This collage was inspired by the interesting old barns that are scattered around Iowa. I began my collage technique in 1985, and barns were the first subject matter that interested me. I remember being excited about the character of these structures. Over the years I photographed many barns and most of them have disappeared from the landscape.

I work from both my photos and sketches and improvise as I create the collage. This particular barn had a stone foundation that was crumbling and a couple uninteresting trees. Sunflowers woke the design and landscape up with their perky, bright colors and tall blooms.