I believe that if you keep your eyes open, you can see beauty in a variety of different places. You can even see it while you’re driving the open highway! I’m talking about barn murals. At one time or another, you’ve probably seen the familiar script letters “Drink Coca-Cola” painted in white across the side of a red barn near the highway. Or you may have seen a simple painting of a Guernsey cow on the side of a white barn. But have your ever seen a barn mural that captures your attention and keeps you thinking about it for miles down the road? Take a look at some barn murals that will make you shake your head at the creativity you can find while out on the highway.
Five Amazing Barn Murals to Inspire You
- A Cow Jumps Over the Moon: This mural comes straight out of the old nursery rhyme entitled “Hey Diddle Diddle.” At first glance, you see a gathering of cows and horses in a simple barnyard. They are so realistic-looking that you may think they are living, breathing barnyard animals. A moment later, you glance up to see a cow making its way over a ghostly moon! This barn mural must be something to see in the fading daylight hours.
- American Gothic with a Twist: Set your eyes on an image that may look pretty familiar to you. The image is of Grant Wood’s famous painting called American Gothic. The solemn faces of the farmer and his wife are hard to miss. This is especially true when they are painted on the side of a barn! The artist added a cow just beneath the couple so they can all watch over the fields together.
- Horse and Farmer in the Field: This mural takes up one entire wall of the barn. It depicts a scene of a farmer in a field guiding a horse and plow. Both the large chestnut horse and the farmer are intent on their life’s work. The green fields that recede behind the farmer also serve to capture the viewer’s attention. I like to think of this mural as a celebration of the history of the American farmer.
- A Farrier Shoeing a Horse: A farrier is going about his work of shoeing a horse in this quiet scene. The mural depicts a common scene that someone might see inside any given barn. The retriever lazing on the floor and the cat sleeping on the shelf add to the peaceful tone of this scene.
- Blue Cheese Moon: Check out a barn mural that looks like a scene from a sci-fi film. There is a spaceship in the foreground with the earth in the background. A cheese moon is prominently pictured at the front of the mural as the stars glitter around it. Are we looking at the planet earth from Vermont?
So next time you’re out on the highway, take a good look around. You may see a unique piece of art in the most unexpected of places. Thanks for reading! – Alan
