Red Barn Studio Museum

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Red Barn Studio Museum The working studio of professional artist Lester Raymer (1907-1991)

The Red Barn Studio was the working studio of the ultimate upcycler, professional artist and craftsman Lester Raymer (1907-1991). The Red Barn Studio is filled with Raymer’s art and handiwork, from paintings and prints to ceramics and metalwork, from woodcarving to stitchery, furniture and jewelry. His work is influenced by his love for the world’s great painters, especially the Spanish masters, the Southwest and Mexico, religious symbolism and folk art.

Happy birthday, Ramona!Ramona Raymer was born on October 17th, 1909.Having met Lester at the School of the Art Institute...
10/17/2026

Happy birthday, Ramona!

Ramona Raymer was born on October 17th, 1909.

Having met Lester at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Ramona was an artist in her own right. She was raised in Lindsborg at the Brunswick Hotel, whose busy traffic included passing salesmen, leading her to develop an interest in antique toys and dolls. As the Red Barn Studio opened, Ramona arranged tours, promoted Lester's work to the press, offered critiques on his artwork, and kept the business-side of things working smoothly throughout her husband's career.

Pictured here are some examples of Ramona's artwork. Ramona started her art education at Bethany College, then transferred to Kansas State College, before ending up in Chicago at the Art Institute in 1930.

Sharing her interest in vintage toys, and knowing her desire to collect these antique objects, Lester began to craft a collection for Ramona himself: colorful, detailed, and full of life, the toys he made are a feat of craftmanship sparked from love for Ramona and for the act of making itself. Many of the toys that Lester gifted Ramona are on display at the Red Barn Studio. Stop by for a visit!

For one month, the Red Barn Studio | Raymer Society has an opportunity to stretch your support even further! From Saturd...
10/10/2026

For one month, the Red Barn Studio | Raymer Society has an opportunity to stretch your support even further! From Saturday, October 10th, through Tuesday, November 10th, donations made to the Raymer Society Endowed Fund through McPherson County Community Foundation Match Month will receive matching funds from the Patterson Family Foundation .

This year, we will be using our matching funds to kick off fundraising for a Red Barn Restoration Project totaling approximately $100,000. The Raymer Society is committed to investing $50,000 toward these improvements, and we are asking our members, friends, and supporters to help us raise the remaining $50,000 needed to complete the work. We hope that, with your help and matching dollars from the Patterson Foundation, we can make a significant dent in our fundraising, with more fundraising events and opportunities planned throughout the year.

Check the comments section on how to donate!

Mark your calendars!The Red Barn Studio is hosting a poetry reading on Sunday, October 11th, from 2:00–3:00PM, featuring...
10/04/2026

Mark your calendars!

The Red Barn Studio is hosting a poetry reading on Sunday, October 11th, from 2:00–3:00PM, featuring work by local poets. Everybody is invited to sit in. Expect humor, variety, satire, intensity, challenging ideas, and memorable verse.

Admission is free. This event will be located in the courtyard of the Red Barn Studio Museum at 212 S. Main St., weather-permitting.

Featured poets:

Aubrey Streit Krug’s writing explores nature, ecology, and people on the land.

Caleb Braun experiments with multiple poetic forms and a range of topics.

Greg LeGault employs wit and sarcasm, produces tragedies and comedies.

Kevin R. Peterson’s poems feature Great Plains history and contemporary narratives.

Kristin Van Tassel writes school scenes and family connections.

Linda M. Lewis will read poems about Kansas women.

Rodger Gerberding is back in the Studio, and he's painting up a storm! Rodger has been a regular at the Red Barn since t...
10/01/2026

Rodger Gerberding is back in the Studio, and he's painting up a storm! Rodger has been a regular at the Red Barn since the early 2000s, returning nearly every year since. It's been a rainy few days in Lindsborg, but Rodger's paintings never fail to brighten up the place! Check the comments for the link to our website about his residency here.

Happy birthday, Lester Raymer!Lester was born on this day in 1907.Take some time this week to celebrate this amazing art...
09/24/2026

Happy birthday, Lester Raymer!

Lester was born on this day in 1907.

Take some time this week to celebrate this amazing artist, whether that means reading more about him on our website, stopping by the Red Barn Studio Museum for a visit, or enjoying a sweet treat in Lester's honor.

Join us for the finale of Poetry at the Barn this Saturday, September 26th at 4:00pm on the front lawn of the Red Barn S...
09/24/2026

Join us for the finale of Poetry at the Barn this Saturday, September 26th at 4:00pm on the front lawn of the Red Barn Studio.

Everyone is welcome to attend this reading, which will feature workshop leaders--Caleb Braun, Jasmine Khaliq, and Huascar Medina--as well as the workshop participants who wish to share the poems they wrote that day.

Stop by for an evening of celebration and fun and so, so many poems!

Rain location will be at Smoky Valley Arts & Folklife Center.

Steve Bowersox, the Red Barn Studio's current Artist-in-Residence, is working on his deep-dive into Handel's Messiah. St...
09/16/2026

Steve Bowersox, the Red Barn Studio's current Artist-in-Residence, is working on his deep-dive into Handel's Messiah. Steve will be here until this Saturday, September 19th. Stop by the studio to see how his research into Handel's oratorio is progressing, or to chat. In Steve’s words, “Everyone has a story to tell, and Lester Raymer’s studio brings out the best stories.”

Join Director Emily Howe this Sunday, September 20th, at St. David's Episcopal Church in Topeka for a presentation about...
09/16/2026

Join Director Emily Howe this Sunday, September 20th, at St. David's Episcopal Church in Topeka for a presentation about the life and work of Lester Raymer. St. David's has a special connection to Raymer: in 1961, the commissioned Lester for his monumental 15-foot-tall sculpted "Christus Rex," which still hangs in the sanctuary today.

The presentation will begin around 11:50am or noon, following the church's 10:30am service. St. David's congregation invites Raymer enthusiasts to attend the service or join the group afterward for the presentation in the sanctuary.

St. David's Episcopal Church
3916 SW 17th St.
Topeka, KS 66604

We hope that our Topeka-area friends, or anyone interested in Lester and his work, will join us for this presentation and the opportunity to view Lester's "Christus Rex" in person.

St. David's Episcopal, Topeka, Kansas

09/10/2026

Join us this year on September 26, 2026 for Poetry at the Barn register at redbarnstudio.org

Address

212 S Main Street
Lindsborg, KS
67456

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 1pm - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

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