What a cool little alley. I can picture myself sitting here with a friend sipping some coffee, or…read morean iced one if the weather is toasty. As narrow as it is, it is mostly shade but also shelters from the wind. Both great attributes with our unpredictable weather. There is a little bench to sit on (wish they had a couple more). It is well lit and there is quite a bit of art to see. Really the most welcoming alley I have laid eyes on.

Located on the 400 block between Washington Street and Jackson Street in Columbus, Indiana, this…read morecute alley boasts personalized bricks, mini gardens and light shapes that all illuminate and flash at night. The bricks on the alley mostly have Japanese names, as the alley was funded by Columbus' sister city in Japan. This alley is also considered a pocket park because of the mini garden/green spaces down it. The alley connects the main street to a parking lot and also has funky lamp posts lining it as well. This effort to make the streets even more artsy and enjoyable, it's a cute stop on your walk down Columbus' main street. Peek your head down and enjoy!

My spouse and I went on the Columbus architecture tour. The Miller House and Garden is the focal…read morepart of the architecture of Columbus. The architect Saarinen developed plans for only three houses all for the Miller's. Almost all the doorways are handicapped accessible and the house is one level. Although built in the 1950s many of the design concepts are still seen today. if you are going for the architecture tour, this is a must

loved the aesthetic of this house. first saw it on Kogonada's film Columbus and just had to go see…read moreit. the one thing though is the movie makes it seem like you can walk freely through the house, you cannot. it's an informative guided tour. and you're only allowed to take pictures on this particular rug. I'm fine without getting anymore photos, but I would have loved to spend some more time outside exploring the grounds. also I saw pictures of the couch with red cushions, it was definitely more eye catching with those. (big thing: read your confirmation email and show up at the visitor center first)

On the west end of the Columbus Art District is a small park called the Firefighters and Police…read moreMemorial Park. In the center of the park is bronze sculpture of four children playing "Crack the Whip", a popular game dating back to the 1880's. Oklahoma artist Jo Saylors completed the piece in 1998 as a gift for the employees of Arvin Industries. After Arvin moved its headquarters, this piece was moved to this location so that it could be appreciated by the residents of Columbus as well as visitors who drive by on SR46 into town. The sculpture stands about four feet tall and shows four children playing. Each holds the hand of the child/children that is nearby. The last child in the line gets the greatest effect of the whipping action (centrifugal force) as the line moves in unison in a whipping pattern. True to real life, the last figure is losing her balance as she is being tugged faster than her feet can keep up. Sure, it may seem like a "dangerous" game for kids to play by today's standards, but as someone who played this frequently as a child, it was a lot of fun and worth the occasional bump or bruise. Side note: during the winter, I have seen the pieces become adorned with stocking caps and scarves to dress up the children for the season's chill. Review #1313

Unfortunately I wasn't able to snap any pictures since I was driving. However, I did enjoy them…read moreseveral times, as I was somewhat lost and passed by them a few times, which is also how I noticed that I was lost... Darn GPS... Whish I could have had a closer look, but those are really really close to the road and no parking around that I could see. They are quite similar at first glance, but when you actually look at them, each one is different.

Stretching 300 feet along SR 46 (Third Street) between Brown and Lindsey is an eleven piece…read moreartistic installation on the north side of the road. "Ancestral Way" was completed by local artist Robert Pulley in 2006 and was purchased by the City of Columbus. The individual pieces are uniformly spaced along the route and are about 5' high and sit on 2' square pedestals. The forms are made from stoneware clay, brick and stone. None of the pieces are the same, but all use a very natural organic color scheme and blend in with the colors of the environment around them (especially in the fall.) Pulley, a BSU graduate, has maintained a studio since 1971 and draws his inspiration from the long, solitary walks through nature as a young man. He has observed plants, animals, rock formations, streams, and many other natural items through their life cycle, or seasonal transformations. So, a lot of the pieces reflect that inspiration. Review #1301

I wish I had read Ken's review before setting out trying to find this sculpture. Only after…read morecircling the block a few times and finally asking the locals, did I find out that this is located inside a building. Wow what an impressive intricate sculpture. We didn't get to see it all in detail as there was some sort of special event going on at the time. I will definitely have to revisit to make sure I see every detail of it. There is just so much to see.

What some would say is the heart of downtown Columbus, is an intricate kinetic sculpture weighing 7…read moretons and 30 feet in height! Chaos 1 (1971) by artist Jean Tinguely was commissioned for the previous plaza which was demolished, then rebuilt in 2008. You know a piece is special when the space was designed to show off and preserve the sculpture. The art was left in place during the demolition and reconstruction of the Commons. Protected by a large box, it was uncovered to a space that is protected from the elements with room to move and a mezzanine level for viewers to watch the upper functions of movement better. There are twelve motors that control the speed and timing of the 13 functions. (Note that the twisting of the base movement was shut off for daily function and is only activated during special events.) At times, the mechanism is relatively peaceful with only a few of the functions seeming to be moving. But between noon and 1 p.m. and later between 5 and 6 p.m, total chaos takes place with cannon balls weighing 7 pounds each drop. This does have the most mechanical problems due to the destructive impacts/nature of the drop. Review #1276

