculpture Park and Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.
His interdisciplinary approach to art has gained the attention and support of prestigious institutions like the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, Creative Capital, Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, ArtPlace America, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and Art Matters Foundation. Chávez holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute and a Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Solar Eclipse Open Call | March 9–April 20, 2024
This will be a juried exhibition with an open call for art that encompasses the theme of the solar eclipse. The exhibition will coincide with the April 2024 total solar eclipse, in which New Harmony will be in the line of totality. More details to come. We plan to choose a juror and announce our call for entries in mid-December 2023 to early January 2024.
Residence VIII | April 27–June 1, 2024
Residence VIII is NHGCA’s annual exhibition highlighting the most recent round of artists in-residence at New Harmony Clay Project.
New Harmony Clay Project (NHCP) is an artist residency and educational center located in New Harmony. NHCP fosters an environment that supports the investigation of new ideas and work in the ceramic arts. It was established in 2015 by Lenny Dowhie, an internationally known ceramic sculptor and Professor Emeritus at University of Southern Indiana. NHCP is supported by the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation, Efroymson Family Fund, Greater Houston Community Foundation and Lenny and Anne Dowhie Trusts. Its goal is to encourage emerging and professional visual artists and educators in ceramics by giving them quiet space and the time to develop a new body of work. NHCP is located within the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Ceramic Studio in New Harmony, next to the Roofless Church.
New in the Gallery Shop
With holidays just around the corner, you will want to stop by the consignment shop at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art to find a unique gift for your loved one. Stop by today to see what is new in the gallery shop.
Brian Hart wood turnings
Jen Bretz jewelry
Laura Foster Nicholson weavings
Kyle Darnell prints, books and ceramics
Contemporary Digital Portraiture, November 11–December 16, 2023
T Lance, Senior Gallery Associate, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
Back Gallery Projects at the University of Southern Indiana’s New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art (NHGCA) is proud to present Contemporary Digital Portraiture. This exhibition showcases the work of students in USI’s Digital Illustration course.
Contemporary Digital Portraiture will be on display Saturday, November 11 through Saturday, December 16 with a reception 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, December 2 in conjunction with Christmas in New Harmony. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
“This project challenged students to create several digital portraits using different illustration styles such as WPAP, Fleischer, Granular Gradient, Flat or Line and Shadow,” says Dr. Gregory Blair, Assistant Professor of Art and Design. “Each portrait was created from a photograph using only a mouse in Adobe Illustrator. The project focused on learning how to build a portrait illustration from a reference image, how to use Pantone color books and further development of abstraction processes and value mapping.”
Student artists include Kayla Allen, Ali Brandes, Caitlyn Ebert, Cierra Fitzgerald, Allie Gee, Iain Girten, Isabel Greiner, Sara Griffin, Aidan Hoover, Lily Hubbard, Mason Niemeier, Jenna Norrick, Mikayla Satterfield and Al Sheets.
The NHGCA is dedicated to enhancing the experiences of students through an artist-run exhibition space in the Back Gallery. Back Gallery Projects at NHGCA allows students to exhibit, experiment and/or curate within a working contemporary art gallery setting. Through exhibition and curatorial strategies, students can envision new possibilities for collaborations and their art practice.
Future BGP exhibitions:
January–February | Woodworking
March–April | Curated by Violet Thomas-Cummings
May–June | Ceramics
July–August | Photography
September–October | Curated by Violet Thomas-Cummings
November–December | Curated by Fall '24 Sanders Gallery Fellow
New Harmony Second Saturdays
The New Harmony Second Saturdays event series continues through November. For more information about upcoming programs and events, please visit www.usi.edu/nhsecondsaturdays, or follow us on Instagram @newharmonysecondsaturdays and on Facebook @NHSecondSaturdays.
Historic New Harmony Updates
It's a Solarbration! 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony
You're invited to attend Historic New Harmony's Total Solar Eclipse Fundraiser Watch Party for the best view of the solar system's hottest show this spring. Witness this dazzling celestial event on top of the internationally acclaimed Atheneum Visitors Center from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (CST) on Monday, April 8, 2024. Totality will begin at 2:01:47 pm and will last for 3 minutes, 54 seconds.
