Dear Owners of the “Woman’s Lib Barn”,
Your youngest son (or maybe it’s daughter – not sure as they post under “youngest of five”) has posted a couple of comments about my photos of the barn. At first he or she seemed happy I was photographing it, now he or she seems angry. So I thought I would just lay it out:
This is my favorite barn in Chester County. It is the first one I really noticed when I moved here. It spoke to me. As a woman I find myself often torn between the old and new, and the old roles of women versus the women of today. It also speaks to me because to me it also represents the uniqueness, individuality, and independence of the people of Chester County – traits I admire and respect.
I love photographing barns, have been doing that for years.
But I never go on anyone’s property without an invitation, so to put your son or daughter’s mind at ease, I thought I should tell you that straight up. All photos were taken from the public street.
In addition he or she is upset because I repeated some of the speculation as to why the barn is painted the way it is. That isn’t creative license, it is conversation on something that is a community conversation piece. I imagine that if you were uncomfortable with any of the speculation you would have painted the barn over years ago, obliterating the statement “this is women’s lib?”
But you didn’t. So I imagine on some level it amuses you. If I were you, the wondering by those who don’t know would make me smile as much as having such a cool old barn to call my own.
In my humble opinion, photographing your barn shows no disrespect, only love of an awesome barn that makes me smile every time I go past it.
I get that I am new to Chester County, but I think your son or daughter is taking umbrage where none is needed, because no disrespect or malice is intended. I admire he or she going to the mat for family, it shows great love. But I am not the only one who has ever photographed, commented, or written about the barn. I have seen it in local media too.
Anyway, would love to meet y’all sometime, but hopefully under pleasant circumstances.
Thank you for having such a cool barn.
Classy response to what I assume was a confrontational comment(s). 1% create while the other 99% criticism. I’m a short-termer here having just discovered “chester county ramblings” last week but I’m hoping you keep creating.
Thanks. I am pretty upset about this. Most people whose barns I photograph ask for copies of the photos because they love them – and I give them to them.
I just drove by that barn while on my way to visiting a client on Dolphin the other day. For some reason, I had always thought the barn was yours! It is a beautiful barn in a bucolic setting and the writing causes one to pause and think about its meaning. Now that I know the barn isn’t yours it appears to be flattery that you chose your photo of it for your blog page.
Thanks for saying that – what you said is the truth – when I started the blog I went thru hundreds of my photos of Chester County at the time to decide which photo would be my blog banner- I chose that one. I wish I had a cool barn but LOL I will have to settle for a shed and a garage instead!
I pass by this barn all the time, and notice it and grin *every single time*, too. I think you nailed it when you suggested that, if the owner didn’t like public commentary / critique / speculation, they wouldn’t have that painted on their barn. Clearly, this isn’t someone who wants to go quietly unnoticed through life!
I enjoy your blog — I found you when looking around for news about the explosions a few weeks ago. Keep on posting!
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