Duncan Hall is pleased to welcome noted watercolorist Rena Brouwer as the featured artist at the hall for the July 16 Gallery Walk. (see www.renabrouwer.com) She will display some of her most recent works as well as paint live that evening. She will inspire and be inspired by the dynamic music of Michael Kelsey and Joe Peters with Deep and Simple. Kyler Laird will be shooting video of the evening’s interactions to be shown on screen on the ballroom stage. Adding to the excitement will be a display of the entry winners of the 2010 Duncan Hall Photography Contest. These include First Prize winner, Jennifer De Blasio and the winner of the first Girvan Award, Vernon Hendrickson. Tours of the hall’s architecture and gardens will also be available.

Rena Brouwer’s watercolors have won her numerous awards including the Outstanding Watercolor, Hoosier Salon, 2010as well as 3rd Place, New Harmony Plein Aire Paint Out, 2010 and Honorable Mention, NICHES Celebrating Art in Nature, 2010.

She believes that “collaboration is the very essence of creating.” Since the 80’s she has worked on group projects for the United Nations, Cary Home for Children and Indiana Central Land Trust. Currently she is resident artist at the Opera House Gallery of Contemporary Art working with the Delphi Preservation Society.

So, its not surprising that when she was displaying her work at The Duncan Hall Art Fair almost a decade ago ago, that the music being played from the stage by Lafayette’s own Michael Kelsey inspired her painting. Her painting in turn inspired his improvisation. She said of that meeting. “That was the first time I saw what music looked like. He embodied music. I never saw anything like it.” After that experience she began working with a musical collaborator of Kelsey’s, Joe Peters as well as other musicians. However, Friday’s Gallery Walk will be the first time she and Kelsey have created within the same space since their first meeting at Duncan Hall almost ten years ago.

Joe Peters is a popular singer-songwriter who has released four solo CD’s since 1998 He performs frequently in the Lafayette area yet often travels to perform on distant continents. Many of his songs have been influenced by oriental philosophies and were written while living and working overseas. He and and Brouwer have collaborated several times within the last few years. Most recently their efforts have led to his soon to be released CD “Edge of Disaster”. (http://myspace.com/joedaiwarriors)

Michael Kelsey (www.michaelkelsey.com )has been described as a “fearless experimenter, an acoustic guitarist who weaves a multitude of unique sounds and rhythms into his patchwork quilt of work” (Nuvo magazine) Kelsey says he likes his “progressive, aggressive acoustic” music to be a 3-D experience. “Inspiration is contagious and I like to get it started.”

Thomas Duncan provided the resources to build Duncan Hall nearly eight decades ago, so that the people of Lafayette would have a beautiful facility to communicate, create and celebrate the best of what lies inside them. All are invited to come experience the continuation of his dream on Friday July 16.