EXPLORE WITH EXTOL
await you. There are so many things to see and do.
Here are a few of the ones we enjoyed:
We met a couple of friends in town at Sara’s
Harmony Way for a quick cup of coffee to take on
our cart excursion. Set right on the corner, Sara’s
is much more than a coffee shop. The space is a
full-service restaurant-coffee shop on one side and
a wine ’n‘ craft beer bar on the other. The coffee was
a perfect start to the day and kept our hands warm
scooting around town on the golf cart.
New Harmony’s downtown boasts numerous
antique stores, gift shops and art galleries. The
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art was
split into two sides. The first was a showcase of
contemporary and craft artisans from Midwestern
artists. The space is full of art, sculpture, prints,
blown glass, jewelry and craft. It was the perfect
spot to affordably buy a thoughtful handmade gift
or make a purchase for your personal art collection.
We walked to the other side of the gallery and into
a unique, beautiful installation in the large open
space. The installation was called Nature Morte and
housed a massive collection of nature specimens
and archival photographs that tell the story of the
town through the carefully-catalogued creatures
that inhabited it.
Next door, the Mason-Nordgauer Fine Arts Gallery
had such a unique and impressive collection of post
war/contemporary art from all over the world. The
gallery showcases collector pieces from huge names
like Roy Lichtenstein, Marc Chagall and Diana Kahlo
to cutting-edge contemporary artists from New
Harmony to Louisville and beyond. The gallery has
put huge QR codes on the walls next to the works
of art allowing patrons to scan with the camera on
their phones and automatically link to information
about the artist. It made the exhibit interactive and
an amazing way to connect with the art.
We couldn’t resist a stop in the New Harmony
Soap Company, the smells spilling out onto the
sidewalk drew us in. The soap makers create
natural plant and herb-based soaps, lotions, men’s
grooming gear, pet shampoo and all kind of balms
and ointments. The store is packed with smells and
accessories. Our olfactory senses were in overdrive.
We sniffed our way around the entire store and
brought home a favorite scented patchouli bar.
New Harmony’s beginnings as a spiritual
sanctuary are evident in the labyrinths and sacred
gardens of the town. The Cathedral Labyrinth sits
near the Atheneum and is a beautiful, peaceful
garden with benches and a water fountain
surrounding the stone labyrinth. The pattern
replicates the original Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth
near Paris and was completed in 1997.
There is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth,
you are the navigator, you choose your own path,
but some suggestions are to use quiet voices in
the space. The labyrinth is a place to reflect, find
serenity, count your blessings and find peace in
yourself.
Lauren Artress, Episcopal priest and author,
describes labyrinths as:
Paths of prayer
A walking meditation
A crucible of change
A watering hole for the spirit
And a mirror for the soul
Jon and I walked the labyrinth in silence, grateful
for all the opportunities and love we have in our lives.
We quietly made our way back to our golf cart and
headed to the Harmonist Labyrinth on the south
side of town. Constructed in 1939 and restored in
2008, the labyrinth is made up of nearly 5-feet tall
hedges winding to the stone grotto in the center.
Its massive size would ideally make for a long
meditative journey. Unfortunately, there were kids
doing what any kid would do when set to run free
in a “maze,” and we found ourselves in the midst
of a giant game of tag. Mom and dad missed a
teachable moment and maybe some peace and
quiet as both took the opportunity to make phone
calls and, presumably, update their Facebook
statuses while walking in opposite directions as
their kids. It was unfortunate for all of us, and
we couldn’t figure out how they missed the giant
park and playground across the street. Luckily, the
labyrinth was outfitted with gates making access
to the exit closer than winding our way back out.
We returned our golf cart and with some time to
kill before dinner, we made our way to Harmonie
State Park just outside of town. We enjoyed a colorful
drive through the park to the edge of the Wabash
River. The leaves were at the height of their splendor,
and the secluded woods and rushing water gave
us the meditative peace we missed on our last
stop. The signs at the campgrounds claimed they
were full, yet we saw not a soul and fully enjoyed
the beauty of our surroundings. We hiked along
the banks of the river until the sound of the trees
EXTOL : FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019
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