"Old Greiner Barn"

An Old, Iowa Barn

This is a graphite pencil drawing I made as a study for a watercolor painting (a project that didn't work out). It's an old barn near Dinsdale, Iowa, on an acreage that has been abandoned by the owners. Like so many old barns in Iowa, they are no longer used for the original purposes of raising livestock, storing straw and hay, milking cows, etc. Instead, they may serve now as storage buildings for farm implements or what have you, but often are just left to deteriorate. They are not torn down for sentimental reasons or because of the cost to do it. However, sometimes farmers will have them burned down with the local fire department standing by to make sure that the fire doesn't get out of control.

Whatever the reasons may be that some of these wonderful old barns are still standing, it's fortunate for artists like me who grew up on a farm and find them to be great subjects for our paintings. They can be a cliche, but I don't care! I love them!

I hope you enjoy seeing this drawing and have a great day! 😀 ☮️ ❤️