Many know of Irvington’s art heritage. The “Classic Suburb” has been home to artists since its founding almost 150 years ago, most notably the Irvington Group of William Forsyth, Clifton Wheeler, Hilah Wheeler, Dorothy Morlan, Frederick Polley, Simon Baus, Robert C. Craig, Constance Forsyth, and Helene Hibben. However, over the years, artists may be found throughout the Indianapolis east side.
I recently attended an art opening in Greenfield, Indiana and in talking with one of the exhibitors learned that as a child he attended an art school on East 10th St. with his mother who was taking classes. He said that his mother painted as a hobby and never really displayed her work outside of her home. I suspect that this is the story of most of those who studied at the Eastside Art Center.
In the post-war years, a “talented and well-trained artist” from Maverick, Texas came to Indianapolis. Adelee Bowden Wendel introduced herself to the Circle City art community with a one-person show at Lieber’s Gallery in June 1949, and she “made application of her training by teaching as well as painting.” Two years later, Wendel opened Justawee Studio at 2903 E. 10th St. and began teaching “an evening of painting and relaxation with half a dozen housewives.” By the mid-fifties, the school had grown to an average of 150 students per semester and beside “housewives” included “business folk,” schoolteachers, and children receiving art instruction from a distinguished faculty; the Eastside Art Center had become well established.
A palette and paint brushes above the doorway marked the entrance to the studio, and in addition to Adelee Wendel some of the early faculty members were Ruth Anderson, Effie F. Carter, and Marilyn Schwalb. Later instructors were Clayson Baker, Ruth T. Bauch, V. J. Cariani, Louise Clark, Doris Coffman, Helen Gordon, Mae Lowes, Florence Marqua, Mary Moore, Darrell Pollard, Florence Scott, and May Spencer. Guest teachers like Brown County artist C. Curry Bohm gave classes in landscape painting and former Irvington Group artist Alice Dimmick Cook gave classes in portrait painting using charcoal, oil, and pastel at summer classes. Even the fundamentals of cartooning were offered in classes conducted by Fenton Stewart, art director for the Indianapolis Star Magazine. Finished student works were exhibited at the Eastside Art Center and downtown at the H. Lieber Co. Gallery and the Wilking Music Co. Shows were also held at the stately Marott Hotel.
In addition to classes at the Eastside Art Center, volunteer instructors Peggy Petrie and Joyce Thaler joined Adelee Wendel in providing art lessons at the nearby Indiana Women’s Prison. Outreach art classes were also offered to the inmates at the Indiana Reformatory at Pendleton by J. J. Pendergast while Flora Yentes instructed young women at the Girls School at Clermont. While the inmates were confined, their art could be seen beyond the fences of the institutions in exhibits held at Lieber’s and the Marott.
The ravages of fire almost brought an end to this oasis of culture in December 1960. While supplies were lost, classrooms badly damaged, and student works despoiled or destroyed, the Eastside Art Center rose from the ashes with expanded offerings to include classes in commercial art. In the fall of 1961, the Art Center Auxiliary, a student organization was formed, and Craig’s Restaurant at Eastgate Shopping Center became a regular venue for exhibiting the art.
Wendel organized the Indiana Artists Guild, and in 1958 over 100 Eastside Art Center students displayed their works in the Mile of Art Festival at Eastgate Shopping Center, the first mall art exhibition in the United States. The Mile of Art became an annual event at Eastgate, eventually becoming open to all Indiana artists. After Wendel retired, the event continued under the auspices of the guild until 1982 when it was moved to the Glendale Galleria at Glendale Shopping Center.
In 1970 Wendel moved the school to the Meadows Shopping Center on East 38th St. and renamed it the Wendel School of Art as a memorial to her husband. Four years later she closed the school and moved to Florida where she continued teaching art. During the life of the Eastside Art Center, “more than 5,000 budding artists” received their art instruction in the classrooms on the second floor of 2903 E. 10th St. Many like Ruth Bowen, Luke Buck, Peggy Burkett, Thelma Crook, Leon Dawson, Elnora Day, Elsie Gant, Bette Graham, Norma Mullen, Shirley Thomas, and Mary Vanlandingham went on to become talented artists and respected members of art organizations like Hoosier Salon, the Indianapolis Art League, and the Richmond Art Club.
The tradition of art studios on the east side of the city didn’t end when Justawee Studio closed. Doe Crapo held classes at Artist’s Corner Studio, 6827 E. Pleasant Run Pkwy. for many years until she moved to Florida, and former Art Center student Donna Oberting has offered classes in drawing and painting still-lifes and landscapes at her studio farther east in Warren Township. An exhibit by current Oberting Studio students will be shown at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center, 5350 E. University Ave., in September. The tradition of east side artists continues.
