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When I encounter an interesting farm with several building, I like to study the scene before me from several angles. As I move around, the distinctive shapes and characters of the various buildings create many different compositions. I look for what I consider the best, most pleasing composition. In this case I like the house on the right-the center of interest, but hidden just a bit by the small forward barn and even the tree. But it still dominates. The barns are subordinated by their muted colors but they are still important to the painting-as they are to any working farm! They are interesting shapes and they occupy more space in the painting than the house-even running out of our view to the left (suggesting, by the way, that there is more to this farm than the painting can relate-500-1,000 acres maybe!). The winter trees in the background pull all of the buildings together visually while the beginning snow provides an appealing atmosphere.---Jim

Jim is a graduate of West Virginia University. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Art in 1970 and a Master's of Instructional Design in 1977. An artist all of his life, Jim took some instruction with Leland McLelland after moving to Central Ohio at the end of 1977. This was a pivotal time for Jim because he finally learned watercolor techniques which allowed him to illustrate. A realistic interpreter of what he sees, Jim finally felt like he'd found the medium that he could identify with. Though watercolor can be unforgiving, Jim has learned to create beautiful watercolors of the things he loves best. As you view his work you will see some of the same themes: barns, old barns with such character; farmsteads, yes you will see some...