Sulina Tobacco Barn
This pass-through bank barn is a Hoosier Tobacco barn. It is located in the beautiful rolling hills south of Brookville. It was built in 1908-09 as an improvement to the recently purchased farm of Andrew Ariens.
It has been primarily used for tobacco drying. The golden-colored stalks and leaves are visible in this fall painting through the tall, narrow, hinged ventilation doors.
The tobacco plants were hung upside down on wooden sticks in orderly rows, four tiers to the peak. Wagons parked in the pass-through area held drying racks too, utilizing all available interior space for drying the tobacco.
The lower level was used for Arabian horses in the past. The barn and farm are still in the Ariens family. Historically most barns, if painted, were red or white. A barn of a different color such as this eye-catching green one, is unusual.
The afternoon light glowed warmer on the side of this attractive barn, than it did on the end shown in the painting. It is a small nuance, but one that makes an enormous difference in capturing the character of a place. I set up my oil painting supplies and did this plein air painting in October 2007. The canvas is 18 x 24 inches.
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.
