We're Celebrating 5 Years!

     July 13, 2012 The Artists Hand Gallery and Espresso Bar opened it's doors. Our mission, to provide local artists with a venue to sell their work locally, and to provide the Downtown with artisan coffee drinks. We started out working with Commonplace Coffee, and they still provide our signature Artist Hand espresso.We are proud of our place in Indiana's downtown, and of the artists we represent. It's not always easy to sell art, and yet we have provided our community with the work of several local favorites like potter Jr Sherburne, our artist in residence, not to mention our potters Francis DeFabo and Rich French.  Local painters Mark Altrogge, Harold Miller, Greg Langham, and Mandi Moerland are also among our top sellers. Our jewelry artists, Sharon Shepard, Chere Winnek-Shawer, and Barb Kubala continue to wow. And these are only a few of the incredible artists and artisans that are represented at The Artists Hand!

   Over the last five years we have taken our position as the Arts destination downtown very seriously. We have offered  art classes for creators of all ages. Saturday Workshops for elementary children, art lessons for children from middle to high school ages. Most recently adding adult workshops in painting, with Mark Altrogge, and guitar, with Al Craige, and our Eat Drink Create BYOB Art Activities for adults. And we also have seen our space used for great events like the "Love of Life" kick off to several community events, like fundraising for the Community Garden. The Artist Hand has become the place for the Arts in downtown Indiana, and it's a good place to be.

  So we have decided to celebrate! Beginning July 13, 2017, the date of our Anniversary, ending Saturday, July 15, we are going to host a series of events that both thank and honor all those who have helped us to keep our doors open. Thursday, July 13 we will host our Investors and Members at an informal wine and cheese gathering,from 6 to 8, on Friday, July 14 we will hold our "Party for the Arts", a mini arts festival, from 6 to 10. The band Somebody To Love will perform, there will be arts activities, and food. The cost to enter the party is $10 per person, and kids 12 and under are free. Saturday we will have sidewalk sales from 10 AM to 4 PM, showcasing several of our artists and arts organizations and we will close with the public reception for our art show of the Month. In July we will showcase the work of J.R. Sherburne and Ken Vinton. So save the dates and plan on joining us for a very special celebration in Downtown Indiana!

We are happy to be in Downtown Indiana and happy to have you as our devoted customers! Thank you!

The Artist Hand Gallery and Espresso Bar

732 Philadelphia Street, Indian

724-463-8710

contact@theartistshandgallery.com

Oh! My Pearls!

We have some custom made pearl jewelry featured in our gallery made by local artist, Chere' Winnek- Shawer.

About these pearls: 

"Akoya Pearls are salt-water pearls, and the name "Akoya" comes from the oyster that produces the pearl. Akoya pearls are cultured in the Pinctada fucata martensii, also known as the akoya oyster. this mollusk is found and farmed primarily in Japan and China. Akoyas are known for their wonderful luster and are considered the classic pearl. they are generally white or cream colored, with overtone colors of rose, silver, or cream." -Chere' Winnek- Shawer

Salt Water Pearls
SS Wires
$50

G Filled Clasp & Rondels
Sleeping Beauty Mine Turquoise
$500

Stop in to purchase Chere's jewelry and enjoy a drink from our Espresso Bar! We hope to see you soon! :) 

-The Artists Hand Gallery & Espresso Bar 

Oil and Canvas Moves Exhibition

This May, we have a new exhibition in our gallery: 
Oil and Canvas Moves by Mandi Moerland

Feel the Beat #2
$385

A note from the artist: 

"My paintings are about figure and moments. I paint with oils on canvas, with an emphasis on brush stroke and line. My background in dance has influenced my paintings, which include images of women and dancers. I believe the most successful paintings develop when something common elicits something new for the viewer. My work continues to evolve with focus on line, figure, color and abstraction. I have exhibited in juried shows in New York City, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C. and The Artists Hand Gallery." -Mandi Moerland 

Heads Up 
$150

Hannah's Curtains
$500

Exhibition Dates: May 3rd-June 5th
Opening Night Reception: May 5th, 2017 @6pm 

Please stop into the gallery to purchase one or more of Mandi's stunning paintings and enjoy a drink & treat from our espresso bar! 

