The barns at Hunter Farm

Every Sunday on our way to church Katy and I drive past Hunter Farm, located on the grass flats next to the outlet of the Skokomish River. It’s a diverse farming operation, with hayfields, dairy cattle, a pumpkin patch, corn maize, organic produce, and a retail operation that is packed with cars from Halloween to Thanksgiving. They have a couple of old barns that are quite striking for their location under the wooded hills above the Skokomish River.

I made a pencil sketch of the barns, then a value study, then I painted three watercolor paintings. I wanted to show the light rooflines of the barns against the dark background of trees, with the silo as the focal point. I also wanted to use the reflections in the standing water and paint some soft edges. Although I’m not satisfied with these paintings, I think each one got a little better and I learned some things.