Thirty Paintings in 30 Days - Day 18
Prairie Grain Elewvator
6" x 6" Acrylic on loose canvas
$45

There was a time when elevators like this dotted the prairie landscape.  The small town I was raised in, population 250, at one time had five of these along the railway tracks on the east side of town.  Farmers would truck their grain to the elevator of their choice, sell it, and it would be loaded into boxcars and shipped off, most likely to a port in Vancouver.  If boxcars were not available the grain would be stored in the elevator until such time that shipping could take place.

The last few times I have been back to my hometown not one elevator remains, nor is there a rail line that would be able to haul the grain away.  Such is progress!

It’s probably obvious that early farm life has had a strong influence on me in so many ways.  One of the early oil paintings that I sold from an art club show was of a grain elevator.  Nostalgic memories were triggered in the heart and mind of a retired prairie farmer and he was delighted to buy the painting.  I probably could have sold a few more to the prairie farmers who came by!

Weekends are always busy times for me but here is today's painting.  I am not trying to create masterpieces, but to paint subjects using techniques that I think will teach me the most at this particular time.  The masterpieces will come later!