Nonrefundable VIP tickets may be purchased for $250 each and are limited to 8 tickets per person. Your purchase includes reserved parking, exclusive access to the Atheneum Visitors Center, rooftop balcony viewing, light refreshments and solar eclipse viewing glasses. Each ticket includes a $200 charitable donation for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the Atheneum Visitors Center.
With only 40 tickets available, you’ll want to secure your spot quickly! For more information and to complete your purchase, please visit www.usi.edu/hnh/eclipse.
Art for Science’s Sake: Stalking John James Audubon Film Screening and Discussion
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
Produced by two University of Southern Indiana faculty members, Art for Science’s Sake: Stalking John James Audubon is a documentary that explores the art and science of 19th century naturalist John James Audubon. Dr. Leigh Anne Howard and Dr. David Black spent the past 10 years learning about Audubon, who is best known for his beautiful life-size illustrations of birds in their natural habits and for his monumental publication, The Birds of America. In the film, they interview Audubon biographers and experts about his contributions to the study of birds and demonstrate the stages of production—from drawing to printing to publication—that resulted in The Birds of America. The documentary won the award for Best Hoosier-made Film at the Victory International Film Festival in Evansville, Indiana, in September 2023.
Historic New Harmony will be offering a free screening of Art for Science’s Sake followed by a discussion with Dr. Howard and Dr. Black from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (CST) on Saturday, November 11 at the Atheneum. This program is part of the New Harmony Second Saturdays event series. For more information and to view a trailer of the film, visit: https://youtu.be/3JjS7dX8JlQ?si=mv5k_yhOL71gT3Gj.
The Harmonist Connection: Christoph Weber, Redware Potter of the Harmony Society
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
Join author Michael Strezewski for The Harmonist Connection as he presents Christoph Weber, Redware Potter of the Harmony Society, at 6:00 pm (CST) on Wednesday, November 15. The virtual presentation is in conjunction with Strezewski’s new book on the same subject. This event is free to the public.
Christoph Weber was the master potter of the Harmony Society, a German utopian group founded by religious dissenter George Rapp. Working from 1808 to 1853, Weber made a variety of household wares such as pitchers, storage jars, jugs, plates and mugs. Weber’s pottery was distributed among the Society’s members and sold to their neighbors. Utilizing documentary sources, archaeological investigations and analysis of surviving ceramics, Michael Strezewski, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Southern Indiana, paints a detailed picture of Christoph Weber, the different types of pottery he manufactured and his place in the early nineteenth century origins of the ceramics industry in the United States.
Michael Strezewski is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Southern Indiana. Dr. Strezewski has directed archaeological excavations in New Harmony since 2008, publishing numerous reports and articles on the Harmony Society.
Please register in advance for this program at https://usi.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIuce-oqD4jE9eLsMEZ9Fvm1fhbucj-Zd3i. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
My Journey to New Harmony
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
Photos of New Harmony sites in one of my travel scrapbooks (December 2001).
I started working with Historic New Harmony as the new Collections and Community Engagement Manager in September 2023. I am so pleased to be here! Thank you to everyone in New Harmony for your warm welcome and the stories that you have already shared with me about the town. As Anna Sewell said in Black Beauty, “It is good people who make good places,” and I feel like that’s very true here.
I was born in Kentucky to a family of teachers and history lovers. My parents took my sister and me on road trips every year and we visited many museums, battlefields, historic sites and parks around the country. In my senior year of high school, we came to New Harmony so that I could see Richard Meier’s Atheneum (at the time I was interested in becoming an architect). I was captivated by the history of New Harmony on that trip, and I have never forgotten the pleasant and peaceful ambiance of the town.
I started college as an architecture student at the University of Kentucky and then changed majors in my sophomore year to art history. A month after graduating with a B.A. in Art History in 2005, I moved to Louisville, Kentucky, to enroll in the curatorial studies graduate program at the University of Louisville. I spent two years working on an M.A. in Art (Creative) and Art History with a concentration in Critical and curatorial Studies. After receiving my master degree in late 2007 and entering a very tough job market during the Great Recession, I stayed in Kentucky and found work with an art museum, an arts advocacy nonprofit, an exhibit design firm and the state arts agency. I also spent time as a freelance art cataloger. I eventually returned to graduate school at the University of Kentucky and earned a M.S. in Library Science in 2014.
