Our Mission
Enhancing our lives with Art & Antiques & Animals. The Old Barn Gallery is really an extension of our lives and abodes. Yes, there are several on the farm. – The Hill House where we live in summer - The Charming Cottage and Carriage House Loft we rent to guests. All of them filled with original art, antiques & vintage textiles, making each one warm, cozy, and personal.
Our mission is to help customers enhance their lives with beautiful, original, handmade things. What is the point of buying art if it’s not to enhance/decorate your home? – Yes, art of all sorts is an investment. It‘s handmade, and it‘s real, and therefore, will last your lifetime and way beyond. Art will always have value, and perhaps increase in value, and of course, art includes a lot more than paintings and sculpture. Some people put such things as hand turned bowls, quilts, hooked rugs, fabric art, folk art into the crafts category as opposed to so-called fine art. But, I don’t see it that way. If it’s a question of the hours the artist put into his piece, then it’s likely that the rug hooker spent a lot more time than the painter – or maybe not!
My opinion is that art and antiques should be bought to live with! – If what you bought turns out to have great value, so much the better. However, in that case, you might be pressured to sell something you’ve lived with and loved for many years. – If you see something in a gallery or antique shop, and you fall in love . . . Then, for heaven’s sake, BUY IT! – You’ll never regret the money paid if you enjoy the piece daily, yearly in your home. In fact, you’ll forget what you paid for it, and just enjoy.
For me, art needs to be decorative — In my own home I love mixing up textures, styles, and colors. If I find a beautiful rock or a piece of driftwood, it’s found art, and finds its way onto my mantle just underneath an original painting. Not all rocks are beautiful and not all pieces of wood are interesting just as not all paintings are good but beauty is recognizable and if it pleases you, and even excites you, you’ll never regret buying the piece or having lugged it home from the beach or forest. Art is an investment. —An investment in your life.
To help people choose paintings, quilts, hooked mats and decorative pillows for their homes, we’ve got large panels (4 x 8’) painted different colors so you can visualize what will look good on your own walls and furniture. – See something you like in the Gallery, well take it off the wall and over to one of the panels with a color similar to your walls.
Come on out and discover the Old Barn Gallery at Beaver Dam Farm – Along with the magnificent gallery, we have wonderful, old-fashioned cottage gardens all around the farm, and especially just outside the gallery. We’ve placed tables and chairs to encourage our visitors to sit and smell the roses while sipping a coffee. – This summer we’ll be offering our Cookies of the Week. Each week a different scrumptious cookie.
- Carol Rivoire – co-owner
