Painting Calhoun County
A Collection from the 2026 Ag + Art Tour
The Calhoun County Ag + Art Tour Print Set
One of the things I love most about participating in South Carolina’s Ag + Art Tours is the opportunity to experience the state’s agricultural communities in a more personal way.
As an artist, I am always drawn to the visual beauty of farms: the fields, old barns, growing crops, weathered fences, long dirt roads, herds of cattle, and the way light changes across the landscape. But the more time I spend on farms, the more I realize that those scenes are only part of the story. Behind every field, barn, and roadside view are people whose work, knowledge, and care keep these places alive.
For the 2026 Calhoun County Ag + Art Tour, I wanted to create something that celebrated each participating farm and property individually. I created a set of five paintings, each inspired by a different location on the tour.
Each print represents a different place, but together they tell a larger story about Calhoun County: its farms, its landscape, its hardworking agricultural community, and the generosity of the people who opened their gates and welcomed visitors during the tour.
A Collection Rooted in Place
Calhoun County holds a special place in my journey as an artist in South Carolina. One of my first events here was the Calhoun County Ag + Art Tour, which was also the county’s first year participating in the program. Since then, I have had the chance to return, reconnect with the organizers and community, and spend more time looking closely at the farms and landscapes that make this part of South Carolina so distinctive.
When I began this project, I did not want to create generic farm paintings. I wanted each piece to feel connected to a particular place, and I knew I wanted to paint every one of them plein air, on location. That meant paying attention to the things that make one property different from another: the color of a barn, the curve of a road, the shape of a field, the crops growing there, or the way a farm sits against the surrounding trees. The paintings became small visual records of the identity of each farm and location.
The Paintings
At Edisto Blueberry Farm, I was drawn to the rich greens of the growing fields, the texture of the blueberry rows, and the quiet structures nestled against the tree line. What may look at first like a peaceful farm scene is also a place shaped by constant attention, seasonal work, an intimate knowledge of the land, and the wonderful blueberries grown there.
Another painting features the winding drive, open pasture, fencing, and red-roofed buildings of Stabler Family Farm. I loved the way the road invites you into the scene. It feels like the beginning of a visit—an entry into a place with its own rhythm, history, and way of life.
The third painting is inspired by Oak Lane Farm, with its striking red barn set against the deeper greens of the surrounding woods. There is something timeless about a barn in a field, but painting it gave me the chance to look beyond the familiar image and appreciate the farm as a working place, shaped by people and purpose.
The Fourth painting from the Calhoun County Museum & Cultural Center acts as a vital anchor in the community; a place dedicated to preserving the local history, heritage, and stories that tie these rural landscapes together.
The final painting of Heyward Park captures the vibrant reflections of the tree line and bright sky across a quiet lily pond. I was drawn to the deep, shifting blues of the water and the delicate white blooms resting on the surface. While the farm scenes highlight the active work and purpose of the land, this scene offered a moment of peaceful stillness; a reminder of the natural, restorative beauty that sits just alongside our working landscapes.
Each painting began with time spent observing, and every one was painted right there on location. My goal was not to reproduce every detail exactly, but to capture something of the feeling of being there. These paintings are about the connection between people and the land they work, between the communities that invite us in, and between the landscapes, and everyday places we sometimes take for granted. The Ag + Art Tour gives visitors a chance to see farms not only as scenery, but as living, working places. It creates opportunities to meet farmers, learn about local products, support small businesses, and understand more about where our food comes from. As someone who paints these places, I feel very grateful to be welcomed into that experience. Creating this print set was my way of showing thanks, the only way I knew how.
Bringing Calhoun County Home
The Calhoun County Ag + Art Tour Print Set was created so that visitors, supporters, and people who love this part of South Carolina can bring a small piece of the tour home with them. Whether you visited these farms during the tour, have a personal connection to Calhoun County, or simply love rural South Carolina landscapes, I hope these prints offer a reminder of the beauty and importance of the agricultural places around us.
Most of all, I hope the collection honors the farmers, families, organizers, and community members who make the Calhoun County Ag + Art Tour possible.
Thank you for opening your land, sharing your stories, and allowing me to paint a small part of what makes Calhoun County so special.
~ Jules