-The Artists Hand Gallery & Espresso Bar 
www.theartistshandgallery.com 

What's the Stitch: New Quilts!

Love quilts? We've got some for you! Our gallery has an assortment of Antoinette Nester's lovely quilts available for purchase. 

Pet Quilts
23x18  $35
36x22  $45

Don't be fooled by Grumpy Cat's face... he loves the comfy pet quilts; he hasn't left for days! We also have full length quilts available in a variety of patterns. 

Painted Cats Quilt
50x70
$275

4 Patterned Quilts
50x70
$275 each 

Please stop into The Artists Hand to purchase some of Atnoinette's quilts and enjoy a drink & treat from our Espresso Bar! We hope to see you soon! :) 

-The Artists Hand Gallery & Espresso Bar 
www.theartistshandgallery.com

The University Museum Goes Downtown Ceramics

This April, we have a new exhibition in our gallery: The University Museum Goes Downtown Ceramics. This exhibition runs from April 5th to May 1st and features examples from IUP University Museum's ceramic collection. There are over 20 objects, representing numerous styles, time periods, and artists. 

One featured artist in this exhibit is Japanese- American ceramist, Toshiko Takaezu. Her closed pots, round spheres, and tall cylinders are inspired from natural forms that help lift and promote the production of ceramics as functional vessels to the status of fine art. 

Please stop by The Artists Hand this month to view the ceramics featured in this exhibit and enjoy drinks and pastries from our Espresso Bar!

Visit our website,  www.theArtistsHandGallery.com, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more information and updates! 

-Ali Walker and the rest of us at The Artists Hand Gallery :)

Weekly Game Night

Do you ever crave a stress-free night of games and puzzles? I know I do! If so, you're in luck!! Every Wednesday night from 5-7pm, the Artists Hand hosts game night! 

We have a number of games and puzzles in our gallery including Sorry!, Yahtzee, Backgammon, and Trivial Pursuit.You are more than welcome to bring your own games too! 

We even have specialty drinks available on game night. 

Please join us for next week's game night. It'll be a lot of fun! :) 

-Ali and the rest of us at The Artists Hand

April Events

Hello, lovely blog followers!

This April, we have some exciting events happening at The Artists Hand! 

Eat. Drink. Create. 

April 15 @ 6-8pm

Enjoy a relaxing evening of creating jewelry with friends and family! You bring the food and wine. We provide the art supplies and instructor. Please call us at (724)463-8710 or visit our website for more info and to make a reservation! 

Game Night
Wednesdays @ 5-7pm
Enjoy a fun night of games!
Bring your own games or play ours. 
Special Themed Drinks

Open Mic Night 
April 21 @6pm 
Join us for a night of live music from our talented locals!
Free Espresso Bar drinks for the first 3 performers.
BYOB

We hope that you stop by The Artists Hand to enjoy our artwork, events, and seasonal coffee from our Espresso Bar. 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! 
Visit our website,  www.theArtistsHandGallery.com, for more information and updates! 

-Ali Walker and the rest of us at The Artists Hand Gallery :)

IHS Talent Art Show

Hello!

This month we are supporting local high school artists in our annual IHS Talent Art Show! This exhibition runs from March 8- April 3, 2017 and the opening night is tonight, April 10 at 6pm. Please stop in to support our talented high school students!

Hannah Wood
Snow-Capped Mountains Acrylic
23x28    NFS

Iris Rogerson
Splatter Set Ceramic
5" Tall   POR

Ashleigh Bowman
Belisana Pendant
2x2   NFS

We hope to see you in The Artists Hand to view the rest of the student artwork and enjoy wonderful seasonal coffee from our Espresso Bar. 

Follow our Facebook page and website, www.theArtistsHandGallery.com, for more information and updates! 

Meet the Artist!

Happy Saturday!!

