My inspiration for this southeast Iowa barn was an upcoming juried competition with a specific theme. I have painted this particular barn from various viewpoints and love the character it has. Perhaps the barn is no longer standing; many of these beautiful barns have disappeared from our rural landscape.

I used my personal photo taken many years ago. I began with a loose drawing on the gessoed, hardboard support. As I work, shapes are edited, pieces added and subtracted, until I feel it is completed. It is an intuitive process, allowing the piece to take shape as I play with the shapes and colors. All my collage papers are first painted with a heavy-body acrylic paint and then dried. I usually spend up to a week preparing these papers for upcoming collages. After the artwork is completed, a layer of UV varnish is applied to protect it.