dairy art barn

The collection of quilts is amazing. There is a wide variety of styles and mediums (at least one is not made with fabric). For a non-quilter, I enjoyed the opportunity to see these quilts. Two suggestions, reduce the admission charge from $6.00 to $4.00 or $5.00. Also, make sure that you give yourself a chance to look at the quilts not only up close but step back and look at them from 10 to 20 feet away.

Thought this would be a great day trip as the present exhibition is Quilt (R) Evolution: Art Quilt Retrospective 1979-2014 in the Sauber Gallery. Admittance fee $5. I was expecting to see patchwork & design quilts that could actually be used but these are all decorative quilts that would be hung on walls as a focal point. There is an elevator to the 2nd level which had the exhibit "Athens on Paper," featuring local artists. Works range from printmaking, drawing, & photography. There was no signage at the elevator indicating what was on the 2nd level. The building is difficult to find & if you are unfamiliar with the area, you will end up in downtown Athens (lots of one-way streets) & the campus of Ohio University. A beautiful day but a disappointing attraction.

Depending on the vendors that are there, it can be fun to walk around for an our or two. I always end up buying something, but it's not something I do every time I visit the area.

A wide variety of programs and exhibits in an unusual location. This converted dairy barn puts on a variety of exhibitions in the visual arts. A short distance from the center of town and the university campus. Particularly enjoy the biyearly Quilt National, an exhibition of contemporary art quilts (quilts as art pieces to be hung on the wall).

The Dairy Barn always has an excellent line-up of shows by local artists and OU residents, professors, graduates, etc. The shows are thoughtful and challenging. I would suggest visiting the Dairy Barn for as many shows as possible.

Well known for their Quilt National show with some of the most innovative quilting in the world, their bead show and other art shows bring talent from around the country to this relatively small community. Formerly a dairy barn for the self-sustaining mental health hospital (closed in the 1990s), the space is designed to provide great display places for artists. It also has a gift store where local artists' work is displayed and sold. Call before you show up, you can't always trust their posted time schedules (the reason for a 4 instead of 5 stars). Very reasonable rates and world class art make it a must-see for visitors to the area and a treasure for those of us who live nearby and can partake on a regular basis.

It was an unbelievable presentation of home made quilts, that were true prices of ART!!! The talent was unbelieveable and beautiful. Each a piece was worthy of a LONG pause and double take!! WT talents these artists have brought to Athens. All the e quilts go on a 2 year world tour!!!

If you have any interest in art using fabric as the medium, the Quilt National show is not to be missed. An amazing exhibition of art, these are not your grandma's quilts, unless of course your grandmother is one of the incredibly talented artists whose work is on display. Good job showcasing 85 pieces, get the book from the gift shop even though the details aren't fully captured (impossible to do with most textile art pieces).

My friends and I traveled to the Dairy Art Barn for the Quilt National exhibit, held every two years. The art quilts were very nicely displayed and we enjoyed looking at them and reading what the designers said about each one. The only problem was the incessant noise of pounding feet from above, causing a headache for one in our group. The worker at the desk said that there was a children's art camp going on upstairs. Those little campers weren't still at all during the almost 2 hours we were there. When we go back next time I'm going to call ahead to find out which day to enjoy a more peaceful experience.

The Dairy Art Barn is an excellent stop for travelers. I live an hour away and make this collection a frequent day trip. There is usually an activity for youngsters, making this a good family stop. The grounds are very nice for a little walk. The art on display is usually funky, up-to-date- interesting. Admission is cheap. Check website for scheduled activities - the ones I have participated in have been fun and educational.

I've wanted to go to the Dairy Art Barn ever since I heard about it, at least 10-15 years ago. At long last, we made it! Better Half and I visited the Barn for the opening of Quilt National 2013. The exhibit is a must-see if you like contemporary art. Forget that it's called "Quilt" anything - this is spectacular art and very little of it - if any - looks remotely like what people think of when they think "quilt".Pictures of the exhibit not allowed, unfortunately. But each piece was so very remarkable we bought the exhibit book so we could go back and look at everything over and over again.The Art Barn was once *one* of the barns on a large dairy farm. One of the docents told us there were once two other large barns but they've been torn down. There's a giant pile of bricks from those barns waiting to be re-used, but that's all that's left of them. The remaining barn's structural integrity remains intact with of course "modern" amenities like electricity, plumbing and restrooms added - even an elevator to the former hay mow which now serves as meeting space.Be sure and visit the herb garden - it's a little fenced in area in front of the barn with all kinds of herbs growing, and each one is marked. Great learning opportunity for those interested in herbs and other flora!There's a fee to see exhibits, which varies by exhibit. Quilt National 2013 runs through September 2, 2013. The Dairy Art Barn is a little over an hour southeast of Columbus - it's a nice little drive once you get out of the Columbus metro area.There are no concessions at the Barn itself, which is located just off the campus of Ohio University. You might want to have some bottled water with you in case you get thirsty (although there is a water fountain at the Barn). There are plenty of restaurants in and around Athens. Take time to visit the Ohio University campus - it's beautiful! - and downtown Athens. Park downtown and walk through campus and downtown; they adjoin each other which is quite convenient. There are cute little shops and eateries downtown; unfortunately, we hadn't allowed ourselves enough time to explore so I can't recommend anything in particular there.If you're visiting from the Columbus area, make it a day trip. There's a lot to see in Athens, and you'll drive through Logan, Nelsonville and Lancaster. You could even make it a weekend trip to visit Hocking Hills State Park, ride the Hocking Valley scenic railway and more!