Paintings in progress and studio notes from fine artist Denise Rich, specializing in cow paintings and commissions from client photographs.

I have been invited to a ranch that raises Hereford cattle for the past few years but kept missing calving season.  I finally made it this year, and in my previous post I showed three different studies of Hereford calves from photos I took on that visit.  All three of those are portraits, which I suppose are my favorite type of cow painting because you can see the face so much better.   I am also drawn to peaceful scenes like this one.

It seems like the paintings are coming in runs, a while back it was Black Angus, now it's Herefords!  Calving season has brought with it great reference of other breeds of calves too, and I'll have a few small study paintings of Black Angus and Black Baldy calves coming up soon to even out the score.  

You can view all of my small paintings/studies here.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit a private ranch to take photo reference, just in time to get some great pictures of Hereford calves.  

( You can read about that ranch visit here.)

One of the things I love about what I do is the fact that, although most of my paintings are of cows, every one on it's own is a strong work of art that makes it's own completely unique statement.  Consider the following three paintings of Hereford calves, they are all Hereford calves, but they are all very different works of art.  

6"x8" Hereford Calf Study "New on Blue"  

Look at each one for a moment, and ask yourself,  what personality does this calf have? what is it thinking?  what kind of energy or mood does this piece give?  in each instance your answers could be very different.

6"x8"  Hereford Calf Study  "Eye Contact"

I think one thing that makes my work different is the fact that they are not  just general paintings of animals, they are distinct works of individuals that I have met and photographed personally.  I carefully choose which ones will become paintings based on qualities I see, it has to have something that gives it life, much like a portrait artist who successfully captures the personality of his subject.

6"x8"  Hereford Calf Study "Intrigued"

First captured in the field on camera, translated into oil on canvas, my studies are small, loose, expressively painted works.

You can see more of my studies and small works here or view my larger, more detailed paintings here.

I'm working on a commission right now, and in beetween finding time to finish a couple of other projects, most recently this Black Angus painting.  I have to say I love this expression!  This is another larger painting, 3 feet by 3 feet.  It just had to be that way, and the impact is exactly what I had planned on.  

"Black Angus Portrait"    36"x36"   oil on canvas by Denise Rich

Last year I had two gentlemen that commissioned paintings for their wives.  The first one commissioned a Black Angus bull named Grand Daddy, owned by his wife's family.  This was from my client's photograph.  He sent me several to choose from, and I did two studies to decide if he wanted a portrait or a full body painting, and the full body was the winning choice.

A magnificent animal !  This was an anniversary present, very well thought out and planned a year in advance.  I love the personal

touch with this gift, as the family farm is now represented in their city home.  After my client presented his wife with her new painting of Grand Daddy he wrote to tell me :

"She loves the painting and was blown away. Thanks so much for making our 20th anniversary great."  In fact I am grateful I was trusted with this very important project, but it was certainly his thoughtfulness, far in advance of the actual celebration, that made their 20th anniversary great, congratulations and many more!

The second painting commissioned by a thoughtful husband to give his wife was a retirement gift, also planned out a year in advance. This was a Hereford, but it didn't start out that way, I'll save that story for another day.  :)   

Consider commissioning a beloved or favorite animal as a meaningful gift for a special occasion, you really can't go wrong and not only will it be enjoyed for years to come but it will be handed down for generations to enjoy, complete with the story behind it.

Honestly I don't  get out much, and when I do the think I enjoy the most is taking reference photos.  Yesterday I got to be in a beautiful meadow with mama cows, some Angus, some Herefords with their babies.  I would say 'calves' but that conjures up an image of various ages, and these were, quite literally babies!  I've been wanting this opportunity for some time, and thanks  to Janet T. and  family for generously sharing time and their ranch with me.

On my outing I got to see more than just scenery and cows, they also raise sheep, so I got a few fun shots from the barn as well.  Mr. Rich made a new friend:

I like this guy, well of course I like Mr. Rich, but I mean the Ram.  I am pleased that I got a really great shot of his face, looking straight at me, which I will deviate from painting cows long enough to complete!

My sister just had twin girls, so I couldn't resist taking a picture of this mama and her two babies to send her:

I figure they are sympatico.  :)

But the best part of the day were the photo opportunities that included my favorite subject:

And with that, let me say I had a great artist's day out, and as a result there are some really great paintings on the way, don't miss checking out some of my past works here!

You can read about one of my previous outings on a ranch in Paso Robles here.

Today I'm headed out to Ramona to a ranch that raises Herefords.  I've been looking forward to this for a long time, expect some photos and a story, there is always a story on reference collection day!

