John R. & Grace-Torr Family Barn
In 1828, the Torr family settled in the gently rolling farmland of central Indiana. The farm, earning the title of “Hoosier Heritage Homestead,” is now in its sixth generation. The barn is located on high ground overlooking the Oakalla Covered Bridge (visible in the painting), which spans Big Walnut Creek. The original Oakalla School was located across the road from this old barn.
The Torr Family barn was built in 1904. It is a pegged milled timber-frame gable barn. It is divided into sections and stalls and has gone through changes over time.
In 1950, the barn was expanded to accommodate a purebred Angus cattle operation that flourished until 2000.
The barn has been empty since that time. However, it remains an important part of the family history and is well-maintained.
One lovely afternoon in October 2009, I set up plein air supplies to capture this barn as the long light warmed the gable end and cooled the south side. White barns show an amazing amount of color in shadows and in the reflected light, not captured by a camera. I used a horizontal format of 12 x 24 inches for this oil painting.
All the barn paintings are for sale. Please contact Gwen to find out if the painting(s) you are interested in are sold or available.
