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

A recent commission included my taking photos of the subjects, Haley and Lucky,
Sam the Cooking Guy's dogs.
It's challenging but fun to work with animals, and usually involves taking a  ton of photos, eventually you'll get the shot! If you are really fortunate the owner will be able to help you get the shot:

Sam helping Lucky pose-I appreciated the help, but this wasn't quite what I was after!

After the photo session I emailed several options to Sam and his wife Kelly, and they chose the
two that they wanted me to paint.  I delivered the paintings, and the highest compliment
was payed to them, when they caught the attention of Lucky.  As soon as Sam put them up
on a mantle to see how they looked, Lucky climbed
up to the back of the couch to take a better look,


He stared at both paintings, then settled in to view and growl at his own.


I don't know if he actually recognizes himself and Haley in the paintings, or just knows they are
dogs, but Sam and Kelly said he barks when he sees himself on television too.

It was decided that the first location didn't have enough room for the paintings, here is a photo of Haley
and Lucky's portraits where they are now in their new home:



Sam started out with a 2 minute cooking segment on local news which grew to a regular half hour show (just aired the 100th episode).  The show has won 12 Emmys, and become a national series on Discovery's Health channel, his 3rd book is due out in February 2011. I have the first two cookbooks, and love them!

If you watch 'Sam the Cooking Guy', you are familiar with Haley and Lucky, as they are the most beloved dogs of Sam and his wife Kelly, and wander freely on and off camera during the show.  They made excellent subjects!
Thank you Sam and Kelly for trusting me to paint your cute dogs!

I received a commission to paint a favorite family photo.

I work from photographs, and will paint any subject from a photo, so of course it doesn't have to have a cow in it, but I'm always pleased when it does!  This photo is an old black and white one of my client's mother as a teenager, showing her prize winning Black Angus steer at the Cow Palace.  How great is that?
being a black and white photo we decided a light color tint would keep the old fashioned look of the photo but give it a little something extra.

The girl in the painting's name is Janet, she is now a grandmother, and her grandchildren are carrying on the family tradition and also show cattle. 



I just delivered this painting, commissioned by Mary G., the daughter of Janet, the subject.  I am very pleased to have been trusted with painting this moment in time which will now be
a family heirloom, and will always mean something special as it is passed on.  Thank you Mary!

I find I'm not the only one whose personal focus is cows, a while back I enjoyed watching the BBC interview with Temple Grandin on youtube, "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow"  Dr. Temple Grandin and I have cows in common, except I only paint them, she changed their world, very interesting and I highly recommend it.


There is now I found an HBO movie about her, "Temple Grandin".  I saw part of it the other day, I'm looking forward to seeing the whole thing as soon as I get the chance.

The amazing thing about her is she was diagnosed with autism at the age of four.  Remarkable story.

I love the internet.  Without it I couldn't share my work with so many people so far away, meet and make friends and collectors in other countries.  It was through Facebook that I met Olav, owner of Highland Cattle and some beautiful property in Norway.  Olav commissioned me to paint this photograph for him of his Highland cows Mona, Jolene and Carmen.  Mona is on the bottom left, Jolene is the same color behind her, and Carmen is on the right doing what cows do, oblivious to the fact that she is being photographed. 

Through email Olav and I discussed the composition, and decided to use a different photo of Carmen and put her in the bottom right, and to move Jolene to approximately where Carmen is.
This is the rough oil sketch on canvas that I sent to Olav for approval, based on our discussion.

Once I had approval on the composition I started laying in the paint, developing the subjects with a
foundation layer.


With several more steps along the way, here is the finished piece, once dry I will be removing it
from the stretcher bars, and shipping it rolled in a tube to Norway.   Shipping overseas is
a lot more reasonable rolled than flat, and Olav will have a framer stretch the painting.
This painting is  20"x30".  Thank you Olav, for trusting me with your original art commission.

Olav and Carmen

California Happy Cows are not all black and white.  The Happy Cows of television fame in the Real California Milk ads are Holsteins, but you will also find the number two most popular dairy breed of California dairies is the Jersey cow, one of the six dairy breeds found in California.  You can read more about the different breeds of dairy cows found in California , the second largest dairy state, and across the country here.



"Lily"
12"x12"
Oil on Linen


Lily is a Jersey calf painting.  All calves are cute, but there is something about those big brown eyes
and doe like face of a Jersey!

       Did you know that 99% of California's Dairy farms are family owned?  The Dairy farm that I visit to take reference photos of Holstein cows and calves for my oil paintings is one of them.  The Van Ommerings not only have a working dairy, but they are also increasingly involved in sharing their farm operation with the public, helping to educate local
kids as to where their milk products come from. 


This is Milo.  Milo lives at the Van Ommerings Dairy, and I had the opportunity to meet him in person, and stare right into those sweet eyes!

Milo, 16"x20", oil on linen

There are some really wonderful video spots on the California Happy Cows website that give a glimpse into the world of a number of these family owned California dairy farms.  It really takes dedication and is most often a labor of love.