In Clarkesville, a family-run business that started with a shovel and an old barn is taking over the local arts scene.
After almost thirty years of development, the Art-Full Barn Art Community has formally reopened to the public, providing immersive art experiences for people of all ages.
From chicken litter to paint
The Clarkesville family team, consisting of Greg and Gail Kimsey, Tonya Kimsey Fowler, and Dawn Gunn, established their first co-op-style gallery and artist space in 1998 after clearing out an old chicken barn from the 1920s.
At the age of twelve, I cleaned out chicken feces. Tonya, who started showing her artwork at the barn as a young adolescent and had won medals by the time she was thirteen, thought it was disgusting.
The family business quickly expanded once the first barn doors were opened.
“People would ask if we could teach them how to paint it as they came in to look at the original art on furniture, canvas, and functional items,” Gail recalled.
In response, the Kimseys started teaching pottery and painting lessons. They added a whole line of art supplies after students had trouble finding them locally.
Still a family affair
The company has expanded gradually over the last 28 years, changing premises multiple times to meet demand. Only a mile west of Clarkesville’s town square, the Art-Full Barn is now a bustling creative campus. The property, which spans several acres, has three homes, outbuildings, art studios, woodland walks, and areas for teaching and shopping.
After graduating from the University of North Georgia with a degree in art, Tonya now teaches pottery lessons at the barn. Another artist and graphic designer/illustrator, her husband Jason Fowler, also exhibits and sometimes teaches there.
Now regularly hosting seminars, workshops, and gallery events, the Art-Full Barn showcases artwork by local artists, such as Greg Kimsey’s paintings and sketches inspired by nature. In addition to joining a local model club, visitors can purchase yard art, birdwatching materials, and model-making kits.
Resident Artist Dawn Gunn delivers seminars with a group of highly acclaimed professors and assists clients in finding the appropriate resources.
An arts destination
Additionally, The Appalachian Gap: An Artsy Shop & Studio, which provides workshops in traditional crafts like felting and weaving, is located on the same campus as the barn.
Collectively, these companies have contributed to Clarkesville’s development as a premier arts destination in the mountains of Northeast Georgia.
The group intends to add raku ceramics, photography, plein air painting, guided nature walks, and perhaps on-site getaways to the list of educational offerings in the future. For the time being, however, their message to the community is simple and well-known: The barn door is open.
