About the Little Art Theatre
The Little Art Theatre is one of America's cinematic treasures. The Little Art, as many people call it, has a proud tradition of showing some of the finest art, independent, documentary and Hollywood films for over 50 years.
The cozy Little Art box office and its cashier welcome each patron.
Once inside, the lobby lends a warm, intimate atmosphere. Looking north, note the box office entrance, next to the concession stand, on the left side of this photo. Our lobby bulletin board, visible to the right in this photo, features information of special and local interest.
The other side of the lobby, looking south, with the concession stand. Want to know what goodies are available? Click here to find out, but come right back to finish your tour!
The Little Art Houselights
Unique to The Little Art Theatre are its six houselights. For more than fifty years, these unaging stoic faces have watched the ebb and flow of Antioch students, Yellow Springs residents and Little Art patrons, as well as different theatre owners, general management and the personnel.
These pieces of art were designed, painted and installed by Antioch College student Elizabeth "Tommie" Morss Graf in 1947. She was born in London and came to Antioch in 1944. As an art student of Robert Metcalf, she designed the motifs which were an area of interest to Metcalf at the time. She graduated in 1949, married James Metcalf (Robert's son) and remained in the community for a short while working in the Metcalf's stained glass studio.
From here, she returned to London and studied mostly jewelry making and design for one year at the London Centre School of Arts and Crafts. She and James then moved to Majorca where she had a jewelry studio for the next three years. Later remarried to Claude Graf, a yacht designer, she had two children and settled in Port Grimaud in southern France. Tommie passed away on April 20, 1979 from cancer.