This week's blog features the artwork of Alan Affolter. This local artists moved to Indiana in 1980 as a hired hand on a dairy farm. He left the farm but loved the area and made Indiana his home, where he still resides with his wife and two children. Allen has professional artists on both sides of his family so inspiration was plentiful. he specializes in pencil, pen, ink, and watercolor and characterizes his work as "illustration".

A variety of Allen's coasters and plaques are displayed in our gallery. My personal favorite is the "Falling Leaves" plaque and coasters (plaque pictured below).

Falling Leaves Plaque
$22

"I love the challenge of capturing the moment, the action, the mood, or the personality of the character. Hopefully that's what you see in my art."
-Alan Affolter

This piece certainly captures a blissful moment shared in the heart of the Fall season.


Please stop into The Artists Hand to purchase some of Alan's work and enjoy wonderful seasonal coffee from our Espresso Bar. Also, please check our Facebook page and website, www.theArtistsHandGallery.com, for more information!


-Ali Walker and the rest of us at The Artists Hand Gallery :)

Upcoming Events

Hello Everyone!

The Artists Hand has some great events coming up!

Join us for a fun night of painting at our Eat Drink Create this Saturday, February 18th from 6-8pm. You bring the food and wine and we provide the art materials with a local artist for instruction. At the end of the session, you get to take home your own original artwork. It's not too late to sign up so please visit www.theartistshandgallery.com, call (724)463-8710, or stop in to make a reservation. This session is $35 per person.

Our Kid's Classes are from 1-2:30pm on Saturday, February 18th and Saturday, February 25th. Classes are geared towards Grades 1-4.


Our next Art Lesson takes place from 5-6:30pm on Tuesday, February 28th. Classes are geared towards Grades 5-8.



Both the Kid's Classes and Art Lessons are instructed by IUP Future Art Educators. Each session is $20 with a 10% discount available.


For updates on our upcoming events please visit our Facebook, website (www.theartistshandgallery.com), Instagram, Twitter, and blog!

-The Artists Hand Gallery & Espresso Bar

We are back!

We are pleased to announce that our blog is back in business! As the Artist Hand's new intern, I am looking forward to sharing artwork along with upcoming events on this blog. One piece of art that has already caught my eye belongs to our featured artist, Hsiao Busch. From drawing on walls and glass windows in Taiwan as a child to teaching art in Pennsylvania, this artist has always had a passion for artistic expression. Her work is mainly inspired by random objects and landscapes in her daily life.

Hsiao's exhibition "Metamorphosis" displays work that reflects a combination of old and new experiences. "Reminiscence of the exact location is not my focus, rather to capture the memory or the experience of the moment when I visited the place." Hsiao gives viewers a taste of her experiences with room to place their own.

Sunset Creek
$350

Pictured left is my favorite piece from Hsiao's exhibition "Metamorphosis". When I first walked past this piece, familiarity tickled the hair on my arms. Much like Hsiao, I can't put a specific location to this piece but I can remember the touch and sound that I experienced. Even though my body is stuck dragging through slushy sidewalks, this painting leaves my soul lounging on cool grass.




Please stop into The Artists Hand to purchase some of Hsiao's work and enjoy wonderful seasonal coffee from our Espresso Bar. Also, please check our Facebook page and website, www.theArtistsHandGallery.com, for more information!

All best,
Ali Walker and the rest of us at The Artists Hand Gallery :)

Buying Art

It's been quite a summer! On Friday, July 10, we celebrated our third Anniversary with an art opening and a members party.

We also kicked off our Green Hand Campaign, an effort to draw more art patrons in to the Gallery.The goal of the campaign is to sell art and help sustain and grow the Artists Hand so that it can continue to be a hub of creative activity in our community.

Between now and Thanksgiving we would like to have 100 patrons committed to purchasing art for $550 or more. That may sound like a lot, so we want to make it easy.  You can pledge $50 per month for 11 months, and then you can choose $550 dollars worth of art. Begin to pledge today and you can do your Christmas shopping at the Gallery (see one of our baristas for details). If you make the pledge or purchase work out right, we will make you a Sustaining Member, with all of the benefits and perks given to our Charter Members.  That is you will have a Green Hand displayed in the Gallery with your name engraved, coffee drinks at a 10% discount, a 5% discount in the gallery, and invitations to special events. You can also use our regular layaway plan and pay 50% down and make the remaining payments over 3 months. Whichever way you choose, we want to extend the invitation for you to come out and look at the high quality work we have here at the Gallery, by artists who may even be your neighbors.

