| Andy Barnett, pictured above with four adirondack chairs he made, will be one of the local artists featured in the arts and culture group exhibit, scheduled to appear at the CEU Prehistoric Museum art gallery. Barnett is also pictured with the tools of his trade. All his furniture is handmade from Utah Aspen or Lodge Pine trees. |
Andy Barnett appears to have found the two perfect niches, a lifestyle that fits him to a tee and an art that incorporates his creative talents and his love for the outdoors.
All of his life Barnett has been an outdoors person. He enjoys fishing, hunting, and hiking in the mountains, so it only seemed natural that when his creative juices kicked in he navigated to an art form that tied in his interests.
It first started as a hobby and then lead to building wood items for his friends. His first professional piece was made for a benefit.
He began using rustic logs to build furniture for his home, creating his children’s beds from lodge pole pine. Although he has used a lot of pine he also uses local quaken aspen or willow trees to create his furnishings.
He has developed his carpentry skills through training, although he is an electronics employee at the hospital.
Barnett gets a lot of praise from his adirondack log chairs, but people also love his beds. Everything is hand built in Barnett’s shop. ” I have no big equipment and everything, from treating the wood to piecing the logs together is done by hand,” explained Barnett. He likes to use older wood, usually standing dead wood, but never anything green.
Barnett’s home is a great example of his talents and interests. The home is simply furnished with his log and wood furniture, while the patio and front entry way is finished with large rustic cedar logs. These match his fireplace and rock work throughout the house.
Barnett’s work will be on display in a group exhibit entitled art and culture of Castle Country at the CEU Prehistoric Museum art gallery. This show will feature art and folk art from the area and the committee is now seeking artists to be part of the exhibit.The theme of the exhibit is passing down of art through the ages and Pearl Oliver is guest curator for the three-month show, which is scheduled to kickoff in October.
“We are looking for art that expresses the many faces and cultural diversity of Carbon and Emery Counties,” stated Oliver. The deadline for art submissions is September 13. The show will include a broad range of art work, including three dimensional art and possibly literary works.
Local artists are encouraged to call Oliver at 637-2770 or the CEU Prehistoric Museum at 637-5060 with questions or applications.