Published December 16, 2021

Indiana’s Winter Wonderland: 10 snowy scenes captured by Hoosier artists

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By Renee Bruck

Dec. 21 marks the official beginning to winter, or the winter solstice. But what does that really mean?

Well, it means Dec. 21 will be the “shortest day” of the year. The sun is expected to rise at 8:02 a.m. and set at 5:23 p.m. The Northern Hemisphere will be the farthest from the sun on this day, but that doesn’t guarantee the coldest day of the year – or snow.

In fact, there’s only a slight chance for precipitation forecasted on Dec. 21, and that’s expected to be rain.

So, to celebrate the beginning of winter, we thought we’d bring the snow to you – straight from paintings in the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites permanent collection!

Here are 10 winter scenes captured by Hoosier artists throughout the years – and throughout the state.

  • 1895, “Winter Morning,” T.C. Steele

    This painting features 16th Street in Indianapolis one winter morning.

  • 1910-1912, “A Winter Day,” John Ottis Adams

    This painting showcases a winter day in Brookville, Indiana.

  • 1917-1930, “Winter,” Clifton Wheeler

    This painting features a winter scene in Indianapolis.

  • 1922, “In Winter,” T.C. Steele

    The painting shows the rolling hills of Brown County from the vantage point of T.C. Steele’s property, now the T.C. Steele State Historic Site.

  • 1930-1935, “Bleak Winter,” Francis F. Brown

    Brown captured a winter day in Richmond in this painting in our collection.

  • 1930-1970, “Winter Woods,” Kenneth J. Reeve

    The location of this painting is unknown, although most of Reeve’s subjects were found near his Brown County home.

  • 1935-1950, “A Winter Day,” Frank V. Dudley

    Dudley, well-known for his paintings of the Indiana Dunes region, captured this winter scene near Chesterton, Indiana.

  • 1948, “Winter’s Soft Mantle,” Frank V. Dudley

    Dudley created this winter work near Chesterton, Indiana.

  • 1970-1985, “Winter Fantasy,” Wilber Meese

    Meese features the winter wonderland in this piece created in Indianapolis.

  • 1980-1995, “Winter’s Blush,” Rob O’Dell

    O’Dell created this winter watercolor near Ladoga in Montgomery County.

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