Name The Cow Sculpture Contest at the Dahmen Barn

Contest!!!

 Help name the cow sculpture and win ice cream! 

The National Endowment for the Arts funded public art projects for the Uniontown Community Development Association to be located near highway 195 at the north and south entries to the town.

 

Working with UCDA's Julie Hartwig and area farmers to procure metal parts from old agricultural equipment, Lewiston artist John Bergen is creating a larger-than-life cow to be installed in the field across from the Dahmen Barn at the north end of town. Use of these parts celebrates Uniontown's farming roots and will remind viewers that the Dahmen Barn was built for use as a commercial dairy.

UCDA is kicking off the "Name the Cow Sculpture Contest" at the Dahmen Barn's 7th annual fall event, "An Old Fashioned Sunday in Autumn" on September 15 from 11 am to 4 pm.

 

Ideas for names must be submitted at Artisans at the Dahmen Barn that day or until September 30.  Junette Dahmen, donor of the Barn to the community, will select her favorite name and the winner will enjoy an ice cream prize.

Artisans at the Dahmen Barn is a non-profit creativity center in Uniontown.

 

The three story facility is fully handicap accessible and has no daily admission fee.  It is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.  Information:  www.artisanbarn.org or 509-229-3414.

 

Jonathan Sachs' "Somethin' 'bout an Old Farm Truck" Exhibit Opening Reception June 2, 2013

On Sunday, June 2, 2013, from 1 to 3 pm, at Artisans at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown, the opening reception for an exhibit of photography by Jonathan Sachs titled “Somethin’ ‘bout an Old Farm Truck” will be held.

 

Images are from the collection of Dave Jones’ old trucks in Sprague, Washington and aerial photos of the Palouse.

 

Jonathan Sacks is a professional photographer and graphic designer from Burlington, Massachusetts who works in a variety of styles and subjects, but leans toward landscapes. 

 

He has recently been doing aerial photography, particularly of farm lands.  He considers the Palouse the most intriguing landscape he has ever flown above and photographed.

 

During a trip to the Palouse in 2011, he ran across Dave Jones' collection of old trucks in Sprague, Washington.  He fell in love with the old trucks, which temporarily captured his attention, even from the magnificent Palouse.

 

He contacted Dave Jones and the two decided to work together on a book about the trucks.  The exhibit continues through June 30.

The truck project has morphed a book titled "Dave’s Old Truck Rescue” that was funded through Kickstarter. Copies of the book will be for sale and Jonathan and Dave will sign copies during the opening reception on Sunday, June 2 from 1 to 3 pm.  Photos of Dave’s old trucks as well as posters and magnets will be available for purchase.

 

Says Jones about his trucks,

"These old trucks, they fed a lot of people. These were agricultural trucks at one time, and hauled a lot of grain, hauled a lot of fertilizer, hauled a lot of hay, hauled a lot of cattle, just hard working old trucks. Just like the farmers who owned them."

Artisans at the Dahmen Barn is a non-profit creativity center at 419 N Highway 195 in Uniontown, Washington, in the big white barn behind the famous iron wheel fence.

The three storey facility is fully handicap accessible and has no daily admission fee.  Open hours are Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.  Information:  www.artisanbarn.org or 509-229-3414.

Uniontown is Grantee for National Endowment for the Arts 2012 Our Town Grant

Uniontown Community Development Association is one of 80 grantees selected nationwide

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced today the award of 80 Our Town grants to communities in 44 states for work on “creative placemaking”.  The Uniontown Community Development Association is one of the grantees, and will be working to enhance the identity of Uniontown as a center of creativity.

Through Our Town, the NEA supports creative placemaking projects that help transform communities into lively, attractive, and sustainable places.  The NEA funded projects will encourage creative activity, create community identity, enhance the sense of place, and help revitalize local economies.  All Our Town grant awards are made to partnerships that consisted of a minimum of a not-for-profit organization and a local government entity.

The Uniontown placemaking project will be led by the Uniontown Community Development Association with assistance provided by the Washington State University Rural Design Initiative, Hutchison and Maul Architects, Artisans at the Dahmen Barn, the Uniontown Planning Commission and residents of the Uniontown and Colton communities.  The project will include the development of:

• A plan for a bike/pedestrian path between Uniontown and the Colton School.
• Public art to be installed at the entries to the Uniontown community.
• A site and landscaping plan for the Dahmen Barn site and field.
• A design for the expansion of the Dahmen Barn including an amphitheater stage.

