Artist Residency located in
the mountains of rural,
Western Pennsylvania

Dedicated to hosting artists-in-residence and presenting their works and those of other local artists
View Artworks

About the Art Barn

The Artbarn is the phoenix, risen from the fire that destroyed the old barn when it was struck by lightning.  The old barn could have been a hundred years old, gray and weathered planks, topped by a metal roof, sitting on a beige stone foundation. The fire left only the stones and the cement-made silo.  Its absence left a gap in the landscape—empty and bare.
It occurred to me one day, that artists whose work I admired and collected drew often on the environment in which they worked.  What would it be like if some of them could come to the farm and work in this tranquil and serene location.  How would that affect their work?  What would it do for them to be in such different circumstances?

That became my dream, and my husband, who believes one should make as many dreams as possible a reality, encouraged and supported the building of a new barn where the old one had been. This barn is an “Artbarn”, designed to accommodate one artist at a time, an artist who can spend up to three weeks creating in this rural, beautiful setting.

The residents are selected by me, the founder who had her dream come true, and two other board members.  One, Laurel Reuter, is a renowned art museum director, curator, whose own institution in Grand Forks, North Dakota encourages contemporary artists.  The third board member, Michael Dennis, is an artist, designer, and sponsor of art and artists. His experiences include an intimate knowledge of the area and its artistic ventures.  READ MORE

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy the artwork!

Irena Chambers, Art Barn Founder and Director