Painting Description

This is a very early painting that was a piece composed from memory. I visited an Old Order farmer that I had met at the blacksmih shop in St. Jacobs just in time to witness this scene in his barn northwest of St. Jacobs. In time I realized that without photos to give me hard information, my paintings from memory could never be any better than my memory which is not good at all.

In those days in the late 1960’s the Old Order Mennonites were much opposed to photos being taken so it was necessary for me to develop a roster of more liberal thinking members of this group to co-operate with me in this endeavour. As the years went on, the church became a little more relaxed on the photo issue and I built a fragile credibility with some members of the group that I was not out to mock their way of life.

*This original was part of a large group of paintings donated by the artist to Grand River Hospital in 2012. To see paintings donated: GRHDONATION.