I have been a big believer of the power of forgiveness.  A new art exhibit coming to Fishers in the month of May, highlights forgiveness.

Several years ago, artist Carolyn Holder Springer decided that she wanted to try something unique and interesting with her latest approach to her art, so she began “The Forgiving Sea Project.” She said, “The Forgiving Sea was begun in 2015 as a simple gesture to encourage more interaction with visitors to my studio and promote peace. I really wanted to push the traditional boundaries of static gallery-style art and encourage viewers to write on The Forgiving Sea paintings with a name of someone they hoped to forgive.” The spiritual healing of the mind and soul Carolyn hoped would ensue is a release of pain through forgiveness. In addition, she wanted to create a safe environment where visitors could share their feelings without judgment. From that first painting, the project has blossomed into many more paintings.

Ms. Springer begins with an oil painting. Visitors are encouraged to use pastel chalk to write the name of a person they would like to forgive, or a memory they would like to forgive, or anything that lingers in their minds that requires forgiving another person or entity. In the current interactive process, viewers write names of those they wish to forgive on the painting. A new layer of sea waves is painted over the names and washes the names away. The handwriting of the participants can look like tagging or mark-making, building a beautiful layer into the painting. The layers continue to transform into a soulful work of art made by the collective community. As people engage with the work by writing names of those they want to forgive, the names are later covered with paint, making room for the next group of names. Transformed many times, the static painting has many layers beneath its surface as if it were an archeological dig. If the work were x-rayed, thousands of names would be revealed as individual artifacts captured in a moment in time. A finished painting has many layers of words and many layers of paint.

As the project grew and progressed, Ms. Springer wanted to involve more of the senses, and she and her musical collaborator, Joseph Lamm, decided to have viewers observe each layer while accompanied by music. The result is a soundtrack that reflects the spirit of The Forgiving Sea Project. Springer and Lamm partnered on this project to engage both the visual and auditory senses of participants.

Come and see what all the excitement is about with Carolyn Springer (artist) and Joseph Lamm (composer), along with Fishers Arts Council, and experience “The Forgiving Sea Project” exhibit at the Collaboration Hub at Hamilton County Community Foundation during our Second Friday Reception on Friday, May 12, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. The Forgiving Sea Project is part of the Arts Council’s celebration of May as Mental Health Month, and The Forgiving Sea Project has healing elements for everyone.

Additional FREE public events will be offered during the month of May, made possible by a grant from Fishers Art + Culture Commission, all located at the Hamilton County Community Foundation.

Saturday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Family Day & Spiritual Healing Event with Gym Roots and the Pranic Healing Community. Join us in playful partnership as we build our relationship with forgiveness through movement and meditation. This is an outdoor event.

Lunch Talks from 12:15-1:00 p.m. – bring your own lunch and join us

Tuesday, May 16: Licensed art psychotherapist Katy Wagner, MA, ATR-P, LMHCA. Learn about the fascinating world of art therapy and the power of the creative process as a way of healing through hands on creative wellness experiential. No skills required, user friendly for all abilities! Thursday, May 25: Artist and Founder of the Forgiving Sea Project, Carolyn Springer, will share the journey of The Forgiving Sea Project from an art painting and installation to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a Q & A session to follow.

The exhibit is open to the public from May 1-26, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays by appointment. To make an appointment, please contact Fishers Arts Council directly.

I am a lover of jazz and I suspect there are many just like me around Fishers.  For jazz lovers, a concert is on tap May 9th at Hub & Spoke, featuring the local Mudsock Jazz Combo.  The Fishers Community Chorus will also be on hand to perform.  Both groups are part of Fishers Music Works.

The Fishers Community Chorus (founded in 2015) is an all-volunteer adult vocal ensemble that provides a creative performance outlet to the musical citizens of Fishers. They are a mixed chorus, with members from every walk of life.

Mudsock Jazz Combo is a group of musicians who get together several times each month to rehearse and perform for the public and private organizations. The group features instrumental and vocal arrangements of Jazz standards, Dixieland and Jazz Rock.

