Spring is in the air at the Frankfort Community Public Library! We are thrilled about the return of “Barns & Blooms” and would like to extend an invitation for you to attend. The exhibition opening and special programming are scheduled for May 10, coinciding with the Friends of the Frankfort Public Library’s Annual Meeting. All programs are free of charge and open to the public.
The exhibition will be on view from May 10 through May 30. Beautiful paintings and photos of barns, flowers, and nature by various Indiana artists will be on display and for sale, along with historical details 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,” as stated by the Indiana Barn Foundation.
May 10 Activities:
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. – Exhibit Opens to the public
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Garden Journal Workshop with Grace Gouveia. Decorate a journal to document your garden journey
and have a keepsake for you and your family. Registration is limited, so please sign up early.
4 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Farmers Market – On the second floor of the library, we will have our own Farmers Market. Just in time for
Mother’s Day weekend, there will be approximately 20 vendors set up, including several farms,
greenhouses, and theme-appropriate artists. The Farmers Market and the exhibiting artists offer a
plethora of opportunities to find that unique gift.
6 p.m. – 7 p.m. Hoosier Storytellers Program
We are excited to present a special edition of our Hoosier Storytellers program with the Red Barn
Summer Theatre. The library’s Michael Clossin, also a Red Barn alumnus, will interview Artistic Director
of the Red Barn, Michael Taylor, as well as special guests Jan McGill and Tom Bewley. They will chat
about the Barn’s 2024 lineup of shows and provide updates on the barn and its grounds. In addition,
they will share some of the history of the barn and its 55 seasons.
7 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Friends Annual Meeting and announcement of the Volunteer of the Year of the Frankfort Library.
7:15 p.m. The Indiana Barn Foundation (IBF) president, Kent Yeager, will share the vision of the IBF – raising awareness
of threatened Indiana barns. The IBF has been helpful with the historical portion of our exhibit. Along
with their presentation, IBF and Indiana Landmarks will have a shared booth with a captivating display
of their projects.
Additional Activities in May:
Sunday, May 19 at 1 p.m., The Old Gray Barn will host a group for a tour of their event barn and discuss how they saved, renovated, and breathed new life into their barn. Registration is not required.
Thursday, May 30 at 4 p.m., one of our featured artists, Gwen Gutwein, will discuss her Heritage Barns of Indiana Project, which has turned into a published book, Heritage Barns of Indiana. It took over twelve years of traveling and painting to complete her 185 historic barn paintings from throughout Indiana. Gwen will share the process of creating her barn paintings and her own unique way of preserving historic barns. Her book, Heritage Barns of Indiana, will be available for sale during her visit at the Frankfort Library.
This program has been made possible through a Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Landmarks, Indiana Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Additional Sponsors:
Primary Sponsors: VFW #1110, Industrial Federal Credit Union
Co-Sponsors: Encompass Credit Union, Fraternal Order of Eagles #976
General Sponsor: Gangwer Powers Insurance Agency