Our Sorority House

This is a portrait I recently painted of one of my homes at 818 E. Third Street in Bloomington, Indiana. I’m so glad I graduated from Indiana University and that I became a member of Delta Delta Delta (aka Tridelt), a bond my mother and I have shared ever since I pledged and she helped initiate me into the fraternity.



 

 

If you’ve ever been on IU’s campus, you’ve probably noticed all the big, beautiful fraternity and sorority houses on Third Street, Tenth Street, and North Jordan Avenue. I know I fell in love with the looks of this place even before I met any of the fabulous women who lived there. When we stayed in the house this past weekend for a reunion, one of the gals said she figured the makers of the film “Breaking Away” thought our house was prettiest, since it was the one they chose to feature in the movie. If you’ve seen it, most of the girls on the balcony being serenaded are my sisters.

 

Because I specialize in home portraiture, I’ve met a number of people who collect paintings of every home in which they’ve lived. As I result, I’ve started painting all the houses I’ve lived in over the years. 

 

Our reunion reminded me how nice it is that digital photography has made the reproduction of frame-able notecards and prints so feasible and affordable. Each of us who lived in the TriDelt house thinks of it as home and therefore appreciates having a portrait of it. If you are one of the sisters who lived with me while I was at Indiana, just let me know and I’ll make sure you get one.

There were over 30,000 students attending IU when I arrived in Bloomington as a freshman, so Greek life gave me a family and support system during my four years of undergraduate school. I didn’t realize then the importance that bond would have in my life after college – not only with my mom but also through the warm welcome it provided when I moved to new cities where I knew few people and especially through the friendships I’ve been graced to enjoy as a result of being an IU Tridelt. Special people have made this place dear to me, which is why most people treasure home portraits.