Red barns:  Though often not a watery portrait, who doesn’t love the representation of a red barn?  Vistas of red barns dotting rural landscapes conjure fascinating and lasting images of rustic America in our minds.

And, perhaps red barns were the products of American farming ingenuity?  Centuries ago lacking paint for their barns many farmers made a mixture of skimmed milk, lime, and red iron oxide--- later adding linseed oil derived from flax plants--- to coat and preserve their wooden structures.  The use of red iron oxide--- rust---gave these barns the red color.  It is believed that rust was used to help kill moss and mold.  Refer to Farmers' Almanac for additional information.

CR 3 red barn, 11x14 (DtC):

Located off County Route 3, in the shadows of Ashokan High Point.

Red barn in Keene Valley, 11x14:

This aging structure sits in an Adirondack field not far from the shadows of Pitchoff, Cascade, and Porter Mountains off NY 73.  At one time this land belonged to philanthropist Wallace Murray, and it is believed that this barn was built by Albert Jakes in the 1920s.  The barn, which is in serious disarray, now stands on part of the NYS Forest Preserve.  The landscape was painted from a photo taken in May of 2013.  Additional information about this historic red barn can be found in the August 2013 issue of Adirondack Life.