Wagon wheels

Transformation from run-down barn to art studio

Highway 195 takes travelers past a little white barn with an impressive fence. The fence is made of more than 1,000 old wheels stretched around the property.

This barn is known as Artisans at the Dahmen Barn and is located near Uniontown, Washington. Leslee Miller, barn manager, said Dahmen Barn is a place for people’s creativity to flow unabated and to provide local artists with a place to work, showcase their art and sell their pieces directly to the public. Artists have studios in the barn, there is a little shop featuring several area artists, and they host several classes throughout the year, as well as concerts.

Miller said the barn, what was once an old dairy barn, was run down before the Artisans gained use of the property after it sat vacant for nearly 50 years. The people who had owned the property, Steve and Junette Dahmen, built the wheel fence, and Miller said they both had interest in the fine arts.

Steve began building the metal wheel fence around the property, which started as just a gate. When their neighbors saw it, they began bringing him all kinds of wheels, Miller said.  He died after the grand opening of the Artisans at the Dahmen barn in 2006. Junette is a notable water color artist at the barn.

The Dahmens had no children to leave the property to, so they decided to give it to the community of Uniontown, specifically the town’s development association. The nonprofit group was renovating old buildings, and the Dahmens wanted to give their barn to the project. The renovation of it has been a community project. Miller said the renovation was entirely done by volunteers who continue to volunteer at barn events to this day.

Miller came up with the idea for providing open studios for artists after visiting the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Miller said the Torpedo Factory does the same things the barn now does, like offering classes and having artists’ studios open to public viewing.

“We came back with the idea, and everyone thought it was neat,” Miller said. “But decided to put the word out within the region to find out what artists thought. The response was overwhelming. ‘Yes, we need a place to work on our art and showcase what we do.'”

After the strong response, the development association started their grant writing and got to work.

Miller said there are currently 20 artists working out of the barn’s 10 studios, but they are working on an additional space for more studios. The addition to the barn will add a commercial kitchen for culinary arts programs at the barn, as well as a bigger venue for special events or performances throughout the year.

Some of the upcoming events include a glass blowing workshop Jan. 24, at Sky River Glass in Clarkston. The class is currently full, but another glass blowing class will be offered Jan. 31 as well. Registration  is $125, and people must be registered by Jan. 24.

Another series of events happening at the barn right now is the Wild Women Winter series. Previously, they have done glass etching, pop-up cards and jewelry. Sunday, Jan. 25 there will be a painting on silk class at Dahmen Barn.

Miller said the classes are open to everyone, and some men and children have shown up to the Women Winter series. Miller said she wants people who are interested to come and experience the creativity of the people whoshe and others work with.

“It’s a pretty unique place,” Miller said. “I don’t think there is anywhere in the region that does it like we do, and maybe not many in the United States. So it’s pretty special.”

Claire Whitley can be reached at [email protected]