We live in some of the prettiest country around. On the edge of the Irish Hills of Michigan, this is farm country.

I have always loved older farms- the pretty and simple houses, big red barns, fields full of crops, herds of sheep or cows, flocks of chickens. There are plenty of them out here, I drive by them all the time. Sometimes I stop and take photos too.

Here are two recent paintings featuring some of the beauty of farm country.

The first one shows the rows of corn, as well as a path through the rolling fields to the farmstead against the setting sun.

I love the lighting in this, a warm golden glow across the fields, casting shadows. “Across the Rolling Fields” hung in a couple of different galleries before selling. It is now in a private collection.

The other work I painted mostly for myself. It features my favorite breed of cattle- the Belted Galloway. There is a herd of them on a farm not too far away from here. I love to see them out in the pasture, grazing contentedly.

Dawn is breaking in the distance, casting a rosy glow over the old red barn. It also gives the ‘Belties’ a pinkish highlight around their middles.

It seems like there are other folks around who love pretty farms. “Daybreak on the Farm” sold fairly quickly and is now in a private collection. So, I may have to paint another scene with my favorite cattle.

Looking for more?

If you love these two paintings, check this one out. Or, Sunset on the Farm, painted before we moved out here, when living on a farm was just a dream.