The concert starts at 7:00pm and the public is invited.  Hub & Spoke is located at 8100 East 106th Street.

If you are interested in becoming a part of the Chorus, contact them at FCC@Fishers MusicWorks.org.

Television station WTHR reports that a Fishers day care worker faces felony battery charges.  For more details, read the WTHR story at this link.

I have written and podcasted about a number of important nonprofit organizations in the Fishers area, and one of the most important is the Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation.

As spring break is over with just a few weeks of school remaining, the Foundation is providing the community with an easy way to thank an educator in the Hamilton Southeastern School District.

A $10 donation results in

• a cookie delivered to them at school
• a personalized certificate recognition on the HSEF Educator Honor Roll on our social media
• recognition on the HSEF Educator Honor Roll on our social media

Thanking an educator is very easy to do.  Just use this link.

After 11 years of writing this blog, I have always tried to keep things up to date as possible and write information for the Fishers community.  At least, as well as a one-person volunteer operation can.

I must admit I have not been up to my usual standard lately.  Let me explain why.

I was hit with a particularly nasty respiratory infection.  It resulted in a persistent cough, with occasional coughing fits that would last several minutes.  I had to leave the last school board meeting twice when my cough went out of control.

Let’s just say this illness knocked me down good.  On top of all that, I’m not as young as I used to be so getting over it took a long time.

Not making excuses, just a matter of explaining why the blog may not have been up to my usual standard in recent weeks.

There are also family obligations that keep me busy as well, but be rest assured I am still writing the blog and will update when I can.

It is good to be feeling better, and it feels good to be working on the computer keyboard again.

Thanks for reading and take care!

It was 2013 and I had only been writing this blog for a year or so.  Fishers was still a town and Scott Fadness was the Town Manager.

I clearly recall the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) honoring Fadness with recognition as part of the newspaper’s “Forty under 40” list.  Now, the current Mayor Fadness has been honored by IBJ as “Forty Under 40” Alumni of the Year.

Scott Fadness has come a long way from a grad student at Indiana University that interned for the Town of Fishers and very quickly was promoted until he had the top job of Town Manager.

When Fishers voted to become a second-class city, there were six candidates running in the the Republican primary during our first city election.  Scott Fadness made the decision to shed his role as an administrator and take on the role of political candidate.  Fadness has been mayor here ever since and is running for another term in 2023.

The IBJ story about his naming as Alumni of the Year is written by Samm Quinn, a former “North of 96th” reporter for IBJ and now an editor there.

You may need to be a subscriber to read the story online, but here is the link.

Congratulations to Scott Fadness.

If you regularly travel to and from downtown Indianapolis and Fishers, you have noticed new configurations as construction continues at I-69 & I-465.

In addition,  there is a long list of local lane restrictions and road closures for the work week starting Monday, April 24.

Here is  the full listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

===========

To learn more about the State Road 37 Improvement Project and sign up to receive text updates, visit 37Thrives.com. 

STATE ROAD 37 AND 141ST STREET
A pre-construction phase at SR 37 & 141st Street is currently in place. During this phase, 141st Street will be a Right-In-Right-Out (RIRO) traffic configuration. 
This is not the permanent configuration. This will allow for traffic to flow more freely along SR 37 until the next phases of construction can be activated. This will eliminate backups along SR 37 that have caused dangerous stops to the free flow traffic and backups on the 146th Street interchange. Again, this is not the permanent configuration for 141st Street. The full timeline for the 141st Street interchange will be provided after project bids are accepted in the Summer of 2023. View detour routes here.

To learn more about the Clear Path Improvement Project and sign up to receive text and email updates, visit clearpath465.com 

I-465 & I-69
Drivers will see an increase in construction along the I-69 corridor in the coming months. This work will focus on reconfiguring the interchange at I-465 and I-69. New ramps will provide direct movements from eastbound I-465 and northbound I-465 to northbound I-69. Binford Blvd. will also be reconstructed to separate local traffic from traffic entering and exiting I-69 and I-465. Access to I-69 from Binford Blvd. will remain open. Drivers can expect to see significant activity on I-69 at the 82nd Street interchange.

