T. C. Steele The oldest of the Hoosier Group members, Theodore Clement Steele found his calling in the arts at a young age. He attended Waveland Collegiate Institute from 1859 to 1868. After just one year as a student, he began teaching drawing and painting classes to younger students. After graduating from Waveland, Steele fulfilled portrait commissions while continuing his art education by taking trips to Chicago galleries. Steele, who had befriended Mary Elizabeth (Libbie) Lakin at Waveland Academy, married her on Valentine’s Day in 1870. The couple moved to Battle Creek, Michigan. Steele continued painting portraits, while also teaching art classes. Read More » J. Ottis Adams John Ottis Adams had become interested in art and drawing at a young age. It was his high school art teacher, however, who encouraged Adams to develop his talents further after seeing his skill at creating hand-crafted maps. After just a year at Wabash College (1871), Adams traveled to England to get a traditional European art education at South Kensington School in London (October 1872). He took a part-time job at a photography studio there to help pay his way and spent his free time copying the works of the master painters at London’s National Gallery. Read More » William Forsyth William Forsyth and his family moved to Indiana when he was 10 years old, living first in Versailles, then Indianapolis. Forsyth left high school to work and support his family by painting houses. Having always been interested in art, he spent his free time drawing, visiting the H. Lieber & Co. art gallery, and reading essays on the subject. In 1877, Forsyth enrolled at the new Indiana School of Art in Indianapolis, where he studied under Indiana artist John Love. After the school closed in 1879, he and several of his classmates rented studios in the building that housed the former school and organized an art club, the “Bohe Club” since the first word, “Bohemian,” did not fit on the studio door sign. Read More » Richard Buckner Gruelle At 12 years old, Richard Buckner Gruelle had to quit school to work to help support his parents and 10 siblings. He took on odd jobs around his hometown of Arcola, Illinois, before beginning an apprenticeship with the town’s house and sign painter in 1864. Gruelle had always had an interest in art, so this job allowed him to learn how to mix tints and use paint while earning a wage. In addition to his apprenticeship, individuals in town encouraged Gruelle and helped him develop his art skills. A restaurant owner gave him a book about drawing in exchange for a painted sign. A cabinetmaker showed him how to build easels and stretch canvases. A student who no longer wanted her set of art supplies gave them to Gruelle. Read More » Otto Stark Otto Stark was born in Indianapolis to a family of craftsmen. His father was a cabinetmaker, and his grandfather built wagons. Their fine woodworking skills inspired young Stark to become an organ builder. He began an apprenticeship, but it was cut short after an accident left him injured. By the time Stark healed, his interests had shifted to lithography (a form of printmaking). His family sent him to live with his aunt and uncle in Cincinnati in 1875 to apprentice with a lithographer. While continuing his lithography work during the day, Stark began taking night classes. He enrolled at the School of Design of the University of Cincinnati and took courses in painting, drawing, sculpture, and design. Read More »
T. C. Steele The oldest of the Hoosier Group members, Theodore Clement Steele found his calling in the arts at a young age. He attended Waveland Collegiate Institute from 1859 to 1868. After just one year as a student, he began teaching drawing and painting classes to younger students. After graduating from Waveland, Steele fulfilled portrait commissions while continuing his art education by taking trips to Chicago galleries. Steele, who had befriended Mary Elizabeth (Libbie) Lakin at Waveland Academy, married her on Valentine’s Day in 1870. The couple moved to Battle Creek, Michigan. Steele continued painting portraits, while also teaching art classes. Read More »
J. Ottis Adams John Ottis Adams had become interested in art and drawing at a young age. It was his high school art teacher, however, who encouraged Adams to develop his talents further after seeing his skill at creating hand-crafted maps. After just a year at Wabash College (1871), Adams traveled to England to get a traditional European art education at South Kensington School in London (October 1872). He took a part-time job at a photography studio there to help pay his way and spent his free time copying the works of the master painters at London’s National Gallery. Read More »
William Forsyth William Forsyth and his family moved to Indiana when he was 10 years old, living first in Versailles, then Indianapolis. Forsyth left high school to work and support his family by painting houses. Having always been interested in art, he spent his free time drawing, visiting the H. Lieber & Co. art gallery, and reading essays on the subject. In 1877, Forsyth enrolled at the new Indiana School of Art in Indianapolis, where he studied under Indiana artist John Love. After the school closed in 1879, he and several of his classmates rented studios in the building that housed the former school and organized an art club, the “Bohe Club” since the first word, “Bohemian,” did not fit on the studio door sign. Read More »
Richard Buckner Gruelle At 12 years old, Richard Buckner Gruelle had to quit school to work to help support his parents and 10 siblings. He took on odd jobs around his hometown of Arcola, Illinois, before beginning an apprenticeship with the town’s house and sign painter in 1864. Gruelle had always had an interest in art, so this job allowed him to learn how to mix tints and use paint while earning a wage. In addition to his apprenticeship, individuals in town encouraged Gruelle and helped him develop his art skills. A restaurant owner gave him a book about drawing in exchange for a painted sign. A cabinetmaker showed him how to build easels and stretch canvases. A student who no longer wanted her set of art supplies gave them to Gruelle. Read More »
Otto Stark Otto Stark was born in Indianapolis to a family of craftsmen. His father was a cabinetmaker, and his grandfather built wagons. Their fine woodworking skills inspired young Stark to become an organ builder. He began an apprenticeship, but it was cut short after an accident left him injured. By the time Stark healed, his interests had shifted to lithography (a form of printmaking). His family sent him to live with his aunt and uncle in Cincinnati in 1875 to apprentice with a lithographer. While continuing his lithography work during the day, Stark began taking night classes. He enrolled at the School of Design of the University of Cincinnati and took courses in painting, drawing, sculpture, and design. Read More »