I spent the next 9 years working as an archivist, museum curator and part-time adjunct instructor at a university. Before coming to Historic New Harmony, I served as the archivist for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro and the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in Maple Mount, Kentucky, and as the curator of the Audubon Museum at John James Audubon State Park in Henderson, Kentucky. When I heard about the job opening for the new Collections and Community Engagement Manager with Historic New Harmony this summer, I remembered my long-standing fascination with New Harmony and knew I had to apply. Maybe this was the destination that I had been heading towards all along?
I would love to hear any stories that you have about your “journey” to New Harmony, whether it was just for a short visit or to stay for decades. I’m also open to researching questions about Historic New Harmony’s collections and thinking through ideas for collaboration. If you would like to get in touch with me, my email is hltaylorca@usi.edu.
Show and Tell: A Map, Two Books and…Robert Owen’s Hair?
Heidi Taylor-Caudill, Collections and Community Engagement Manager, Historic New Harmony
On September 21, 2023, the Illinois State Museum Society visited Historic New Harmony’s office in the Schnee Ribeyre Elliott House for an up-close look at selections from the HNH collections. Here are the fascinating, beautiful and unusual items that I pulled from our holdings that day.
“A Plan of the town of Harmonie in Posey County Indiana; the property of Frederick Rapp Esq. by William Pickering, November 5th, 1824” (1824)
Original town map of Harmony from 1824
Let’s start with the item that received the most attention from our visitors that day: an original map of Harmony’s (later renamed New Harmony) layout in 1824. The group gathered around the drawing, attempting to find our location on the plan and pointing out streets and buildings still in use.
Where does this town map fit in the timeline of Father George Rapp’s sale of Harmony to Robert Owen? There’s an important clue on the document. According to a note on the lower right corner of the map, William Pickering drew the town’s layout to scale on November 5th, 1824. Earlier that year, the Harmonists had decided to sell Harmony and move back to Pennsylvania. They chose Richard Flower from Albion, Illinois, to find a buyer. In August 1824, Flower met with Robert Owen at New Lanark, Scotland, to talk about the possibility of purchasing the town. He was receptive to the idea and set about making plans to visit Harmony. On October 2, 1824, Owen and his son William sailed from Liverpool, England, to the United States. Using the date on the map, William Pickering apparently finished the drawing while Owen was traveling to Harmony. This would have been six weeks before his arrival on December 16, 1824. Perhaps Owen used this document as an aid in making his decision to purchase the town a few months later, in January 1825.
Thomas Say: American Conchology, or Descriptions of the Shells of North America Illustrated from Coloured Figures From Original Drawings Executed from Nature, Parts 1-7 (1830-1836)
John Le Conte, editor: The Complete Writings of Thomas Say on the Entomology of North America, Volume I (1859)
First row features the title page, dedication page and illustrations from Thomas Say’s American Conchology (1830). Second row contains illustrations from The Complete Writings of Thomas Say on the Entomology of North America, Volume I (1859).
Thomas Say (1787-1834) was a self-taught naturalist, conchologist, entomologist and herpetologist who has been called the father of American descriptive entomology and conchology. Robert Owen’s business partner, William Maclure, convinced Say and other prominent scientists, artists and educators to come to New Harmony in 1826. The next year, Say married Lucy Way Sistare. She worked closely with her husband, contributing drawings and coloring the plates for American Conchology, which was published in New Harmony in 1830. Say remained in New Harmony until his death in 1834.
I selected a few illustrations to share from our copy of American Conchology and a later edited volume of Thomas Say’s writings on entomology. Several visitors commented on the delicate colors and details of the prints. I made sure to point out details of the title and dedication pages of American Conchology on display. The book had been printed in 1830 at the “School Press” in New Harmony and was dedicated to William Maclure as “a small, but sincere tribute of respect and friendship.”
Robert Owen’s Hair
A single strand of Robert Owen’s hair mounted on a microscope slide.
What is probably the smallest item in the Historic New Harmony collections is this single hair attributed to Robert Owen. The hair is mounted on a glass microscope slide along with a note describing its provenance (history of ownership). According to the note, a Mr. R. Lewis took some hair from Owen’s head at his death on November 17, 1858, and sent them to another person. Eventually the Cooperative Union Ltd. of Manchester, England received some of the hair. Dr. Donald Pitzer, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Southern Indiana, brought this strand of Robert Owen’s hair to the United States in 1974.
