I live on an old farmstead out in the rolling hills. One of my favorite things — and biggest inspiration — is our old red barn. Built between 1907 and 1911, it has stood the test of time. As has our old truck, although not quite as old. 😀 (1946 Chevy).
A Closer Look
Barn Preservation
Old barns like ours were ‘built to last,’ but not without some tender loving care.
Over the years:
- The roof had been mended and re-roofed several times over the years and we were afraid that the weight of the roof + weight of the snow might be too much one winter.
- The foundation was shifting and crumbling and causing strain on the building.
- Years of use by animals and machines had taken their tolls as well.
So in 2011, we began an extensive restoration project, which included taking off all of those layers of roof shingles and replacing it with a lighter, stronger, and snow-slippery metal roof.
Reclaimed Barn Wood Art Series
I have been exploring new ways to make glass and enamel art that more people can enjoy. Not everyone wears jewelry, so I had the idea of creating mini scenes featuring my hand-cut enameled and glass pieces.
These barn wood pieces were from the hay loft. While the wood seems tough as I work on it(!), these boards weren’t as sturdy and safe as they were 100 years ago, so we replaced most of the loft flooring.
I started out by cutting each piece and lightly sanding the barn wood rough edges. I gave them a good scrubbing to remove dust and slivers.
Then I cut and create designs in glass and copper. I enamel the copper with my ‘drawings’ (waves, hills). Sometimes I add my lampwork glass pieces to finish the scene.
I am also creating with driftwood, which has stories all its own. I will be adding several pieces to my shop in this weekend, and will update this post when the listings are up!