
Nell Rose Brown
Retiring Member
Oil Painting
Retiring Member
Oil Painting
Retired Artists
The Covered Bridge Art Association has been blessed to know and share the talents of many Parke County artists over the years since the association began in 1965. This page is to thank so many who have given us countless hours of their time to further the mission of the group,
"to further Art , Art Appreciation, and Art Education in Parke County." Your enthusiasm and talented gifts of art, shared with many, will always be remembered! You may not be with us at our long business meetings, clean up days, or serving on our committees, but you are always in our hearts! All Our Best to each of you, and may your brushes always be wet and ready to begin again!
"to further Art , Art Appreciation, and Art Education in Parke County." Your enthusiasm and talented gifts of art, shared with many, will always be remembered! You may not be with us at our long business meetings, clean up days, or serving on our committees, but you are always in our hearts! All Our Best to each of you, and may your brushes always be wet and ready to begin again!
Nell Brown
retires from the Covered Bridge Art Association, December 2021
A Retirement Farewell to a loved Gallery member, Nell Brown!
Nell has been a long-time member of the Covered Bridge Art Association producing and selling acrylic paintings, cards, painted saw blades and much more! She has loyal followers who attend our Covered Bridge Festival and come to visit her and purchase her detailed folk-art style of painting. Her subjects have ranged from animals, flowers and many landscape scenes! We are sad to see Nell retire from our membership and we will miss her warm smile! We do hope she will always be able to enjoy art in some way and share her love for 'being creative!' All our hugs to Nell and we Thank her for her years of participation and encouragement at the Gallery!
Nell has been a long-time member of the Covered Bridge Art Association producing and selling acrylic paintings, cards, painted saw blades and much more! She has loyal followers who attend our Covered Bridge Festival and come to visit her and purchase her detailed folk-art style of painting. Her subjects have ranged from animals, flowers and many landscape scenes! We are sad to see Nell retire from our membership and we will miss her warm smile! We do hope she will always be able to enjoy art in some way and share her love for 'being creative!' All our hugs to Nell and we Thank her for her years of participation and encouragement at the Gallery!
Marsha GarrisonWatercolor Painting
Assemblage Mixed Media The Covered Bridge Art Association would like to thank a long-time member, Marsha Garrison for her many years of service to the association! She has helped us carry the load of Property Management through our second floor renovation and years of general maintenance. Her talent in watercolor painting was enjoyed and an inspiration to many! We know even though she is retiring from Association service, she will continue her enjoyment and sharing of the arts and art education!
Our best to Marsha Garrison! 2018 |
Helen ThomasGourd Painting
Acrylic Painting The Covered Bridge Art Association also thanks Long-time member, Helen Thomas, for her support and art enthusiasm over her career here with the Gallery! Helen began her gourd painting career when she began growing the gourds she is known for decorating with paintings, 'wood' burning and other techniques. The area where she lives in Parke County is known for it's sandy soil that is adjacent to the Wabash River bottoms in north western Parke County. Over the years she perfected the process of growing acres of gourds, drying them in the open winter elements, washing them carefully in a 'stirred' bleach solution in large vats, and redrying them. She became very well known for her gourd and pumpkin sales and has been a dried 'Art' gourd supplier to national artists and has shipped packed boxes all over the United States. She has been very active with the Indiana Gourd Association and their annual gourd festival held every April-May. She has always had a proud passion and love for gourds and would share many stories and art styles for your next Art Venture into gourd painting! She has been an avid fan and supporter of the Covered Bridge Festival since it began and had a booth on the square for countless years as she proudly sported her painted green gourd hat! She is fondly known as the Sandlady and has retired her hat to care for the increasing health needs of her husband, who has always been her number one fan! She always welcomes a visitor and always wears a big smile! The Art Gallery wishes Helen all the Best as she continues her journey and we hope her paint brush and art Appreciation never retires! Thank You, Helen! 2018 |
Remembering our Artists
Celebrating Ellen Shaffer! April 2020
2020 has been a year for reflection. The Novel Coronovirus-19 has caused the world to stay at home for months. We reflect on the importance of family, we mask and we wash for our health, we live in social isolation and try to build a life we can call a new normal. During this time we also reflect on the loss of a dear Gallery Artist-Family Member, Ellen Shaffer. The Covered Bridge Art Association would like to thank long-time member, Ellen Shaffer, for everything she did for us! Her quiet, dedicated service to the association as President, substitute worker and organizer of many services kept our doors open for customers for many years. Her countless hours along with other members at our Parke County Fair, preparing the Open Class Art display each year in July, was always a bright spot for our artists and community alike! Her passion in art was expressed in delicate, detailed colored pencil drawings that have been collected and cherished by many Covered Bridge Festival admirers and CBAA members alike! We will miss you Deeply, Ellen! Thank You for your friendship and the talent you shared! Our Hearts are with You! Retired-2018 April-2020 |
Celebrating Bob Foor! August 2019
This Past Active CBAA Member and Associate member served our association as President and assisted on many committees. Bob was a gifted and skilled woodworker who crafted beautiful pictures from carefully cut pieces of wood veneer. Different wood colors and wood grains would lend colors and textures to many scenes he crafted including florals, animals, and one view of each of the Parke County covered bridges, now on display at the Montezuma Civic Center. He loved his home on a little creek in Parke County and shared so much, including his infectious smile with Everyone. He was a World War II Veteran and recounted vivid memories and stories to anyone interested in history. Our association is Thankful to have known Bob and thankful he helped preserve the beauty of Parke County in his art and craft! Thank You, Bob! |

Celebrating Bob Whitmore! 2017
Past Active CBAA Member and Associate Member,
Bob, was an active part of our association for
many years. He served as association President
and helped on many committees. He was an avid
watercolor artist, bringing his perfection to many
Parke County scenes and shared these and his
talent with so many! In addition to his love of art
and teaching art for many years in Indianapolis,
he and his wife, Becky, enjoyed beautifying rural
Parke County by growing and selling Hosta plants
at their farm near Rocky Fork, south of Raccoon Lake.
Sadly the Whitmore family endured Bob's passing
during the summer of 2017. The Covered Bridge
Art Association members wish to extend our heart
felt sympathy to his wife, Becky, and their family
upon this great loss. We will always remember his
infectious smile, witty laugh, and his great love for
his art and willingness to share it!
Thank You, Bob!
Past Active CBAA Member and Associate Member,
Bob, was an active part of our association for
many years. He served as association President
and helped on many committees. He was an avid
watercolor artist, bringing his perfection to many
Parke County scenes and shared these and his
talent with so many! In addition to his love of art
and teaching art for many years in Indianapolis,
he and his wife, Becky, enjoyed beautifying rural
Parke County by growing and selling Hosta plants
at their farm near Rocky Fork, south of Raccoon Lake.
Sadly the Whitmore family endured Bob's passing
during the summer of 2017. The Covered Bridge
Art Association members wish to extend our heart
felt sympathy to his wife, Becky, and their family
upon this great loss. We will always remember his
infectious smile, witty laugh, and his great love for
his art and willingness to share it!
Thank You, Bob!