Uniontown, Washington, is in the center of the rural area known as the Palouse, which includes southeastern Washington and north central Idaho.

From its beginning, the community became primarily an agricultural service and retail center, but the need for these services in a small rural town declined over the past 50 years.  In the mid 1990s, community volunteers began working to help reinvent the town.

In 2002, the Uniontown Community Development Association (UCDA) was formed. The first project was the restoration of an historic building, now used by an old style craftsman bakery.

In 2004, UCDA took on the challenge of restoring the Dahmen Barn, to provide a community arts space with studios, classrooms, performance space, and a cooperative retail shop.  The Artisans at the Dahmen Barn was opened in 2006.

Contact: Dale Miller, dalemiller41@gmail.com, 509-229-3655

Leslee Miller, Uniontown resident and manager of Artisans at the Dahmen Barn, said, “We are flattered that our tiny, rural community has received this national recognition and funding for our work.  A path between Uniontown and Colton has been a dream for decades.  This funding will bring it one step closer to reality."

NEA Chairman Landesman, said, "Cities and towns are transformed when you bring the arts – both literally and figuratively – into the center of them. From Teller, Alaska to Miami, Florida, communities are pursuing creative placemaking, making their neighborhoods more vibrant and robust by investing in the performing, visual, and literary arts.  I am proud to be partnering with these 80 communities and their respective arts, civic, and elected leaders."

The NEA received 317 applications for Our Town that were assigned to one of three application review panels based on their project type; arts engagement, cultural planning and design, or non-metro and tribal communities.

The Uniontown Community Development Association (UCDA) is the project manager.  The purpose of the Association includes combating community deterioration, promoting the social welfare of the community and reversing the decline in employment opportunities.  UCDA is managed and operated by a volunteer board of directors.   The Town of Uniontown will work primarily through the Planning Commission to assist with general development planning, co-sponsoring community workshops and facilitating community involvement.

Additional partners include the Artisans at the Dahmen Barn non-profit corporation, the Washington State University Rural Community Design Initiative and Hutchison & Maul Architects.

The Artisans at the Dahmen Barn organization was set up in 2009 to manage the day to day operation of the artisan programs and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The artisans will coordinate the selection and installation of the public at the entries to the Town.

WSU Rural Community Design program will incorporate the development and landscaping plan for the site in their fall semester work, and the development of the bike/pedestrian path plan in the spring semester studio work.

Hutchison & Maul Architects will provide the design development for accessory building(s) and the amphitheater stage.

The town of Colton and the Colton/Uniontown School District are supporting participants.  Additional support is being provided by the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association and the business development department of Avista utilities.  These organizations will be involved in reviewing plans and designs and facilitating community participation.

Competition was strong, and only 80 projects were selected. Uniontown’s project is the only proposal that was funded in the State of Washington, a testament to the excellence and merit of the proposal submitted by the Uniontown Community Development Association.

The Community Marketplace Adds Many Antiques Outlets in Uniontown

Nine more reasons to make Uniontown your antique destination

Uniontown Community Development Association (509 229-3655) reports the Community Marketplace is a new antique mall housed in an antique building in Uniontown. The primary tenant is Patty Iulo, whose business is titled Miss Maggie’s, plus eight other dealers.  Located on highway 195 at 118 S. Montgomery, the mall is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Sunday on occasion. Phone (509) 229-3233.

Iulo started her official antique career in March by setting up her specialty -- antique jewelry -- in a corner at Green Cottage Antiques Uniontown.  There, proprietress Barbara Reed mentored her. Born and raised in Pullman with many family ties to Uniontown, Iulo has loved antiques her entire life. After working 22 years at WSU, she decided it was time to downsize the stress in her life and begin following her dream. She heard about the building being available for rent and in August Iulo relocated her operation.

Miss Maggie’s takes the front portion of the building where Iulo displays an eclectic collection of antiques. In addition to jewelry, she has furniture, glass, collectibles and primitive items.  Her inventory also includes things for men.  She buys at auctions and estate sales, but also handles items on commission.

The remainder of the building is made up of nine stalls, rented to individual dealers.  Eight are leased, leaving one available ($50 per month.) Staffing of the Community Marketplace is shared among the vendors with Iulo being on site Friday and Saturday.

The Community Marketplace joins three other well-established Uniontown antique stores:  Green Cottage Antiques, Splendid Old Stuff and Littlefield Antiques.  Check out their listings at www.uniontown.us in the business section.