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Round Barn at Dell, Vernon County, Wisconsin captures a unique piece of local heritage—one of the region’s historic round barns nestled along the rural backroads of southwestern Wisconsin. Painted in December 2022, this 16x20 oil on canvas reflects a quiet moment of discovery, found during a day of exploring the countryside with my family.
We’d been winding our way through the lesser-known roads of Vernon County when we crossed a small bridge—and there it was. The curve of the road, the arching trees, the slight rise in the land—all of it felt like it was pointing straight to this round barn, as if the scene was quietly waiting to be painted.
Round barns are architectural rarities. Built for both function and beauty, their shape was meant to improve workflow inside—an efficiency of movement long before modern farming tech. But beyond their purpose, they just feel special. Their symmetry stands out in the irregular lines of the landscape. They have presence. Soul.
In this piece, I leaned into the curvature of everything—the barn, the path, the gentle sloping fields—to give the composition a kind of visual rhythm. The brushwork is expressive but grounded, with warm, earthy tones evoking the cool stillness of late autumn. It’s a rural scene, but one that pulses with subtle movement and quiet reverence.
For anyone drawn to Wisconsin’s pastoral history, rural architecture, or simply the kinds of scenes you only find when you’re really looking, this piece holds that memory still.