I purposefully kept the hair specimen hidden in its little box until our visitors finished looking at the map and loose book pages. It was delightful to watch their reactions as I took off the lid and uncovered the top layer of tissue paper, explaining what kind of treasure was waiting inside. Responses to the 165-year-old hair ranged from incredulity to surprised laughter to confusion.
One person asked me, “Well, what else do you have in the collection?” I didn’t have a great answer at the time (it was only my second week) and I’m still getting acquainted with HNH’s holdings, but I can say that I’m excited to see what’s here and to find more ways to share our artifacts with a wider audience.
Calendar of Events
New Harmony Second Saturdays
November 11 at Various Locations
For more information, please visit: https://www.usi.edu/new-harmony-gallery-of-contemporary-art/programs/new-harmony-second-saturdays
Art for Science’s Sake: Stalking John James Audubon Film Screening
10 to 11:30 a.m. (CST) at the Atheneum Visitors Center
For more information, please visit: https://www.usi.edu/hnh/programs/film-screening
Filled Up 4: A Ceramic Cup Show
November 11–December 16 at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
Indiana’s Poet Laureate, Matthew Graham Lecture
6:30 pm (CST) at the Working Men’s Institute
Christmas in New Harmony
December 1–3 at Various Locations
For more information and event details, please visit: https://visitposeycounty.com/event/christmas-in-new-harmony-9/2023-12-01/
Last Day and Tour of 2023 Visitor Season
December 16 at the Atheneum Visitors Center
University of Southern Indiana Winter Break
The University of Southern Indiana, Historic New Harmony, and the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art will be closed December 23, 2023–January 1, 2024
SUMMER 2023 Edition
Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony
New Harmony’s spring showers have turned golden as the city’s beloved goldenrain trees are in bloom. Between that and the rising temperatures, there’s no doubt the summer tourist season has arrived! What a joy it has been watching our brand-new tram buzzing around town filled with visitors eager to learn about New Harmony’s utopian past. I hope you will soon be one of them before the season’s end!
With the start of summer comes the end of our fiscal year, and I am delighted to share we have had many positive developments on this front over the past few months. Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded Historic New Harmony more than $2 million in a five-year implementation grant through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. The Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission also provided a $1,000 grant from the Amenity Fund Sponsorship to improve landscaping and provide native plantings around the wayside signs at the Atheneum. I’m honored to have the support of these organizations, and I can’t wait to unveil the improvements made possible by these funds. Stay tuned for updates!
The composition of our Advisory Board transitions at this time of year with outgoing members’ terms ending on June 30 and new members’ terms beginning the following day on July 1. I would like to thank our outgoing Board members for their service and generosity to Historic New Harmony: Rod Clark, Melodee Dubois (Vice Chair, Development), Ed Jones, Lisa Muller, Tara Overton, Michelangelo Sabatino, Katie Waters (Chair), Barbara Williams, Brian Williams and Scott Wylie. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our 11 new Board members: Kent Brasseale, Greg Brown, Marsh Davis, Del Doughty, Judy Griffin, John Grizzell, Ron Henderson, Bill Muller, Barbara Northern, Trudy Stock and Linda Willis. Finally, I’d like to congratulate Ed Jones for becoming a life member, Silvia Rode on becoming Chair, Jamie Wicks on becoming Vice Chair Development, and Lisa Brooks on continuing as Vice Chair Special Events. I’m excited to work with the new Advisory Board to strategize for the future and plan another year’s worth of tours, educational programming and events!
With these developments and many more that you will read about in this edition of In Harmony, it’s easy to be optimistic about Historic New Harmony’s future. This summer, we will be resuming the strategic planning process that began last year and was later put on hold. With new circumstances, new opportunities, and our new tram, the possibilities truly are endless! I’m looking forward to implementing the strategies and processes needed to make our dream a reality. I hope you will lend us your support as we begin this exciting journey ahead.
MARCH 2023 Edition
Assistant Director's Update
Now Hiring!
Historic New Harmony (HNH) and the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art (NHGCA) are now hiring! Click here to apply.
NHGCA Update
River, Red by Ahmed Ozsever
The New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art’s current exhibition, River, Red, features photography by Indiana artist Ahmed Ozsever. River, Red will be on view from March 4 through April 15, 2023. Find out more about the exhibition.
