We talk a lot about specialty shopping in Amish Country. There are great places to buy handmade Amish furniture, hand sewn quilts and great bakery items, you might not know that Amish Country is also great for finding fine arts.
Open year-round; Monday-Friday 12pm to 5pm.
This elegant gallery, in business since 1980, specializes in 19th and 20th century paintings, watercolors and historic prints, as well as creative framing and appraisals. You’ll love perusing original prints of John James Audubon. The gallery also features the works of Brown County artists. Brown County in southern Indiana is a long-time haven for artists and the gallery displays some of the best, with works that depict harvest times, creeks, rivers and ponds. The creations of local artists also are available. A John Mishler sculpture is on display in front of the gallery, and you can order one of his works here. The gallery director has assisted both museums and individual collectors and can help you start your own collection or add to it in an elegant, yet relaxed atmosphere.
Open year-round; Monday-Saturday 9am to 5pm.
You can shake the hands that throw the pots in this working studio, with more than 3,000 handmade creations for sale. Watch the artisans at work making bowls, vases, and an array of functional and decorative pieces. Owner and potter Mark Goertzen specializes in functional glazed ware and one-of-a-kind wood-fired pottery. He and other potters take pride in explaining the process to visitors. You’ll also find wooden accessories to go along with your finds.
Many of John’s outdoor pieces incorporate kinetic energy and have moving parts that turn with the wind. The “moving sculptures” have become John’s trademark. He has works in many public & corporate collections such as ESPN Zone, Chicago; Andrew Corp., Orland Park, IL; City of Elkhart, IN; Wisconsin Percent for Art Commission, U of Wisconsin; Madison & Walker & Co., and Reston, VA. He has works in private collections across the US, Canada & the South of France.
The Goshen Clay Artists Guild was formed in 1998, when a group of local artists with varying degrees of expertise decided to join together and share studio space, ideas, and techniques. Thus the guild was formed, and has been growing steadily ever since. The guild offers beginner and intermediate classes, open to the public 4 times a year, for 3 month sessions.
So when you come to Amish Country, I hope you find time to look at these artist and enjoy their work.