Beth Clary Schwier
Beth hails from Peru, Indiana, where she performed with the Peru Circus from age 9 until she moved to Muncie, Indiana, to study at Ball State University. A former actress and model, she began seriously studying art in 2012 with renowned Indiana artist C.W. Mundy. After several years’ residency in the Stutz building, Beth now has her own gallery/studio space in Irvington, where she spends her days painting and meeting new clients. She has been a featured artist on the HGTV series “Good Bones.”
Art Pieces
Location in Fieldhouse: Key Bank Suites Level
The Sixth Man, 2022:
Write Up of Piece: The “Sixth Man” refers to the fans. The energy and excitement of the crowd was electric at Butler Fieldhouse during the 1954 State Championship game. With an enrollment of only 161 students, Milan remains the smallest high school ever to win a state championship in single- class play, earned national recognition that cemented Indiana basketball into legendary status, and inspired the 1986 Hollywood movie Hoosiers. In this four-part study, Schwier looks at the championship game from three different perspectives: the fans, the court, and the team.
Pierceville Alley Cats, 2022:
Write Up of Piece: Bobby Plump, Gene White, Glen Butte, and Roger Schroder, four members of the Milan 1954 championship basketball team, grew up together in the neighboring community of Pierceville. They referred to themselves as the “Pierceville Alley Cats” and played behind Schroder’s family’s store. They often scrimmaged here, and a manure pile off to the left side made for a strong deterrent to go out of bounds. (It was better in the winter when the pile was frozen.) Milan remains the smallest high school ever to win a state championship in single-class play, earning national recognition that cemented Indiana basketball into legendary status, and inspired the 1986 Hollywood movie Hoosiers. In this four-part study, Schwier looks at the championship game from three different perspectives: the fans, the court, and the team.
Plump’s Last Shot, 2022:
Write Up of Piece: The definitive star of the 1954 IHSAA championship game was Bobby Plump. His game-winning shot just three seconds before the buzzer sparked his team, the underdog Milan High School, to the state championship in what is now called the “Milan Miracle.” Schwier depicts the exact moment of the game-winning shot, full of excitement, anticipation, and achievement.
The Milan Water Tower, 2022:
Write Up of Piece: The water tower is one of three in the small town, but “State Champs 1954” was painted on it shortly after the Milan High School basketball team’s iconic win. It still is there today as a reminder of the “Milan Miracle”. Milan remains the smallest high school ever to win a state championship in single-class play, earning national recognition that cemented Indiana basketball into legendary status, and inspired the 1986 Hollywood movie Hoosiers. In this three- part study, Schwier looks at the championship game from three different perspectives: the fans, the court, and the team.