Wender·Vista
Ark Encounter
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileUnited States
in the rolling hills of Grant County, Kentucky

Ark Encounter

— — a wooden ship in a Kentucky field.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“A life-size wooden ark, 510 feet long, sitting in a Kentucky meadow off Interstate 75. Answers in Genesis opened it on 7 July 2016, built to the cubit dimensions in the book of Genesis. From the parking lot it looks like a hull washed up from a story. Up close it is timber and pegs and the slow patience of people who wanted to see it stand. The hills around Williamstown roll soft and green in summer, slate-grey by Thanksgiving. from the studio

from the studio
Ark Encounter
— bring it home

Ark Encounter, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Ark Encounter

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Ark Encounter is a Christian theme park in Williamstown, Kentucky, in Grant County, about 64 kilometres south of Cincinnati and 80 kilometres north of Lexington along Interstate 75. The site is operated by Answers in Genesis, the apologetics ministry founded by Ken Ham, and opened to the public on 7 July 2016. The centrepiece is a wooden ark built to the dimensions given in the sixth chapter of the book of Genesis: 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, or 300 by 50 by 30 cubits.

— the stone

The ark is timber-framed rather than stone, which is itself the point: it is the largest free-standing timber-frame structure in the world, built by Amish craftsmen using laminated pine and hand-fitted joinery. The hull rests on concrete piers that carry the wind load down into the Kentucky bedrock. Inside, three timber decks hold museum-style exhibits on the Genesis flood narrative, animal kinds, and the long carpentry of the build. The exterior is intentionally weathered to read as a working vessel rather than a monument.

— the visit

The park is open most days of the year, with a combination ticket available with the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, about 70 kilometres west. Parking is roughly 10 dollars and a shuttle runs from the lot to the ark entrance. Allow four to six hours for a full visit, longer if the zoo and zipline are part of the day. Late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons; summer in northern Kentucky runs warm and humid, with thunderstorms common in late afternoon.

— where
United States · Williamstown, Kentucky
— elevation
274 m · 899 ft
— position
38.6219° N · 84.5828° W
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
70 km NW
Creation Museum
museum
4 km W
Williamstown Lake
reservoir
64 km N
Cincinnati
city
80 km S
Lexington
city
N
Ark Encounter
Creation Museum
Williamstown Lake
Cincinnati
Lexington
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Ark Encounter — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

In Williamstown, Kentucky, in Grant County, off Interstate 75. It sits about 64 kilometres south of Cincinnati and 80 kilometres north of Lexington.

Ark Encounter opened to the public on 7 July 2016. The project was built and is operated by Answers in Genesis, the apologetics ministry founded by Ken Ham.

The wooden hull measures 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, matching the 300 by 50 by 30 cubit dimensions given in the sixth chapter of Genesis.

Amish timber-framers led the carpentry, working with laminated pine on a concrete foundation. It is widely cited as the largest free-standing timber-frame structure in the world.

Yes. The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, about 70 kilometres northwest, is operated by the same ministry. A combination ticket covers both.

Most visitors spend four to six hours on site. The three interior decks of exhibits alone run two to three hours, with additional time for the surrounding zoo and grounds.

— about the piece in your home

Yes. The piece reads warmly for families who have visited Williamstown or who hold the Genesis narrative as part of their faith. A Small or Medium with a handwritten note carries well.

The warm timber and field-green palette suits Farmhouse, Mountain Modern, and traditional rooms with oak and leather. It also works above a study desk in a quiet, book-lined corner.

A single Large carries a standard sofa or a console table. For a long wall, a four-tile Mural lets the hull stretch out and feel its full length across the room.

Yes, in the Dura Satin or Matte finish. Both are scratch-resistant and stand up to humidity. The Glossy finish is best kept for framed wall pieces away from a shower.

A soft microfibre cloth with plain water. No abrasive sponges or ammonia cleaners. The colour is sealed inside the ceramic surface, so a gentle wipe handles dust and fingerprints.

Yes. Reid curates every WenderVista place, and the piece is hand-finished in our Knoxville studio. No outside licensing and no third-party reproductions.

— if this one stayed with you

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