We also kicked off our own Artists Gallery website through Fine Art America. Here you will find the work of select artists, that is currently hanging in the gallery. Folks from all over the world can view the work of our artists and make purchases. We can ship work easily within the continental United States, and have shipped to further destinations as well. Just click over here,  http://the-artists-hand-gallery-and-espresso-bar.artistwebsites.com/index.html and see what's available.

Shanghai; Bill Double

Morning Chores; Harold Miller

We continue to strive to bring the Indiana Community a quality art experience. And to provide high quality art for purchase at a reasonable price. The Collector's Corner continues to be a favorite place for patrons to find a work of art by their favorite artist, at a price that is a little easier on the pocket book.

In addition to selling art the Gallery and Espresso bar has been host to several events, both public and private, this summer. We've hosted four showers, Eat, Drink Creates, and the filming of a commercial by a local film company.

Please feel free to contact the Gallery or Espresso Bar if you have any questions about events, the Green Hand campaign, or the purchase of art. Our baristas and gallery managers, Sandy & Sam, are always happy to help. Thank you for continuing to support this dream of an arts destination in Downtown Indiana. And we'll see you soon for a cup of coffee and a tour of local artwork.

The Artists hand Gallery & Espresso Bar

732 Philadelphia Street, Indiana

724-463-8710

contact@theartistshandgallery.com

TheArtistsHandGallery.com

Summer's Here!

What's Happening in June at the Gallery and Espresso Bar?

The Indiana Art Association will host its Annual Spring Show here at the Gallery beginning June 3rd. The public reception is Friday, June 5 from 6 to 8. Mark your calendars.

Our Friday nights continue to be a good time.
               Friday, June 19, 6 to 8, Open Mic- Bring and instrument and play or BYOB and enjoy the music.
               Friday, June 26, 6 to 8, Lit Nite- our hugely popular gathering of poets, writers and such. Stop in                                                                      and be entertained or share your own deep thoughts.

On select Saturday mornings Children's Make and Take will continue with a variety of Do-It-Yourself activities at a nominal fee.


Saturday,  June 20, 6 to 8, Eat, Drink, Create with Barb Kubala
        Bring along the eat and drink and we'll provide the create. $35 per person

Chidren's Make and Take will continue in a modified way. Since our instructors are home for the summer we will offer the workshop and materials for $10 per student, select Saturday mornings from 10 AM to 11:30 AM. Children and parents are welcome to work together to create with the selected materials for the week.

Saturday, June 6  Decorate a Box     June 13 Pop-Up Cards   

June 20 Origami                              July 11     Watercolors             

August 1 Paint  a T-shirt (Bring your own shirt)  August 8  Paint a clay house    

August 15  TBA                  August 22  TBA

As always we have incredible work by local and regional artists at reasonable prices. We have a generous payment plan as well. So stop in this summer and see all that's happening at the gallery.

732 Philadelphia Street

724-463-8710

contact@TheArtistsHandGallery.com

May Schedule 2015

May promises to be just as interesting here at the Artists Hand as April. So mark your calendars and we'll see you soon.

May's Art show; "Putting It Together: Five Collage Artists"
                                  May 5 through June 1
                        Public Reception; Friday May 8, 6 to 8
                         Member Pre-reception 5:30

May 15: The Old Saw Story Slam  Theme: Mother!    6 to 8
                Stop in share a story or just listen

May 16: Eat, Drink, Create  6 to 8
                    Bring a friend and some snacks

May 22:  Open Mic! 6 to 8
                  Bring a guitar, bring a friend!

May 29: Lit Nite 6 to 8


Don't forget we have great art by local artists. When you buy art you help support local artists and artisans. It's easy to buy art!

We have great baristas and great coffee drinks!

