This spring, a massive art exhibition will travel around Elkhart County. The Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s first Epic Art Adventures will feature more than 200 works, including long-standing favorites, recurrent artwork, and brand-new exhibition pieces by local artists.
Terry Mark, Director of Communications and Public Relations for the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said, “We know how many wonderful painters there are in our area, and people appreciate public art.” “These are your neighbors, friends, and their children.” It’s very incredible that there’s so much ability in this area.”
The Elkhart County Quilt Gardens are celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The tourism bureau brought in a series of Seward Johnson statues to commemorate the tenth anniversary. Johnson is recognized for his life-size bronze figures that are painted. Johnson died in early 2020, but his work lives on, with some Elkhart County downtown establishments wanting the same pieces for the 15th anniversary as they did for the 10th.
At each of the quilt garden locations, as well as six other downtown locations around Elkhart County, there will be 24 Seward Johnson pieces on display. For the 15th anniversary, there will be 17 quilt gardens around Elkhart County, thanks to the return of Southgate Crossing. The average number of volunteers is in the 200s, and seedlings will be distributed on May 19. Epic Art installations and Seward Johnson sculptures will begin to be installed at the same time. By May 30, all gardens and sculptures should be in place.
In addition to the patchwork gardens and Seward Johnson pieces that are already well-known, 21 artists have constructed 26 massive metal sculptures to complement the existing artwork throughout the county.
Each piece is rented or leased and available for purchase so that it can remain in its original location or be relocated after the program is completed. It’s the county’s first art trail. Along with the students and some hobbyists, fourteen Goshen College students and well-known area sculptors, including John Mishler, Tuck Langland, and Sunday Mahaja, are displaying sculptures.
Visitors and residents will be able to check-in at various venues that house local art using an online passport. The Elkhart County Visitor and Convention Bureau will distribute about 200 pieces around Elkhart County, including Wakarusa, Nappanee, Bristol, Millersburg, Middlebury, Elkhart, and Goshen.
There will be a mobile-friendly website as well as a printed copy to check off, with prize possibilities for achieving specific targets. For ease of access and public safety, pieces are curated in parks or other public access sites such as near parking lots or downtown storefronts.
There are 26 sculptures by local artists, 24 sculptures by Seward Johnson, 25 murals, and 17 patchwork gardens, as well as other existing art. Elkhart has ten artworks, Goshen has nine, Nappanee has two, Middlebury has two, Millersburg has one, Wakarusa has one, and Bristol has one.