Barns

A modest gambrel roof barn with slight extension at peak of roof for pulley, The other building appears to be a stable combination bunk house with coral in back

#113 High Country, 18x24, Oil on Masonite, Framed, Signed Dick Burg, Courtesy of Peter


Barns, as we all know, are farm buildings used to store farm related implements, give livestock shelter and store hay. Some are used for slaughtering cattle, butchering and hanging meat, others are strictly for dairy usage. During Dick’s career he had a fascination for old buildings, painting house, shacks, sheds, pier and dock structures. A logical progression would be to tackle barns. In the middle of the twentieth century the rural farm industry was taking a major hit and mammoth agricultural corporations were buying out many family owned farms. Once stately barns, a symbol of independence, were now falling into disrepair. More and more beautifully crafted western architecture was becoming fodder for the winds of time. There was an abundant supply of rundown farms in almost every rural community and Dick had his choice to pick and choose.

If Dick had finished this it could have told the complete story. As it stands it either rained recently or this was a busy working ranch indicated by the deep ruts in the road. Is that a chicken coop on the left with stable and coral on right? Maybe a late summer day and swaying eucalyptus trees with a cool breeze coming off the ocean in Salinas county California.


Barn Study, 20x30, Oil on Canvas, Framed, Unsigned by Dick Burg, Courtesy of Peter Burg.




Barn with Tractor from Dick’s brochure

This is a three gambrel roof barn with an adjacent gable roof structure with overhang, in the forefront. These buildings have seen better days. You can see section missing from the sides and roofs. I wonder if the tractor runs?







Untitled, Barn on Plains, 18x24, Acrylic, Canvas on Masonite, Framed, Signed by Dick Burg, Courtesy of Pat Hughes



Hooded door way, most likely for a pulley, a gambrel roof, silo in the back, wind mill for water, hey wagon, and weathered farmer. This looks like the beginning of a long spring day.