With a recent trip to Vermont, it is ever more apparent to me that what is left of rural America is slowly going by the wayside. I know very well that many of the areas I paint have been painted before and I guess I always hoped they would be painted long after were all gone. The barn in this picture is slowly being taken down. It is a sad state of degradation of what was once and still could be a great farm. Curtin and Hibbard amongst others painted here. I am simply glad to have the chance to stand were they once did and paint the scene before its changed forever.
karen cooper wrote:
Hi Erik, Your painting is lovely, but your words are what are causing me to write a note to you! You mentioned that the scene is Vermont-do you live there as well? I live in Iowa and have long ties to Iowa and Nebraska agriculture. Your statement about change happening to the old farmstead is accurate. In Iowa there is an active group working to restore/maintain SOME of the older barns, but this is what you need to be aware of. It takes special funding to do that, because for the average farmer, these barns are no longer economically viable. Farmers using those barns would be the equivalent of an office staff writing out all their records long hand (no computers allowed!) America has been through a phase where they demand cheap--the American farmer has complied and found the most cost effective way to produce food, sadly, not without a few compromises. Next time you see a Walmart sign, think about the other ways 'we want cheap' is affecting our country. Think about the 70,00 empty c-containers Walmart ships back to China each month for refill. Paying for what you get is sometimes a double-edged sword. Whew, I didn't mean to carry on so, but like I said, you struck a chord! Thanks for your message!
Cooper
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