Saline painters share new views of majestic Braun Farms

Painter Jane Darling was already acquainted with Howard and Kelven Braun when she asked them to allow her and painting buddy Linda Kortesoja Klenczar to paint en plein air, or in the open air, on the farm. As the pair embarked on a two month-long artistic study of the property, they began asking each other, “How many other artists have painted this?” Darling remembers. After putting the feelers out through Two Twelve Art Center and Saline Community Education's watercolor class, an additional dozen artists joined the exhibition.

With the brothers' permission, several of the artists joined Klenczar and Darling to paint the farm en plein air, including husband and wife painters Steve and Ava Gilzow, Jean Canavan and Jill Stefani Wagner. The show and accompanying 2010 calendar also includes artworks by Carol Evert, Bill Lavery, Taylor Jacobson, Donna Johnston, Cindy Deery, Cherith Janes, Adele Leblang, and Wes Rae. Some of these artists painted new artworks from photographs of the farm and others contributed older paintings that they had already completed.

A 2010 “Visions of Braun Farms” calendar was sold for a $15 dollar donation to Angel Food Ministries, an organization that supplies families with food through Saline Social Services. The calendar includes many of the artworks featured in the exhibition, and it was gracefully designed by Two Twelves Art Center graphic designer Keith McGuire. There are only a few copies left, however Klenczar says Saline’s plein air painters are talking about doing another calendar for 2011.

"Pride of the Ranch" painting by Steve Gilzow. On view in "Visions of Braun Farms: Local Artists Celebrate a Community Treasure" at My Favorite Cafe, 101 South Ann Arbor Street, in downtown Saline, through February 28, 2010.

Image courtesy of the artist.

Many of the artists featured in the exhibit were inspired by panoramic views of the crop fields and the farm building complex. Some artworks focus in on particular items found around the farm, like Cindy Deery’s depiction of the cow statue that sits near Bemis Road, entitled “How Now ‘Braun’ Cow?” or Steve Gilzow’s watercolor “Pride of the Ranch,” which depicts an old heated water tank that kept the cow’s drinking water from freezing in cold months.

Klenczar likes how the collection of artworks captures so many unique interpretations of the same place. She and Darling agree that one particularly interesting aspect of the exhibit is that the artworks represent such a wide range of scenes, angles and locations around the farm. Even when the pair painted the exact same scene, their paintings captured unique perspectives and reflect each artist’s individual sensibility and style.

"View to the West" painting by Linda Kortesoja Klenczar. On view in "Visions of Braun Farms: Local Artists Celebrate a Community Treasure" at My Favorite Cafe, 101 South Ann Arbor Street, in downtown Saline, through February 28, 2010.

Image courtesy of the artist.

Not only does the collection of artworks evidence different artistic interpretations of the fields, buildings, houses and objects on the farm, Klenczar points out that it also captures seasonal changes. “It’s really beautiful when the soybeans go from green to yellow to brown to gone. We would go out there every Wednesday, and every Wednesday it was a different scene — even if you stood in the exact same location,” she remembers.

The pair was also excited for the opportunity to see Braun Farm from new angles, which gave them different views from what they could see from the road. “I drive past it every day into town. It’s such a calming panorama. I had taken mental photographs of what I would paint. Then we went out there to paint, and on a cold day we were out there and I painted ‘Crop Sentries’ in 35 minutes,” Klenczar remembers.

Howard and Kelven Braun treated me to a guided tour of the farm. We were joined by Klenczar and Darling, who were excited to explore more of the property and discover some of its history. The brothers walked us through the farm complex on Bemis road, which was built after a fire in 1957, and showed us the old dairy farming equipment and holding pens. After touring the main complex on Bemis Road, we took in the rolling crop fields before traveling up the gravel lane that cuts across the expansive property and headed out to the family’s additional farm house and barn on Milan-Saline Road.

Darling has a fondness for the Braun brothers, who “aren’t artists, but I think they appreciate the artistry of the landscape,” she says. She is also impressed by how the Braun brothers have protected the farmland from development through the State’s Purchase of Development Rights program, assistance from the Washtenaw Land Trust and through the Federal Farmland Protection program. She hopes the exhibit commemorates the farm as a site of Saline’s agricultural heritage and history, “because it really is a community treasure,” she says.

While touring Braun Farms, I was struck by the beauty of an enormous vaulted wooden ceiling inside one of the barns. It was a marvelous view gazing up into an empty silo and looking down to see ferns and snow blanketing the bottom of the tank. Even the massive plows and farming vehicles looming over me in uncanny scale was visually awe inspiring. Taking moments to meditate on the farm’s attractive architecture and picturesque landscape, it was easy to see why artists would want to paint this place.

The Braun brothers were humbled to share their farm with the artists. “It was very flattering. It was just nice to have them do it,” say Kelven.

“Visions of Braun Farms: Local Artists Celebrate a Community Treasure” continues through February 28 at My Favorite Cafe, 101 South Ann Arbor Street, in downtown Saline. Cafe hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. For information, call 734-944-4054..

Jennifer Eberbach is a free-lance writer who covers art for AnnArbor.com.