ELLA

I met Ella some time ago and couldn’t get her out of mind. This painting is a smaller version in oil in preparation for larger pieces in pastel and oil.

ELLA 7 x 5 Oil on Arches Huille paper SOLD

Levi

Another lesson learned from this pandemic period is gratitude for what I had taken for granted. Like the weekly visit to a locally preserved farm. No more cow baths for me and back scratches for the herd.

Levi is a sassy bull calf who is learning how to be a grownup. I met him a few weeks prior to the shutdown.

6 x 6 Oil on panel 125. 

Dolly

Dolly lives with her pals which include goats and donkeys. I think that's why she looks so smug and happy! 

Dolly 12 x 9 Oil on board  SOLD

Artist Support Pledge

Just reading about this international movement on Jeanne Rosier Smith's feed  while perusing Instagram.

 Matthew Burrows     
created an Instagram page for artists to help themselves and others during this period of cancelled shows, workshops, and gallery closings. The threshold price of each piece is 200. and after an artist reaches 1000. in sales, they promise to purchase the work of another artist.

My initial offering is a painting of a Boer goat named Winnie on my Instagram feed
Winnie had to be persuaded to take a break from landscaping to pose for the shot.

Lavender/ Spike Oil As A Painting Medium

Bear in mind that these folks are dedicated chemists so they go deep on this topic. I love lavender for just about everything so using it as painting medium is a life changer. Here’s the link to the Natural Pigment’s article about the use of lavender/ spike oil as a painting medium.

Cooper and The Lie of Multitasking

How many times must we hear and read this before it sinks in? I was most likely "multitasking" while reading or listening to someone preach about how humans are capable of performing one task well at the same time. Here's a link to Daniel Goleman  speaking about mindfulness meditation and how we can improve our focus with this practice with just 10 minutes a day.

Can you imagine what impact this would have on your work?

"Cooper" is one of the boys hanging out with the other members of a bachelor herd nearby. Each of the bro's has intact horns which they do not use on each other or humans. Such sweet boys.

"Cooper" 12 x 9 Oil on Board

Mama Red and "One Good Mama Bone"

Way back in April, I wrote about a treasure of a novel that magically appeared at my local library. It must have been the force of the Universe at work since this wonderful book was not on my radar. Here's the link to  Bren McClain's web site and the book, "One Good Mama Bone". This book is definitely worth reading. Borrow or buy but read it!

 I met the very real Mama Red and Bren McClain back in July which is another good story but for later. A small painting of this fabled creature below. She is something of a bovine centenarian at 26 years old and gorgeous. 

"Mama Red" 5 x 7 Pastel on Uart Paper