Peace on the Farm

As I drove back to Fairfield from Shreve's Pumpkin Patch, this beautiful farm spread out before me.  I found a water treatment road to turn into and set up my easel on the spot.  The cattle were all in position, and the distant train rolled right in behind the barn - it was perfect!  As I was finishing up, the mist started to fall and I could see the rain moving in from the north.  I packed up quickly with no time to frame, and headed in for dinner with the group.  I love when all the stars align so well!  Painting number 5016 in 5016 days. 

The Cows Come Home

 

No better way to relax than to paint these beauties during the Golden Hour!  After a long day of hard work, immersing myself so completely here, with only the focus of what is before me, restores me in a way nothing else does.  The experience fills me up, and I can go forth with love and light for the world.  Painting number 4977 in 4977 days. 

Lazy Afternoon

Come see this painting in person and more unseen work in Steelville tomorrow from 10:00-3:00 at Gallery Zeke!!  I painted this scene along a road leading out of Meramec Adventure Ranch, where the cows were in and out of the water.  I worked fast to capture them before they moved on, and had to adjust a few things while I waited on them.  I have 8 other unseen paintings that will be showing tomorrow, first come, first dibs! Painting number 4903 in 4903 days. 

Cow and Calf

Cows are the best mamas, often one watching all the babies while the rest graze. The light was glorious, and I was simply compelled to paint this beauty.  Pastoral scenes are my absolute favorite to paint.  The time spent with animals, the land and the softly blowing breeze, is so peaceful and relaxing.  It's the perfect break on another busy day, and panting number 5030 in 5030 days. 

Hereford Trio

The neighbors have brought their cattle to the north pasture for a visit, and I'm enjoying their company!  As the plein air season winds down, I'm looking forward to painting my everyday life, and settling in for the winter.  The cold weather is always a shock at first, but I grows more comfortable with it each time in out. Thank goodness for good outdoor gear!  Happy Thanksgiving! Painting number 5202 in 5202 days. 

Hereford Pair

 I love looking out to the western pasture for painting inspiration.  These neighbors are fun to sketch, and I relish the opportunity to explore their forms in ink and watercolor.  The snow has melted now and the neutral tones of winter full the landscape.  So, I turn to the cattle for study.  Perhaps I'll get several painted before the next beautiful scene grabs me.  Painting number 4037 in 4037 days. 

Cattle in Pasture Snow

I am turning my eyes to the western hill today and working on my cattle skills.  The snow is melting on this gray day, and the landscape is alive with atmosphere.  I paint the mood of the day with brush and palette knife, using oils.  I'm using a different violet on my palette, to see how it works in the winter landscape.  With a touch of mixed gray, the violet fades into a lovely shadow hue.  I think I just might keep this one on the palette until I go to Florida  - where it won't do at all!  Painting number 4034 in 4034 days. 

Herefords in the Snow

 

I love when these guys come model for me - even when they don't stick around!  Their warm hues are accentuated by those cool blues in the snow. The sky was just beginning to warm up - so I pushed that warmth to further set off the snow. It was warmer today than it has been for days - and with the hedgerow windbreak, I was toasty. Another Arctic blast comes tonight with a little more snow.  I hope to get a few more snow paintings finished before the rain comes next week!  Painting number 4026 in 4026 days.  

Four Cows

I love sketching in the pasture on a sunny winter day - especially when these guys are feeding!  When I see them out, I have to make sure my dog is in the house, or they will not stay long in view!   Here I am sketching first in ink, then following in with watercolor. I got a little darker with my color than usual, and even think I could have left a bit more white.  Every painting is a lesson, and this day tells me I need to paint more cows!  Painting number 3314 in 3314 days,  and day 28 of the #stradaeasel challenge. 

Winter Herefords

Giant snowflakes fell from the sky as I started my day, and fell steadily for hours more.  As 3:00 approached, the warmest part of the afternoon, the snow was still falling gently.  With just a couple hours of daylight left, I headed out to the pasture.  The snow was deep - nearly to the top of my boots! It is actually in the 20s today - and it feels so very warm to paint in!  I even left the neoprene layer at the house.  These beauties stopped for a while to model for me before marching back up to their hay.  They walk single file back and forth, and when one stops they all stop.  I love getting to spend time out in nature with my paint.  This simple process feeds my soul indeed.  Painting number 2963 in 2963 days. 

