Espresso? More like es-YES-so!

            Alright, that was cheesy. But we bet you laughed anyway. Even if you didn’t, perhaps you’ll enjoy these beautiful photos taken by our lovely baristas at our espresso bar.

 

      

      We told you they were beautiful, but that’s not all they are! Our espresso comes to us from Café Grumpy in Brooklyn, NY. They roast the no. 1 espresso in the Northeast, and the no. 2 roaster is Commonplace Coffee, our neighbor in Indiana who supplies our coffee beans!

            Not only will your visit support local businesses, but it also might yield in the best specialty drink you’ve ever had, in addition to providing a beautiful artistic atmosphere right in Downtown Indiana!

LINDA VAN GEHUCHTEN

       Linda Van Gehuchten first came to Indiana in 1992. She is a wood turner out of Sarver, Pennsylvania and also a teacher. She teachers her art to interested artists through the Indiana Council for the Arts. She enjoys working with wood and has an incredibly talented way of manipulating it, making everything from mirrors to clocks, all of which turn out spectacularly. Linda prefers to work alone but sometimes uses her husband to help with some of her projects.

 

       Linda’s pieces at The Artists Hand have been crafted with rare mastery and elegance. While all of her work is functional, each piece can stand on its own as a beautiful and decorative addition to your home. All of Linda’s turned selections are available for purchase, including the sophisticated pin stripe Balsamo Maple cutting boards and the ever-popular wine bottle stoppers pictured above.  

CHUCK BATTAGLINI

            Chuck is a retired IUP professor, who was once also a graduate from the University. He has been a member of the Indiana Community for 35 years and his artwork has proven to be quite popular. With collections in such places a PPG Industries, H.J Heinez Co. and Price Waterhouse, Chuck’s work is increasingly becoming renowned.

            Chuck’s pieces at The Artists Hand Gallery include selections from his Edges Series and Wall Series. These series are comprised of acrylic and digital mixed media studies of architecture and landscape from international cities such as Jannan, Taiwan, and Pompeii, Italy. The digital mixed media of Wall Series: Pompeii (shown above) reconciles the ancient with the contemporary by presenting a ruined city of antiquity through means of modern digital photography and paint.

            Pieces from Mr. Battaglini’s Edges Series are on display together at The Artists Hand Gallery, and look stunning when shown as a group. Stop by and see his work Tuesday through Saturday, and maybe enjoy a cup of coffee while you’re here!

Harold K. Miller

Harold K. Miller attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania, earning a B.A in Art in 1972 and a Masters in Printmaking and Education in 1975. After surviving 32 years in the Pennsylvania public school system, Harold retired in 2006 and began painting full time. Beginning with small plein-air studies, he gradually moved on to larger studio paintings. Of particular interest is a series depicting the farm structures on the Gettysburg battlefield. However, he has recently experienced the landscape of the American Southwest. He is currently adjusting his palette

and exploring that unique area.

Harold  has been influenced by the work of Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer, the Wyeths (N.C. and Andrew) and Sidney Laurence. 

Roadside Church $550

Harold's current work is oil painting on canvas board. His focus has been the Pennsylvania landscape and traditional buildings. The work captures a moment in time, light, and season.

Heading North $450

Harold works are intimate views of the landscape. Drawing the viewer in and giving comfort through familiarity. He is currently working on images from his recent trip to the American Southwest and we anticipate the same kind of intimate familiarity in the warm earth tones of that region.

Stop in to see Harold's work and our other local artists here at the Gallery, Tuesday through Saturday.

MICHAEL SMITHHAMMER

            “My intention is to provide viewers with an exhilarating, disorienting sense of wonder, similar to what one experiences while in a foreign country. It increases one’s awareness of the link between mind and world. I work n an improvisational manor, responding to how and what the material presents. When I first started, painting and drawing was enough. Later I started producing objects in wood, clay, metal, fibers, and plastics. Each material provides a particular challenge and resistance stimulating the process. Fabrication is an act of communication. I fabricate objects and images that are the embodiment of what I know lies beyond abstraction. There is energy in things such as plants, animals, human anatomy, and of course, space. There is also engineering or design, which dazzles and amazes with its infinite permutations.”

                                                                                    -Michael Smithhammer

            Michael’s ceramic pieces explore many of his mentioned influences; space, design, and nature. His works in our gallery range in size from small cups to potted planter to large, box-like pieces. Each is unique in its surface design, color, and texture. While some pieces appear stone-like with light pastel glazes, others are more richly decorated with deep earth tones and swirl motifs. While Michael’s ceramics can serve purely as decorative, it’s a bonus that they are simultaneously functional.