Here is a new piece, finished exept for a few details, 

And now I'm off to hike in a pasture, one of my most favorite things, and the best part is they've got babies!

Update: read about the resulting adventure here.

This is one of those compositions that just begged to be large and in charge.  It is also one that the title came into my head before I painted the study a few years ago.

I've finally gotten around to doing the full sized painting, and  "The Boys Are Back"   is 36" x 72"  of Black Angus checking you out!  Whenever I think about the big paintings that saying "go big or go home" comes to mind.  

I am currently working on a 36"x36" portrait of a Black Angus cow, and will be starting a 36"x48" of three from a slightly different scene with this group, so it appears that I'm on a Black Angus painting binge right now!  Of course, that means everyone will be looking for Herefords, but that's why I do commissions, so everyone gets exactly what they want.

Last summer I was invited into three new galleries,

Expressions Galleries in Scottsdale, AZ and Sun Valley, ID

Mountain Trails Gallery in Santa Fe, NM

Horton Fine Art gallery in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

By the time I was contacted by Horton Fine Art I had already sent most of my work to Expressions and Mountain Trails, so between commissions I painted this little cute mixed White Faced calf for them.  She's 18"x18" and I'm very proud of her.

"Freckles" White Faced Calf  18"x18"

She sold within a few days of her arrival at the gallery, and has gone to Kathy, one of my treasured collectors.  This is her third large piece, along with several smaller ones.  

One of my greatest joys is receiving comments from collectors like Kathy, after they receive their new acquisitions, this was no exception:

" Freckles is now a Texan.  I just can't tell you how fabulous he is.  My Mother is afraid to come to my home these days because I have so many animals now.  I guess I am a cow hoarder.  Oh well..might as well enjoy life and cows are so endearing...I can't resist.

Thank you again Denise.  He is a masterpiece.  You are so fortunate to have this talent, I just can't express that enough....One more thing...when I was talking to Sara at Expressions, Sun Valley, I told her your art work makes people realize they didn't even know they liked cows.  She understood."

Thank you Kathy for giving me every reason to keep creating my cow paintings!

I've been painting cows and cattle since around 2004.  That is a long time with one subject isn't it?  So you can imagine how often I am asked, among other things, if I ever get tired of painting them.  

There is always something that says to me "this is a painting!".  It's either one or a combination of things like an emotional response, the eyes/expression/attitude, an interesting composition/grouping, and often it's the personality I see in an individual cow's face, in each case I look to put into my painting what it is I see that is special,  so you can see it too.

"Portrait of a Young Hereford"     14"x18"   

Available at the upcoming Mountain Oyster Club Invitational Juried Art Show

If you think about it, there is as much variety in what I do as there is for an artist that paints portraits of people.  Each human face is different in so many ways, just as each cow face is different, and bringing 'life' to the subject in either case is essential to a successful painting.

I have been told by many that I'm really a portrait artist, and I have to agree.  Will I ever get tired of painting cows?  Not in the forseeable future, as long as  I continue to find facinating faces and interesting group compositions that keep it fresh and challenging.

The Property Brothers, whose show appears on HGTV, had the good sense to add a painting of cows to one of their client's homes.  I know there are a lot of really positive reasons for this,  just ask my own clients.  If you have or wish to have a painting of a cow or cows in your home, please be sure to visit my original cow oil paintings portfolios, small works here and larger works here.  If there is something specific you are looking for but don't see, consider commissioning a painting.

Meanwhile, here is a recently finished piece:

Charolais Cow Girl 

36"x72"  oil on canvas

My chosen focus is cows.  This is generally not expected, and the reactions once people realize it are sometimes not expected either.  Someone said to me the other night at the artwalk, "well it doesn't matter that you can only do one thing, you do that one thing really, really well."

I find it interesting the way people view what I do.  Often  they don't realize I can paint other things and choose to focus on this one, which simply put is because cows make me smile, and I like to show them as individuals instead of a herd.  OK, but does it go further than that?  Actually it does, so I've been doing a little deep thought about why I do what I do.  Why do I paint cows instead of landscapes or still lifes for instance?

"Double Eagle"  24"x20"

Artist Cat Corcilius

It is my passion to paint, finding the right subject, taking the reference photo, composing exactly what part of that image will become a fine art oil painting.  They happen mostly to be cows, a subject I enjoy every aspect of capturing.  

I get to go out for drives in the back country, walk in fields where all I can hear are birds, wind, an occasional moo and my own footsteps in the grass.  OK sometimes also chewing, depending on how close I am to the cattle.  

