The Red Barn Studio and Grounds

I was privileged to spend most of last week as the artist in residence at the Red Barn Studio in Lindsborg, Kansas.  This is the preserved home and studio of the late Lester Raymer.  I will share a sampling of his artwork with you another day.  Today, I would like to give you a feel for the setting in which I was able to live and work… surrounded by the history and artwork of this accomplished artist.

The grounds themselves were beautiful.  Behind the sign is the hotel which the red barn out back served until it became Raymer’s studio.  Raymer and his wife lived in the laundry room, which he eventually connected to the studio.

The cottage that is made available to the artists to stay in had been lived in by Raymer and his wife, and her parents, the hotel owners, before that. I especially loved the cheery yellow kitchen.

To work in space that Raymer had himself created in was a real treat.  A lovely little sitting area on one end…

…and my artwork hanging on the other end.

I even held a couple of workshops in this space!

A huge north window afforded not only daylight to work by, but also a view of the wonderful enclosed patio area… itself a work of art!

The brick wall, built by Raymer, had all kinds of interesting things inlaid in it…

Another little walled garden hides away on the north side of the studio.

Inside the studio, I loved seeing the way areas had been preserved just the way that Raymer left them when he died in 1991.  His last piece remains on the easel just as he left it.

Tools remain on the workbench as if ready for Raymer to pick them up and create yet another lovely and imaginative piece while his drummer boy painting looks on.

A variety of evidence of his creative genius clusters around the corner fireplace.

Everywhere you look in this well run museum you see evidence of Raymer’s creative genius. I enjoyed strolling around just hoping for a bit of it to soak through my pores and help me be as prolific and imaginative as this artist had been!

I can’t wait to show you some of Raymer’s artwork… but I will leave that for another day.

Hope you can make a visit to Lindsborg!  There is much to see and do in this small town.