One of my favorite pieces of art in Columbus, is "Flamenco" by Ruth Aizuss Migdal (2010). This…read morevibrant red steel sculpture was entered in a Columbus Biennial exhibit and was loved so much that the city bought it for permanent placement at the popular walking corner of 4th and Washington (just north of the Commons Mall). The piece is a tribute to the female form of a dancer, specifically an elaborately dressed flamenco dancer. What I find especially interesting is that it looks like layers of 2-Dimensional metal were cut and folded and then placed together to create the illusion of a woman, slightly changing as you move about the piece. In the negative space between the central "figure" and the outer jagged edges, a framing of the form takes places that isolates the central shape with its rounded shapes. From one angle, it appears that the skirt of the dress is flowing behind the figure. In another view, the hourglass figure of the dancer is featured. Review #1303

A real-life Chihuly in Columbus, Indiana?! Heck yes! This famous glass artist with work seen in…read moreSeattle's Chihuly museum, Indy's Children Museum, and many other well-known spots across the globe, it's an honor to have such a large piece in a town's visitor's center. Columbus, Indiana may be small, but they're known for their world-class architecture and public sculptures. This chandelier is no exception to that. Make sure you stop in the visitor's center and look at this gorgeous glass, hanging from the ceiling in the stairwell. Enjoy!

Some artists have such distinctive styles that you can recognize their main style anywhere. Such…read moreis the case with the work of Dale Chihuly. His glass sculpture "Yellow Neon Chandelier" is a familiar style for anyone who has visited the Children's Museum in Indianapolis. Inside the Visitors Center in Columbus, the west stairwell holds the 9' high (6' wide) chandelier of multiple bright yellow swirl pointed tubes. The collection of tubes are broadest near the top and then taper to a point at the bottom. Each of the tubes is blown glass. Chihuly isn't limited to one style of artwork though. Inside the Center, there are lithographs that were created by the artist. But there is no doubt that creating fascinating works of glass requires as much knowledge of engineering as it does talent. In addition to the chandelier, the Center has a collection of "Persians" that are displayed below it. According to Chihuly's website, "Persians are an exploration of form, shape and color--a celebration of wild asymmetry and swirling pattern. They have an ancient sensibility, and for Chihuly, conjure notions of Venice, and the Near and Far East." And if these pieces aren't enough, take a short trip up to the IUPUC campus (4555 Central Avenue) to see the "Sun Garden" (2007) which is a painted plexiglass disc suspended from the ceiling of the Columbus Learning Center. While at the Visitors Center, don't be afraid to ask the staff about the artist. I learned a lot about his process and his history from them. Review #1304

On the north side of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Administrative Building, there is a pond…read morewith a central fountain. From the time it was Arvin Headquarters, there have been two delightfully compatible bronze statues of children playing at the ponds edge. Both statues were installed in 1995. One of the statues is of a little boy bending over the ponds edge. The piece is called "Frog Pond" and was done by Jo Saylors (she has other bronzes in the area as well!) At the time of my visit, the boy was holding a small branch to use for poking. I have seen earlier photos that did not include the branch, so I don't know if the branch was original and went missing before being replaced, or if it was simply added later. Next to that piece, "Lilly" by Linda Peterson is a bronze of a little girl holding a frog with a bunch of lilly pads near her feet. A couple frogs are sitting on the pads as well. The two pieces pair extremely well with the stick of the boy in "Frog Pond" reaching over to poke one of the frogs on "Lilly". The scale is the same and makes for a delightfully playful scene. Review #1312

You know a small city is cool when it has a Sculptor in Residence in its Parks and Recreation…read moreDepartment. How many do that? Well, during the late 1970's, Columbus had artist Rick Bauer in that role. Cannon is one of the sculptures Bauer created for Columbus. It sits just north of town at the Donner Center along 22nd Street. The steel sculpture (at one time painted black) is abstract but with imagination, one can see the image of a cannon. I am not sure if that is an official title or intent, but I have seen it referred that way in the City's promotional information which led me to the piece. The piece weighs around 1 ton. It was installed in 1980. If you are interested in Bauer's work, you can find another piece at Mill Trace Park near the observation tower. Review #1305

Located within the west end drive around Mill Race Park, a bright red tubular structure was created…read morein 1992 by artist Stanley Saitowitz (designed by Michael Van Valkenburg). The tube extends over an area leading from the central pond west towards the river. The tube is made from a fence like material that is ideal for the nearby vines to grow over and create a shaded place to stroll or relax on one of the rows of benches. The artist also created more structures within the park and they all share a common bright red color to match the nearby lamp posts outside the park, and the bridge over I-65. Other park features by Saitowitz include the scaffolding for the amphitheater and a shelter along the pond on the north end of the park where visitors can fish. The vibrant red of the pieces stands out against the lush greens of spring and summer and the orange and yellows of autumn. In the winter, after the vines are trimmed, the red stands out in contrast to the barren winterscape. Review #1309