The ramp from I-69 North to 82nd Street and the ramp from 82nd Street to I-69 North is currently closed through late 2023. For detour routes and additional project information, visit clearpath465.com 

To learn more about the Nickel Plate Trail, view the Capital Project Dashboard here.

NICKEL PLATE TRAIL
The City of Fishers is working on the completion of the Fishers portion of the Nickel Plate Trail. The remaining paving work from 96th Street to 106th Street is underway, and construction crews are currently working to clear and prep the area for paving. In the coming weeks, construction crews will begin the paving process.

There are daily lane closures currently on Cumberland Road, just south of 126th Street for sanitary and water line work. The northbound right turn lane and the southbound passing blister will be closed. 

On Monday, April 24, lane restrictions will be in place on eastbound 116th Street between Fishers Pointe Blvd. and Municipal Drive for sanitary manhole work.

During the week of April 24, Duke Energy will be tree trimming on Geist Road, between 111th Street and Fall Creek Road. Lane restrictions will be in place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. 

PORTAGE WAY
During the week of April 24, Duke Energy will be tree trimming on Portage Way. Lane restrictions will be in place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Beginning on Wednesday, April 26, Willow View Road will be closed just north of 96th Street for the installation of a water line and is anticipated to reopen on Friday, April 28. View map here. 

Fishers business owner Rachael Coverdale has been named to the “Forty under 40” list by the Indianapolis Business Journal.  The group honors those under the age of 40 making significant contributions in their field of work.

Coverdale Consulting describes itself as a full-service strategic marketing agency.

“It’s such an honor to be recognized with the IBJ Forty under 40 award,” said Rachael Coverdale, President of Coverdale Consulting. “I have dreamed about this award since I first started my career. This recognition is not just for me, but for the entire team at Coverdale Consulting, they motivate me and push me to be the best version of myself every day.”

About three years ago, I featured Coverdale Consulting in a podcast about their political consulting work.  You can listen to that podcast at this link.

Ryan Homes unveiled plans for two housing projects in the eastern part of Fishers, with 96th Street to the south, 101st Street to the north, one near Cyntheanne Road and the other along Georgia Road.

Ryan Homes’ attorney Murray Clark told the Fishers City Council Monday night that one section of single family homes will be be priced at about $600,000.  The second section will feature ranch homes in the price range of $450,000-$550,000.

Councilor Brad DeReamer voiced concerns about the density of the planned housing development.  The plans to rezone these properties needed one council vote to pass first reading and will now head to the Fishers Plan Commission for a Public Hearing.

In other items before the City Council Monday:

–First reading approval was given to bring the Northeast Commerce Park into the Nickel Plate District Code with technology in mind.  This proposal will also head to the Fishers Plan Commission for a public hearing.

–Three Fishers Police officers were recognized for years of service: Jonathan Floyd (20 years), Brad Myers (25 years), and Anthony David (25 years)

–Fishers High School was recognized for the state championship in We The People competition, a test of civic knowledge based on a congressional hearing format.  Coach Liz Paternoster presented her team, which will be traveling to Washington DC for the national competition.

–The HSE Cheerleading Squad was honored by the council for its award-winning season.

The Fishers City Council unanimously put its seal of approval on a project agreement for the City Walk development, with a planned location south of 121st Street and west of Technology Lane.

The $75 million project will be located along the Nickel Plate Trail.  Fishers Economic Development Director Megan Baumgartner says there will be a variety of different housing types in this plan, including 87 for-rent multi-family units, 44 town homes for sale, and 101 for-sale condominium units.

Mayor Scott Fadness says the developers “have been very patient with the city as we’ve worked through the vision for this project, and how it fits in our ultimate downtown strategy.”  The mayor says it has taken about a year to make this project happen.

John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star has written about this project.  You can read his story at this link.