The Friends of the Frankfort Community Public Library will present the return of “Barns & Blooms” with a special kickoff this Friday, May 10
at the Frankfort Community Public Library.
On Friday, the exhibition will be unveiled with special programming throughout the day, including a farmers market, a special rendition of Hoosier Storytellers and more that coincide with the Friends Annual Meeting. All of the programs connected with the “Barns & Blooms” celebration are free and open to the public.
The “Barns & Blooms” exhibit will run from May 10 through May 30 in the Hubbard Gallery at the Frankfort Community Public Library, featuring paintings and photos of barns, flowers and nature by various Indiana artists. The exhibit pieces will be on display and for sale for the community during the event, and community members will be treated to historical details regarding Hoosier barns and nature provided by the Indiana Barn Foundation
“Old barns form an important part of the rural American landscape and represent a link to our agricultural heritage,” the Indiana Barn Foundation released.
Activities for May 10:
- Exhibit Opens to the public from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Garden Journal Workshop with Grace Gouveia from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Community members may decorate a journal to document their garden journey and have a keepsake for them or their family. Registration is limited, so community members are encouraged to register as soon as possible.
- Farmers Market on the second floor of the library from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Approximately 20 vendors will set up with produce and merchandise from several farms, greenhouses and theme-appropriate artists with specialized gifts for Mother’s Day.
- Hoosier Storytellers Program from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Skanta Theatre
- A special edition of the Hoosier Storytellers program series with Red Barn Summer Theatre will be held for “Barns & Blooms” led by the library’s Michael Clossin, a Red Barn alumnus, who will interview Michael Taylor, Red Barn Artistic Director, with special guests Jan McGill and Tom Bewley.
- Friends Annual Meeting and announcement of the Volunteer of the Year of the Frankfort Library from 7 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
- Presentation of the vision of the Indiana Barn Foundation by President Kent Yeager at 7:15 p.m.
- Yeager will present about how the Indiana Barn Foundation has striven to raise awareness of threatened Indiana barns, explain the historical portion of the exhibit and share a captivating display of the Indiana Barn Foundation projects.
In honor of the “Barns & Blooms” event, the Friends will also have the Old Gray Barn host a group for a tour of their event barn to discuss how the barn was saved, renovated and utilized for numerous occasions on Sunday, May 19 at 1 p.m. Registration will not be required.
On Thursday, May 30, Gwen Gutwein, one of the featured artists, will discuss her Heritage Barns of Indiana Project, which has been formed into a published book titled “Heritage Barns of Indiana.” According to the library, Gutwein spent twelve years traveling and painting, culminating in a collection of 185 historic barn painting from throughout Indiana, which will be the focal point of her presentation where she will discuss the process of creating her barn paintings and her unique way of preserving historic barns. The presentation will kick off at 4 p.m. on May 30.
The “Barns & Blooms” program was made possible through a Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Landmarks, Indiana Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities with numerous local sponsors including the VFW Post #1110, Industrial Federal Credit Union, Encompass Credit Union, Fraternal Order of Eagles #976 and Gangwer Powers Insurance Agency.