My chosen subject could be landscapes, but for me, that beautiful scenery just doesn't give back like the cows do.  It can be peaceful, it can even be breathtaking, but it just sits there.  It does not show emotion, attitude, nor does it make me smile with amusement.   Scenery is not interested in me, it doesn't interact, and the same can be said for still life as I've not run across any objects I feel a strong connection with and am moved to capture on canvas.   I like the fact that the cows are interested in me, curious, and display such wonderful personality, and my goal is to capture and share what I see in them in each painting.

Another artist doesn't see what I see in cows, but they see it in landscapes, or in setting up a perfect still life.  My friend and artist

Cat Corcilius sees it in creating the perfect still life scene with a focus on indian pottery.  I love her work, I find it peaceful and beautiful, interesting in how the objects are chosen and placed, and she obviously 'feels' a connection with them which comes through to us as we view her work.   Although this is her focus, and she does it really, really well, her skills as an artist are not tied to this subject matter any more than mine are tied to only cows.

I appreciated the meaning of the visitor's comment, they were complimenting what I do, but I also hoped they realized it is not because it's  the only thing I can paint, it's that this is what moves me, it is the moment I want to capture, the thing at this time that I want to share.   

If you are a collector of art, established or newly considering, this is what I suspect applies to most of the works you connect with personally, it was painted by someone who connected with it first and was moved to paint it, and that thread ties you all together, artist, subject, collector.

I've been switching gears from several large works, Here are some of the latest, a selection of Holstein cow paintings.

Holstein Cow  original oil "Sunny"   12"x12"

I loved her curiosity and the black top knot.

Holstein Cow Oil Study 8"x8"  

Inquisitive girl, with great eyelashes.

Holstein Calf w/Red oil painting study   8"x8"

This little calf had a cute face, and needed to be painted.

Last but certainly not least, I loved the expression, angle and colors in this Holstein calf:

Holstein Calf "On the Ranch" oil painting study  8"x8"

This study is certainly going to end up as a large piece.  They may all, but I am sure about this one.  That is the purpose of a small study after all, to see the colors and composition in smaller form, before committing to a very large painting.  

I am very pleased and honored to have been invited by Expressions Gallery in Sun Valley Idaho and Scottsdale Arizona to be a part of their family of artists.  New works currently available through Expressions Gallery Sun Valley:

Original Oil Painting of Holstein Calves "Friends"  36"x48"

Original Oil Painting of Holstein Heifer "Morning Glory"  24"x48"

I am very excited to be included in the company of the following talented artists:

Julie Bender
Nelson Boren
Will Caldwell
Katie Flood
R.A. Heichberger
Donna Howell-Sickles
Fran Kievet
Dave McGary
Gerry Metz
Bill Mittag
Ken Peloke
Jim Rey
Mary Roberson

I truly love digital photography as a means of collecting photo reference.  I can take hundreds of photos in one session, and often I'm still finding interesting compositions the third or fourth time looking through them.  If you think about it, portraits you can take successfully all day long, but groupings that are successful the way they naturally occur (without the help of photoshop) is not as common, so you have to look for it a little harder.

This photograph of cows is an excellent example of such a find.  Here is a grouping of mixed cows, the entire photo as taken.

A lot going on here, too much for one painting, at least for me.  I did however notice something in this picture.  I have actually cropped this into a few different compositions that will make unique paintings, the first one I chose was this one:

I was looking for something that would be stunning in a larger format, and this composition, for many reasons, stood out to me.  Here is the finished piece, "Mixed Cows"  36"x72"

I am partial, but I just can't tell you how much I love this piece personally!  I hope you enjoy this painting, and seeing how it came to be. 

I sold a large piece at the Cattlemen's Western Art Show last weekend.  It was 48"x48",  and understandably beyond the comfort zone of the average person to transport, so I was happy to deliver it.  The best part of that is I had the opportunity to get to know my new collectors, and they generously invited me to visit their 112 acre ranch just outside of Paso Robles where I had a wonderful time taking hundreds of photos of their cows.  There will be new paintings coming soon!  (Thank you so much John and Agina for your hospitality!)

Just look at the beautiful scenery!  I could have stayed all day just hanging out in this paradise with these happy cows.  Aside from the cows and the scenery was the entertainment of the three cattle dogs that had come along.  You have never seen happier dogs, running, playing, chasing cows (I mean 'working' of course).  

I also had the opportunity to meet Boofee (I don't know how to spell it, but it's pronounced Boo Fee so I'm going with phonetics).

He has to be the biggest steer ever.  He was hand raised and is gentle as a lamb.  My fellow artist and friend Lorrie Beck accompanied me on this trip, here she is getting up close and personal with "Boofee"