Crooked Red Barn

This crooked red barn sits nestled at the edge of the woods at the end of a well worn dirt lane atop a hill.It's rusted tin roof gives it even more... more

by Ellen Levinson

Title

Crooked Red Barn

Artist

Ellen Levinson

Medium

Painting - Watercolor

Description

This crooked red barn sits nestled at the edge of the woods at the end of a well worn dirt lane atop a hill.It's rusted tin roof gives it even more character. Bull rushes surround the pond which abounds with frogs and turtles and draws a multitude of thirsty birds.The rocky incline is a perfect place to sit and relax after the days work is done. A lonely rooster calls the hens to come home. A touch of autumn is in the air.
Living in the mountains of upstate New York, there are many old barns to be seen.Some are just barely standing -many are washed out grays.They tell stories of family farms - some long abandoned,of once happy days and sad endings.I love imagining what they were like and appreciate their character.
The red color that one sees on so many barns is believed to come from one of two things.European farmers,centuries ago, used linseed oil to seal the wood of the barn and added blood from a recently slaughtered animal to oil mixture.The paint turned from a bright red to a darker red-orange as it dried. The other theory is that the farmers added rust to the oil mixture which tinted it and helped to retard the growth of mold and fungus on the barn. Perhaps they used both together,This tradition of red barns came with them to America.
When paints were produced commercially, the reds were among the cheapest - and the tradition of red barns continued.Now white is also a common color - but other colors are also used.

(c) 2014 Ellen Lynn Levinson (Ellyn)
All images are protected by U.S. and International copyright laws.
All rights reserved by the artist Ellen Lynn Levinson (Ellyn).
Images may not be reproduced or used in any way without written permission from the artist.

Uploaded

August 29th, 2013