Photos at the bottom of this story show some of the steps involved in creating butterfly charms. The Bluffton Hospital commissioned Kat to create several dozen  charms for Mother's Day in a special hospital donor's program.

Gallery 323, providing the community with locally created art, has reopened and offers works in several media by area artisans.

The gallery, at 323 N. Main St., Bluffton, is open Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursdays and Friday noon to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and by appointment.

As unique as the gallery is, its manager, Kat Luginbuhl, brings her own unique art style and family art background to the business.

She is a third-generation Bluffton artist. Not many can claim this. Her grandfather, Darvin Luginbuhl, and father, Gregg Luginbuhl, were household artist names for two previous generations of Bluffton art connoisseurs.

The 2007 Bluffton High School graduate is also a 2011 Goshen College graduate with an art and graphic design background.

We’ll call her art interest "silver" – she claims not to like the word “jewelry.”

Despite what labels she calls her art, she talks about it this way: “I create silver rings, including engagement rings, weddings bands, necklaces, earrings, pins and bolo ties,” she says.

Photos at the bottom of this story show some of the steps involved in creating butterfly charms. The Bluffton Hospital commissioned Kat to create several dozen  charms for Mother's Day in a special hospital donor's program.

Growing up under the art influence of her father and grandfather, Kat says she believes her art talent is a gift.

“It feels natural for me. They (father and grandfather) gave me confidence that I might be good at it,” she said. “They really encouraged me to play, experiment, create and experience art.”

Concerning her work with silver, she said it’s not like ceramics, where you can start over if you don’t like it.

“Working with silver is very permanent,” she said. “You need to organize your thoughts and move slowly.”

While Kat’s silver art is available at Gallery 323, customers will also find other familiar artists who have works on sale.

Among those are Lois Wetherill, sewn art; Anita Lehman, paper, watercolors and ceramics; T.R. Steiner, ceramics; Kerry Bush, photography; Jamie Nygaard, photography; Judith Greavu, ceramics and fused glass; Phil Sugden, drawings; Jim Fultz, miniature paintings; Melissa Eddings Mancuso, paintings; Laura Corle, water colors and Mike Huffman, oil paintings.

In addition, copies of Jeanette Reineke’s book, "Fear No Art," is also available.

Gallery 323
323 N. Main St.
Bluffton
419-979-9705

Wednesdays  - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursdays and Fridays  - noon to 3 p.m.
Saturdays  - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
and by appointment