University of Wisconsin Dairy Barn

“I just loved doing this piece, I don’t know how to describe it. My kids were mostly all little and their grandparents and uncle owned a dairy farm, so it just felt right. I was attending the University’s Art school at the time and knew I had to draw it. There are so many great barns with amazing stories to tell in the Midwest and I think this is one of the classics, maybe I think that because it’s still a working barn. Too many of the pieces I have done over the years have been torn down, so to see this one standing and being used gives me a sense of hope or pride, or both. I hope people love admiring it and having it hang in their homes as much as I loved drawing it.” - Bridget

When one walks through a college campus, expectations are to see certain structures; Libraries, Faculty Office Buildings, Student Centers, and Recreation Centers. But a dairy barn? If you want to find a dairy barn on a college campus, one place you’ll have to go to to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Built in 1898 on the west side of the campus, the barn quickly became an important asset for the university’s agricultural college. Today, the barn plays a vital role in UW-Madison’s Animal Sciences department by allowing students can observe animal behavior and get hands on experience with livestock. Beyond the purpose it served for students, the beautiful barn is also an attraction to campus visitors and became the first barn to become a National Historic Landmark following its designation in 2005.

With so such a rich history, it’s no wonder the University of Wisconsin Dairy Barn ended up being the subject of a Bridget Matzke print.

A prolific artist, Bridget Matzke has spent over 50 years traversing the country to preserve the legacy and beauty of the American Barn with her pen and ink artwork. This print is available as a limited edition, numbered and signed.

For more information on the University of Wisconsin Dairy Barn, check out this article from madisonessentials.com.