Barn and oak trees

This barn is a frequent stop on my walks at Bald Hill park. I always hope to find an owl roosting in the rafters. There is plenty of evidence that one has been there – I just haven’t seen the actual individual(s) who leaves pellets on the ground and droppings on the beams.

On my last visit, I went intending to photograph the building itself, set atop a grassy hill and surrounded by tall, lichen-covered oak trees. Interested in capturing the dominance of wood and earth in my surroundings, I shot the images in black and white to accentuate the variety of textures and grains. Inside the barn the rafters, rails, and the shadows they cast mimicked the lines of tree limbs. I used these horizontal components to soften the barn’s strong vertical features (the siding, posts, and the barn’s height) and the height of the trees.

This barn has an added bonus – it is an open and airy shelter, with a beautiful view – the perfect spot to do some plein-air painting on a damp day. Maybe, with a few hours of quiet painting, I will be rewarded with a chance to see the owl.