Residence VII: A Showcase of Artists from the New Harmony Clay Project
The New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art will host the group exhibition Residence VII, from April 22 through June 3, 2023. The exhibition features work by Grant Akiyama, Sarah Alsaied, Elizabeth Arzani, Caro Burks, Cameron Ford, and Jackson Shaner. Find out more about the exhibition.
Ichor by Inka Kobylanski
BG Projects at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art is proud to present Ichor, a solo show highlighting the work of Inka Kobylanski. The exhibition opens Saturday, March 25 with a reception on Saturday, April 1 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm CST. Click here to learn more.
New Harmony Second Saturdays 2023
The 2023 Second Saturday Season is upon us! Join us in New Harmony every Second Saturday, March through November, for town-wide events. To learn more or add your event, click here.
Historic New Harmony News
Fan Window Sees New Light of Day
The Harmonist Church fan window is now on display in the Atheneum in Gallery II after being stored for several years. The window was originally part of the Door of Promise, which served as the north entrance to the brick Harmonist Church built in 1822. Read more about the window's restoration.
Heritage Artisans Days Returns for 39th Season
Heritage Artisans Days returns to New Harmony this spring on April 12, 13, and 14. For 39 years, Historic New Harmony has had a tradition of inviting thousands of elementary school children to learn what life was like living in New Harmony in the early 1800s. Click here for more information or to volunteer for the event.
"Grace" Us with Your Presence at Historic New Harmony's Annual Hat Luncheon
The “Three Graces” from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera will be the focus of the keynote presentation by USI Associate Professor of Art History Dr. Shannon Pritchard at this year’s Spring Hat Luncheon. The annual fundraiser will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm at the Rapp-Owen Granary in New Harmony. Purchase your tickets today!
FEBRUARY 2023 Edition
Assistant Director's Update
Atheneum Update
The Atheneum reopens on March 1 after a very busy off season. Read more about what occurred during the winter break
NHGCA Update
Our current exhibition, Climb In and Back Out Again, is a raw display of vulnerability exploring femininity, motherhood and way-finding. Melanie Cooper Pennington utilizes materials, methods and symbols to examine gendered issues around power, grief and desire. Learn more about the artist
Advisory Board Spotlight
Dr. Mark Krahling has been at USI for nearly 30 years. While his involvement with the Historic New Harmony Advisory Board just began, his appreciation of this community has been there since the beginning. Learn more about Mark
ISMHS Update
This winter, the Harmonist Labyrinth has been shinning bright at night to guide visitors through its hedges. For decades now, people have walked around the path of this replica Harmonist labyrinth to achieve a thoughtful, ponderous state leading to clarity and discovery. Read more on how the community came together to light the labyrinth
James A. Sanders Spring ’23 Fellowship
As the Spring James A. Sanders fellow, Al Sheets will organize and curate shows in the Back Gallery Projects' space at New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art. The current display in the Back Gallery Projects is Hodge Podge, an exhibition highlighting the diversity of work brought together by members of the USI Art Club Learn more about the exhibition
Interim Assistant Director's Update
NHGCA Update
Christmas in New Harmony
Believe it or not, the holiday season is here. Throughout town, businesses are preparing for one of our biggest weekends of the year: Christmas in New Harmony. Read how Historic New Harmony is participating in the festivities
Three New Harmony Properties Sold
On Thursday, November 3, the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees approved the sale of three properties in New Harmony.Learn more about these sales
ISMHS Update
This year, it was my pleasure to prep and plan a spooky program for the New Harmony State Historic Site to host in October. Read more from Jess about the program
Interim Assistant Director's Update
NHGCA Update
Christmas in New Harmony
Believe it or not, the holiday season is here. Throughout town, businesses are preparing for one of our biggest weekends of the year: Christmas in New Harmony. Read how Historic New Harmony is participating in the festivities
Three New Harmony Properties Sold
On Thursday, November 3, the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees approved the sale of three properties in New Harmony.Learn more about these sales
ISMHS Update
This year, it was my pleasure to prep and plan a spooky program for the New Harmony State Historic Site to host in October. Read more from Jess about the program
Interim Assistant Director's Update
ISMHS Update
Each year the New Harmony State Historic Site produces an exhibition in Thrall's Opera House on an aspect of The Golden Troupe. Hear from Jess as she shares some of the research she's completed for the next exhibition
Online Ticket Sales
