The House of the Singing Winds

T.C. Steele

Last Friday we went on a tour to see paintings by T.C. Steele (1847-1926), the best-known member of the "Hoosier Group" of American Impressionist artists, at the IU Memorial Union and then visited "the House of the Singing Winds" which Steele built in 1907 in nearby Brown County, about a 20-minute ride from Bloomington.  Steele was commissioned by the IU graduating class of 1907 to paint the portrait of IU's 10th president, William Lowe Bryan, while his house was under construction.  He later became the first professor of Fine Arts at IU, which is said to be the first Fine Art Professorship in the country.  IU has a large collection of his paintings, on display scattered all over the sprawling Memorial Union building.  His oeuvre consists of paintings of two distinct types - the one portraits, in the classical academic tradition, the other landscapes, en plein aire, in the Impressionist tradition, many of which were painted on the IU Campus and around his 200+ acre home site.  Both styles of his are incredibly good and sophisticated. 

The House of the Singing Winds

He built the House of the Singing Winds for his bride-to-be,  Selma, who was his second wife and 23 years his junior.  Originally conceived as a vacation home, the house became their main residence all year around till they died. The house grew through the years and they also added several other structures on the site, most notable of which is the large, 20+ foot tall studio, which presents a conventional barn facade on the south side while the north face is mostly glazed.  The house got its name from the sound of the wind singing through the metal screens of their sleeping porch at night.  He apparently painted everyday, rain or shine, while he lived there and one can recognize several of the scenes of his paintings on the site.  

Wisteria Pergola in Painting

Wisteria Pergola Now

Wisteria in Bloom

Wisteria Porch @ Guest Cottage

Peacock at Window

Main room

Sleeping Porch

North Facade - Large Studio

South Facade - Large Studio

This is the Log Cabin
that Kirk talked about