Junette Dahmen's collection now at The Dahmen Barn

A special exhibit to revisit a part of Junette Dahmen's collection of art work is being shown at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown that is also available for purchase.

"If you do not know about Junette Dahmen, she and her husband Steve donated the barn to the community in 2006." said Julie Hartwig, manager at Dahmen Barn.

Frank Wolf, whose family still farms in Uniontown, built the barn in 1935 for Jack Dahmen and his family who used it for a commercial dairy operation until 1953 when it was purchased by his nephew Steve Dahmen and wife Junette.

Both Steve and Junette had an interest in fine art for years. Junette has been working as an artist since the early 1980s, and Steve has made a public display of his artistic skills by building the surrounding wheel fence over a 30 year period.

It all started with his building a gate of rake tines, and after friends began contributing wheels, the fence quickly grew. Says Junette Dahmen in a history of the wheel fence, "Every wheel has a story from the smallest to the biggest. There are wheels from every kind of machine, an antique baby buggy, threshing machines, push-binder wheels, sidewinder or delivery rakes, old hay rakes and gears of every kind, large and small." Today the fence exhibits more than 1000 wheels. Steve also designed the antique weather vane and installed it on the barn roof in 1990, and fashioned some metal "greeters" - a farmer holding a pitchfork and nippers, and a wire-eared dog you meet as you approach the entrance to the barn.

To show appreciation to Junette for all she has done for the local art community, Artisans at the Dahmen Barn will be revisiting her artwork by displaying her collection. Junette worked in watercolor and collage art. After discovering collage art, it became her favorite medium to work in.

"She has not painted for a few years, but we have dug deep and found some very worthwhile paintings that need to be revisited. There is a nice selection of art that has not been seen in years that was tucked away in her studio. We found some great pieces tucked in the corners that she has long forgotten about and maybe some Junette fans will remember them," said Hartwig.

"Junette was so excited that we are displaying her work she hopes you will enjoy and find a piece to purchase."

Along with this exhibit, artists have created usable and decorative spoons to show a spoonful of love and fun to Junette Dahmen's Collection of Artwork.

The exhibit runs though Sunday, Oct. 28th.