We’ve listened to our visitors and have set up an online system for the purchase of New Harmony tour tickets.Learn how to purchase tour tickets in advance
Interim Assistant Director's Update
A Reflection on Labyrinths
Last month, Dr. Del Doughty began his tenure as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at USI. His love of labyrinths quickly led him to New Harmony, where he walked the Harmonist Labyrinth. Read his reflection
NHGCA Update
Natural Dyes in Harmonist Times
The Harmonists created, adapted and adopted the new technologies of their day giving them a competitive edge in the growing early American economy, particularly in textile manufacturing—wool, cotton and silk—and agricultural production. Read more from In Harmony guest writer Peggy Taylor as she shares more on the history of natural dyeing
Family Fun Month
Multiple organizations all over the country are promoting their sites and special features for the entire month including the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families. Learn more about the Blue Star Museum program
Interim Assistant Director's Update
Atheneum Maintenance Update
Work on the Atheneum roof started this week! As work continues, the entire roof, second and third floors will be closed off to the public, including the Clowes Theater and the 1824 town model. Learn more about the work being completed
ISMHS Update
Second Saturday Programming Continues
This year seems to be flying by! We’re now halfway through the year (and our New Harmony Second Saturday programing). As our first year participating in Second Saturday, we’ve worked hard on developing a new and exciting program each month. Learn more about upcoming Second Saturdays
Interim Assistant Director's Update
Excitement is building in the HNH Office regarding our Lilly Religion and Cultural Institution Initiative planning grant. The survey is completed, results are being studied, site visits are being made and the possibilities seem endless. Read more about the planning grant process
The Atheneum
In March, Paul was contacted by a group of students from Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology in Xi'an, China. Their professor wanted them to have a deeper understanding of famous architects and their buildings. Read more about their work with the Atheneum
The Harmonist Brick Church and the “Door of Promise”
As we celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the "Door of Promise," learn more about the history of the Harmonist Brick Church in this month's History Lesson.
NHGCA Update
Over the next few weeks, the gallery side of New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art will be closed for some exciting facilities upgrades. Learn more about these upgrades
Interim Assistant Director's Update
The HNH team has been incredibly busy, and we just didn’t get an April newsletter released. It felt weird not sitting down to write my monthly article, but it’s a new month and we’re ready to get back on track! Read more from Claire
“The Golden Troupe Superb Silver Band and Orchestra” Now Open in Thrall's Opera House
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is once again utilizing the space in Thrall’s Opera House to display a new exhibit on New Harmony’s Golden family. “The Golden Troupe Superb Silver Band and Orchestra” gives visitors an insight into the band that supported one of the most popular theatrical companies of the late 1800s. Learn more about the exhibit
A Note from HNH’s Spring Student Worker
This semester, Hanna Clark, a senior at USI double majoring in political science and world languages and cultures with a focus in Spanish, assisted our team with the Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative II planning grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. Read more about how she helped
More Perfect Places: A Theatrical Celebration of the Past, Present and Future
More Perfect Places, a play inspired by New Harmony’s utopian history, also invites you to imagine what the future holds for this unique community. Free performances will take place at Thrall’s Opera House June 10-11, 2022. Learn more about More Perfect Places
NHGCA Update
On April 30, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art opened “Residence VI,” an exhibition featuring ceramics by recent New Harmony Clay Project (NHCP) artists-in-residence. Learn more about the artists included in this exhibition
Interim Assistant Director's Update
While names like George Rapp and Robert Owen dominate our historical record, the women of New Harmony played just as an important role. From Gertrude Rapp and Frances Wright to Mary Emily Fauntleroy and Jane Blaffer Owen, this town wouldn't be what it is today without them and others. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I wanted to share with you a few of those women who I greatly admire. Learn more about the New Harmony women I admire
Museum Shop Update
Welcome back to another season with Historic New Harmony! As we start this new season, there are some new items in the museum shop that are definitely worth checking out. Read more about what's new
NHGCA Update
Visualizing Spaces opens March 12 (New Harmony’s Second Saturday), featuring work by regional and national artists examining ideas around what utopia is, and for whom. Learn more about the artists included in this exhibition