Herefords Three

It feels like Christmas when a new fountain pen arrives in the mail!  This one is the TWSBI Diamond AL R in limited edition punch pink, and of course it writes like a dream!  The new ink is from Diamine Inkvent collection, Nutcracker. It is a rich red brown, but I couldn't get it dark enough in shadow areas, so had to use some Thunderstorm ink from Robert Oster to balance it.  I know this sounds crazy, but I might just expel half of that ink and add in black.  I'll try it out first with a dip pen. It really isn't recommended to mix inks, but sometimes I can't help myself!  The ink comes in this very lovely bottle, and perhaps I could get a deeper value with a brush?  I couldn't do that in the field, I don't carry any ink bottles with me.  That would be a disaster if the lid loosened up in a bag!  I've used my favorite Watercolor Confections palettes to wash in the color on that handmade paper.  Painting number 2949 in 2949 days. 

Grazing Cows

Unseasonably warm, it was a perfect February day to get outside!  It is always a treat to escape from my chores for some time well spent with nature, inks and watercolor.  I remember the days when my grandparents ran black Angus cattle here for many, many years.  When my mom was young, they had dairy cows and the endless milking morning and night.  Cattle in the pasture links me with my past, and I can't even pass them on the road without wanting to pull over and paint them!  Perhaps this weekend I can paint these darlings with snow on the ground! Painting number 2948 in 2948 days. 

Christmas Eve Cows

This afternoon, I'm sneaking in a quick sketch before gathering with family over at Mom's house.  These cows have been calling my name all week - perhaps I'll get more time to paint after the holidays are over.  Happy Christmas Eve! Painting number 2910 in 2910 days. 

Twilight Herefords

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So often I see the cattle grazing on the western meadow, and I'm normally in the thick of yardwork.  This evening, I finally got the chance to paint these newest babies and mamas.  I'm so thankful to have a mowed path to paint from!  That grass is up to my chest in the pasture, and that grass would surely wind up in my paint, painting, and everywhere!  Painting number 2698 in 2698 days!

Farm on Z

After painting a complicated street scene in ink, I hitched a ride back to this farm (from a friend who was returning to check on me) and started painting.  With just a little time before turn in at the Quarry, I chose an 8x10 to paint.  Working fast and loose, I captured that golden light as it spread across the farm.  Loved all those angles and the cows that meandered in the pasture.  Sometimes that paint just flows off the end of my brushes. Painting number 2324 in 2324 days.

Hereford Quartet

Sometimes, I think I will finish a painting quickly, and then the process takes longer than expected. I was originally going to do a quick pen and ink with watercolor, but the color was so luscious!  It HAD to be painted in oil!  The golden hour light was perfect and fleeting - I hope to have many more chances at it this spring!  Painting number 2298 in 2298 days.

Hereford Trio

I've been playing with my paints this week, tweaking the colors I want on my spring palette. Today I added Winsor Newton's light red, for that warm Hereford red hue.  I had red oxide on there, but it just wasn't what I wanted. This red is perfect for old barns and herefords!  Painting number 2297 in 2297 days. 

Cattle by the Pond

Spring colors are sweeping over the landscape, and overnight the pasture is green.  I couldn't find these guys this morning, and had to call my neighbor to discover they'd moved to a back pasture.  This turned out to be a treat as the cattle were lined up behind that pond, just waiting to be painted!  With high wind gusts today, it was necessary to keep one hand on my easel at all times!  And perhaps I should have chosen a smaller panel, the 16x20 really caught the wind like a sail!  Oh, but it was worth it. Painting number 2295 in 2295 days.

Hereford Pair

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A warm afternoon, birdsong, and cows - all beckoned me outside on this very busy day!  I've been prepping panels all week, and am very limited on small sizes.  So, I pulled out a pumpkin orange one from last year, and started painting cows!  I've been putting their forms in first, and then building in the background from there.  These guys make even the smallest painting window fun!  Painting number 2267 inn 2267 days.

Herefords Three

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My first unscheduled day since arriving home, and I had big plans for painting all day long!  After the gym, lunch out with my daughter, popping dinner in the crock pot, catching up on a few emails led me down the rabbit hole - and I barely surfaced with enough light to paint!  Oh why can't the paper work take care of itself?  I need a robot for that!  Painting number 2261 in 2261 days.