Barn
5 x 7 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.
Another farm painting. I love this time of the year out in the country. When I was a boy, every summer, my brother Jim and I (and in later years, my brother Jack and sister Robin) would go out to the farm and stay with my Grandma Brauker and Uncle Chuck. They are both long gone now, and the house was eventually sold and torn down, but the old barn still stands and whenever I get back to Coldwater, Michigan, I drive by to make sure she's still standing. (Click the link below to see photos of my Grandmother, the barn and a painting I did of the barn last year.)
It was a magical time for us, riding the tractor, (see photo below) feeding the chickens, and the fun of gathering up their eggs, watching Uncle Chuck milk the cows, playing in the hayloft and so much more. There was no running water in the house, just a pump outside and a large pipe that went into the kitchen. Still Grandma whipped up incredible meals on the ancient large cast iron wood stove that sat like a tank on one end of the kitchen. There was no bathroom, so we got familiar with the two holer in the outhouse, which was located a discreet distance from the back door. At night we had a chamber pot under the bed. And speaking of night, oh how dark it was. At home we had a street light in front of our house, but when Grandma tucked us in, gave us a kiss and said good night, the light went off, and total darkness enveloped us. The only thing we could see was a small florescent cross that hung on the wall across the room. We were comforted by that as it slowly faded and we drifted off to sleep.
Riding with Uncle Chuck on his wonderful old Ford tractor.
I am on the left, my brother, Jim on the right.
My guess is that this is the summer of 1954. That is
the chicken coop in the background.
Click here to see more photos.
Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art
