Lehman's Country Life

Weaving during a recent Fiber Arts Demo

 I thought I would share with you some photos of recent Ohio Arts and Crafts Guild demos taking place at Lehman’s in the Buggy Barn.  You can see whats on the schedule for upcoming demos here: 

 We’ve been getting together a talented group of local artists to share with you the work of their hands and knowledge of their craft during these demos or to just share ideas to inspire each other.   From participating in  demos the last couple years at Lehmans I think the most pleasant part about it is to hear from visitors to the store what they make or create.  You are a creative bunch so thank you for your interest and appreciation.     I’ll be in this Friday to add to the farm animal murals so stop in and say hi!           

Pottery Demo

Hand Tools from Fiber Arts Demo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equine Art and Farm Animal Mural by Sue Steiner

Wool Rug Hooking Demo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My daughter spent about an hour this afternoon grooming my gelding Boomer. His winter coat is coming loose and he’s making his yearly transformation into “a horse of a different color”. I’d have liked to used a “butterfly emerging” analogy right there, but it’s tough to make that comparison when the “butterfly” is engaged in adding to the ten inches of manure recently released from the snow in the corners of the paddock. Spring . . . again. The horses are molting and it’s time to see about renting a loader tractor for the weekend.

Spring time is fence fixing time. This year we’re going to try what is essentially barbless barbed wire. It’s the same gauge of twisted wire- just no barbs. And that’s worth commenting on. I’ve been on the receiving end of enough abuse, from my daughter’s mare, over the administering of shots, that I have absolutely no inclination to create a situation where knowing how to stitch up horses is a worthwhile addition to my skill set. Boomer might stand still for it. Whisper, while gentle in non-syringe circumstances, is fast and accurate through 360 degrees when confronted with needles. I can sympathize as I’m not terribly fond of them myself. With that said, I’ve never attempted to relocate a knee cap on the lab tech when it’s cholesterol checking time. So even though the vet and I invariably win the tussle- we lose.
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Last year I blogged about hypnotizing chickens. Recently, I visited a friend with a small homestead farm. As the 10 or so guys in our group sat around the kitchen table, I found myself talking about the phenomena. Guys being guys, I was immediately challenged.

“Prove it!” they said.

Little did they know that one of them would soon be in a trance.

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Young Colt Mural in the Buggy Barn

My name is Sue Steiner and I am the artist painting the farm animal murals in the Buggy Barn.   A couple years ago I painted the outside farm animal murals and now I am working on adding to the murals in the Buggy Barn,  an authentic century old post and beam structure used by the Amish to store buggies and house animals.  The buggy barn in the store was dismantled on the farm and reconstructed in the store.  My job has been to add the ’animal’ element to the barn.   Jay Lehman has been busy adding antique farm implements and tools in the buggy barn just as you’d expect to see in the real thing.   It is becoming quite an interesting place!  I particularly enjoy seeing the young kids faces when they see the animals.

On many Fridays from 10-2:00 you can find me working on the latest mural.  As I am nearing completion of the young colt painting (pictured above) I have begun to tally votes for the next farm animal to go in the Buggy Barn.  I’ve been asking people to leave comments here or to give me their vote when I am in the store painting.  Some of the suggestions I’ve recieved have been barn cats, piglets, goats, calf, mouse, oxen and llama.  Popular vote has been the sheep goes in next.  You can see my rough sketch with chalk below the roosting chickens as I am beginning to plan out what I will paint.

rough sketch of ewe

I am letting you determine what goes in after I complete the sheep so if you want to register your vote now is your chance!  Feel free to say any of the animals already mentioned or one of your own choosing.   I am game for what you all decide- provided it makes sense that it would be seen in an Amish Buggy Barn!

To see when I am scheduled to paint again click on the Events tab on the top of this page.

Thank you!

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Original Oil Painting By Sue Steiner

Check out the Events Calendar on this page to see the schedule of local artisans sharing their knowledge and skills in Lehman’s Buggy Barn as demos.   We are fortunate to have a wide variety of local, talented folks from the Ohio Arts and Crafts Guild who welcome the chance to talk with visitors to the store on topics of interest such as environmentally ‘green’  activities, farm related arts and crafts,  pottery, wood carving, farm animal art, rural landscape oil paintings and gardening.

This week Devona of Clevernesting will be back with her garden themed crafts using recycled items normally thrown away.  Last week she shared with us seed catalog art, plastic grocery bag woven baskets and coffee bag seed starter pots.  You’ll enjoy her enthusiam as she shares her wealth of ideas and tutorials on how to make the most with the least using commonly found items!
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Beginning April 17, 2009 I will be back in the Buggy Barn most Fridays working on the farm animal murals.  My name is Sue Steiner and I am a local equine and animal artist.  I have this wonderful opportunity to do what I love best- paint animals in an authentic Amish Buggy Barn.  My job has been to add atmosphere and interest.  You’ll find old farm implements, garden tools and other farm related items and a barn full of farm animal murals!   I am inviting input as to what animal needs to go in next.  (There are still blank spots– can’t have that!!)  There is something in every farmer that knows you MUST fill your barn all the way!

I have a young colt mural I need to put some finishing touches to but after that I am ready to move to another spot.  In the Buggy Barn  in addition to the young colt we have a flock of  roosting hens, Bess; the family milk cow, a couple buggy horses and the team of Amish work horses Rex and Roy at the hitching post.   So we are fairly heavily slanted in the horse department but want to be an equal opportunity farm so lets hear it from you as to what is your favorite farm animal?  You are welcome to comment here.  I also will have a suggestion box in the Buggy Barn so if you are in the store please stop in, see the murals and give us your opinion!

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Ohio Arts and Crafts members had such a great time last fall and winter interacting and demonstrating in the Buggy Barn at Lehman’s they will be back again starting next week until the end of the year.

You can go to Lehman’s Events calendar and see who is scheduled so far and the themes of the various demos.  We are inviting a wide variety of artists and crafters to share their skills and knowledge with you for demos sure to please all ages!  Expect to see woodworking, mural painting and farm animal art, hands on crafts using recycled materials, wool rug hooking, spinning and weaving, fiber arts and pottery to name a few.

Check back often or sign up to be notified when an event is entered on the calendar.  You can plan your trip to Kidron knowing what demo is scheduled that day.  Stop in the Buggy Barn and be inspired!

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Hobby Farms Photo Shoot

Lehman’s has often been ‘in the news’ over the years but last Friday was a special day for me. It was a day that I got to be in the spotlight.  Jodi Miller, a free lance photographer from the Columbus area drove up and spent the day with me on a photo shoot for Hobby Farms Home magazine. I am an equine and animal artist living in the Kidron/Dalton area. I painted the farm animal and Hitching Post murals at Lehman’s over the last couple years during store hours as part of Lehman’s arts and crafts demos in the Buggy barn. 
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At some level- we were manipulated. It wasn’t something either my wife or myself were consciously aware of at the time, but whatever it is that did it is that same something that attracts kids ‘n’ critters to my wife. Of that I’m pretty confident. They just seem to keep coming.

“Testing. Testing one, two, three. This is your subconscious speaking and tonight’s program is entitled Llamas: Why No Homestead Should Be Without a Pair. But before we begin the presentation, we’d like to congratulate you on the way you handled your husband’s reluctance to share his underwear drawer with the latest batch of kittens. That was very well argued!”

Maybe it’s some DNA-based-racial-memory thing that the ideal husband is one who will willingly chase down wildebeests, on the Savannah, dressed in a loin cloth.
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