Russ Farm is a commissioned studio acrylic painting that lovingly recreates a cherished family homestead in Jacksonville, Georgia, as it appeared in the 1950s. This large 40″ × 27″ work was inspired by a moving encounter at a 2024 art show in McRae, where a woman in her 90s connected deeply with Don Yaun’s “Escaping the Sun,” stirring memories of her younger days on the family farm. Her daughter later commissioned the piece to preserve that vanished world.
Working from photographs and on-site conversations, Don thoughtfully adapted the changed landscape: adding a farmer with a mule team cultivating the field (representing the older lady’s husband), a fence, a young corn crop, a big full-leafed oak tree, deck furniture, red-brown chickens, and a classic dirt yard with subtle hints of grass for added color. The result is a vibrant, nostalgic tribute to rural Georgia life—one that captures a moment forever changed.
Don finds deep satisfaction in recreating lost scenes, transforming them into lasting legacies for families.
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