Adventures through the Archives
As a new manager of the Indiana State Museum’s historic sites in New Harmony, it has been my duty for the last four months to inventory, photograph and catalogue the thousands of artifacts the state museum stores in Community House No. 2. Read more about Jess' favorite artifacts
Interim Assistant Director's Update
We’re often asked if things are slow when the tour season ends and winter arrives. The truth is, not at all! The first few weeks of the year are all about preparation for the next tour season and the year ahead. Things have seemed especially busy this time around, as we have so many exciting things happening at HNH. Read more about what's happening
HNH Welcomes New Student Worker
Devout & Disciplined: Harmonists in New Harmony, 1814-1824 on Exhibit on USI's Campus
Devout & Disciplined: Harmonists in New Harmony, 1814-1824, shares the continuing story of religious separatists seeking refuge in America from the strict formation of the German Lutheran Church. The exhibition includes artifacts from the Working Men's Institute and Historic New Harmony collections. Read more about this exhibition
NHGCA Update
In spite of snow days and COVID outbreaks, Vanessa Viruet’s solo exhibition PAÑUELXS is up and on view through March 5, 2022. Hear more from Iris as she shares what's next
Interim Assistant Director's Update
When this year started, there were still a lot of unknowns as to what we’d be able to accomplish, but after weathering the storm of 2020, the Historic New Harmony team felt prepared to take on whatever came our way. We were ambitious as we began planning our 2021 season, and I’m happy to report that very little of what we planned did not come to fruition. Read more about we accomplished this year
A Look Ahead
Christmas Traditions
The way we celebrate Christmas had changed dramatically throughout the years.Read more about how New Harmony residents have celebrated in the past
NHGCA Update
The new year will start with a short break at the Gallery with PAÑUELXS opening January 22. Learn more about this upcoming exhibition
Robert Owen 250th Creative Writing Contest
Our Robert Owen 250th Celebration is coming to an end, which means our second and first place winners are now published! Read all the winning pieces
Interim Assistant Director's Update
NHGCA Update
The NHGCA continues its partnership with the New Harmony Clay Project with Filled Up 2: A Ceramic Cup Show. Learn more about the latest exhibition
New Harmony State Historic Site Welcomes Site Coordinator
On October 25th, Jess began her tenure at the New Harmony State Historic Site. Learn more about Jess
Robert Owen 250th Creative Writing Contest
Our third place winner is all the way from England! Read Barry Carter's poem here
Museum Shop Update
Written and illustrated by the talented Marsha Bailey and produced by the Kiwanis Club of New Harmony, this coloring book is full of important New Harmony scenes. Read more about this new coloring book
Christmas in New Harmony
Every December New Harmony celebrates Christmas in a big way! The first weekend of December hosts Christmas in New Harmony, a spirit filled weekend sure to get you in ready for the holiday. The town will be decorated in the Christmas spirit along with a tree lighting, a performance of the Nutcracker, Artisan Vendors throughout the town and even visits from a certain someone to see if you have been naughty or nice! Learn more about how we are participating in Christmas in New Harmony
Interim Assistant Director's Update
While the tour season seems to be winding down, everything else seems to be getting busier! This past month (really the last year), a lot of our focus has been on Water/Ways, a Smithsonian Museum on Main Street traveling exhibit made possible in Indiana by Indiana Humanities. This exhibition, which dives into water—an essential component of life on our planet, environmentally, culturally and historically, is only traveling to six locations in Indiana. New Harmony’s connection to the Wabash River is an important one, and this has given us a great chance to explore those connections while cultivating new partnerships. Learn more about these partnerships
Pioneer Hearth Cooking Demonstration
Cooking in the age of pioneers was a lot different than it is today! Join Historic New Harmony Interpreter Becky Smyth as she demonstrates pioneer hearth cooking in the Double Log Cabin
Museum Shop Update
New Harmony, Indiana: Like a River, Not a Lake has flowed its way back onto our shelves after a short hiatus. Written by Jane Blaffer Owen and edited by one of our own talented tour guides Nancy Mangum McCaslin, it also includes Forewords from John Philip Newell and J. Pittman McGehee and Afterwords from Anne Dale Owen and Jane Dale Owen. Learn more about this book
Robert Owen 250th Creative Writing Contest
Charlie Gaston's essay "Robert Owen: Protector of Workers" was chosen as an Honorable Mention in our Robert Owen 250th Creative Writing Contest. As a New Harmony resident, his personal history and connection to our town make for an intriguing read. Read it here
Systems | Bodies | Parameters now open at the NHGCA
The exhibition, which runs through November 13 features 12 lush abstract paintings with surfaces that have to be seen in person. Learn more about the artist