Stop in and say hi sometime!

New work in the Gallery!

We are pleased to announce that some of our favorites have brought in new work. Our current show is Photography 2015, and there are some fantastic examples of  modern photography at really reasonable prices. But, some of our regulars have recently brought in new work that is also wonderful, and so I thought that this week I would share a couple of pieces with you.

Jolene Joyner
The Messenger $200 

Lora Marsh
Ocean $450

Harold Miller
Tobacco Barn $325

Bill Perry
New Snow $400

Sandy Pembleton
Spectrum  $167.50

Come in to the Gallery and take a look. The work is beautiful and the prices reasonable. Valentine's Day is just around the corner!

732 Philadelphia St, Indiana        724-463-8710

February!

Well, we've made it past Groundhog Day and the little rodent has promised six more weeks of winter. Sigh.

Sterling Silver Heart
by Kim Conover- Loar

But the good news is that there is a lot to do here at the Artists Hand if you've got cabin fever. First and foremost there is a great selection of art by local artists to view and buy. Many of our jewelers have made special items for Valentines' Day. Those of us with February birthdays love art as gifts! There are also some fantastic hot drinks at our Espresso bar, and you can add a shot of any of our famous homemade simple syrups.

There is also the chance for Eat, Drink, Create parties. Schedule a party with your friends or Valentine. The cost is $35 per person, and the minimum group is 5 people, so three couples could get together and have a great time making their own work of art.





If you're looking for some winter activities, consider our ART OPENING this Friday from 6 to 8. We are featuring the Photography Exhibition 2015. Local artist juried into this group show.

Svolvaer Dock by Jean Turton

Next Friday February 13 is our Old Saw Story Slam from 6 to 8. The theme for February is "He Said She Said". Bring a friend and come tell your story or have a great time listening to others.

There's plenty for kids to do as well. Our Saturday Make & Takes continue in February with Parker Boerner leading them in fun February activities. Snapology will begin its Tuesday After School activities again February 17 from 4 to 6. And they will host a morning activity for Home schoolers, Weds. the 18th from 10 to 12. Enroll at the link below or call 844-SNAPCLASS for more information: 

http://app.jackrabbitclass.com/OpeningsDirect.asp?id=519924


There's a great cure for cabin fever here at the Artists Hand! Stop in and warm up! 

www.TheArtistsHandGallery.com          732 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA          724-463-8710

Check Us Out on YouTube!

Don't Buy With Your Head - Buy With Your Heart

Bill Double is an artist at The Artists Hand, and a person very involved in the life of the arts in Indiana County. He and his wife Linda have a wonderful art collection, so I asked Bill to tell us why they buy art. The following is his response.

Don’t buy with your Head – Buy with your Heart

Bill Double; Wayne & Washington, $225

Art like theater, dance, great movies, a good book, and great music should tell us a story, touch and inspire us.  I make Art and buy Art.  The artist’s goal is share something special with the viewer. Great Art tells stories that touch your heart.  I buy art to share a piece of what the artist saying.  That way I get to share these special stories everyday. I give Art to share with someone that which touches me. I make Art to share beautiful places, things and stories that I am touched by.

Bill Double; Landscape?, $50

Bill Double              

Marion Grelle; Afternoon Gathering, $30

Here at The Artists Hand Gallery, we have a wonderful diversity of paintings and photographs to touch any heart. There is representational work, figurative work, and abstracts. Prices range from $35 to $1000, well within many budgets. Stop in to the gallery sometime during these grim winter months and find a piece that speaks to you, take it home and let it lift you out of the depths of winter.

Bill Perry; Evening Cornfield $400

Mandi Moerland; The Girls 3 of 5 $95

Greg Langham; Hidden Images, $275

Charles Battaglini; Edges-Over Angor Wat, $700

Ron Juliette, Becky's Rose, $150

Laura Ferguson; Print Media 1.0, $75

Joy Fairbanks: Happy Hands, $300

Stop in for a great warm drink and a beautiful work of art.

732 Philadelphia Street

724-463-8710

contact@theartistshandgallery.com