World’s Largest Painting on an Easel

This Roadside Attraction article, was posted by Travis K.
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Goodland Kansas

I have driven past the World’s Largest Painting on an Easel more times than I can count while heading west toward Colorado. It always appears briefly off the interstate, easy to notice but just as easy to pass by. On my most recent trip, I finally pulled off to see it up close.

From the highway, the World’s Largest Painting on an Easel looks large. Standing beneath it tells a different story. The scale becomes hard to ignore. Rising above the open plains of northwest Kansas, it feels less like a roadside attraction and more like a piece of public art placed with intention. You can walk around it, take photos, and fully take it in within ten to fifteen minutes.

Worlds Largest Easel on a summer day with clouds

Why It Exists

The World’s Largest Painting on an Easel exists as a tribute to art, imagination, and global creativity. It is part of a larger vision created by Canadian artist Cameron Cross.

Completed in 2001, the easel stands 80 feet tall and weighs about 40,000 pounds. At the top sits a massive 24-by-32-foot reproduction of Vincent van Gogh’s Three Sunflowers in a Vase. The easel in Goodland represents the United States in Cross’s plan to place seven giant easels around the world, each featuring one of van Gogh’s sunflower paintings. Only three of these easels were ever completed.

The Odd Stuff

The World’s Largest Painting on an Easell rises 80 feet into the Kansas sky, making it visible from far beyond the interstate. The sunflower painting alone measures an impressive 24 by 32 feet, which is easy to underestimate until you stand beneath it. What makes it even more unusual is that this easel is one of only three ever completed worldwide, part of a much larger vision that never fully came to life.

Practical Info

Time needed: 10 to 15 minutes
Parking: Easy access just north of I-70
Cost: Free
Location: Near Old U.S. Highway 24 in Goodland, Kansas

Roadside Verdict

Roadside Verdict: Only If You’re Passing By
Photo Value: Questionable

Would you pull off to see the World’s Largest Painting on an Easel up close, or keep driving west?

Interested in more roadside attractions? Browse other Kansas roadside attractions I’ve visited or explore additional roadside attractions from my travels. For a more detailed history of the easel, visit the Sherman County Community Development website.