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| Cow with a Green Earring, oil on cradled board, 11x14 based on photo by Susan Marks Dalton
My friend Susan posts great photos of their southern Virginia farm on FaceBook; I asked if I could use some for paintings--she agreed. Okay, so her trees weren't violet and there wasn't a dead one in the foreground, and the grass wasn't golden, and there were four cows--not just one (this is based on the photo). I liked this one who had delicately picked up her left front leg. How do those little legs support so much cow?
Lots of paint on this one--it may never dry, and I'm not quite finished.
I don't know the breed of cow--red angus?--I like her color; the same color as my hair when I was younger. AND my parents let my friend and me paint my bedroom lavender when we were about 10 years old. We used lots of paint and signed our names behind the headboard. Holy Cow--this is probably another self-portrait.
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Posts
Hallie, I noticed on your last post you mentioned you needed to be less stingy with your paint and now in this one you used heaps of it. Wow, that's taking the bull by the horns! I LOVE your cow with the dainty pose and its green earring. Happy week to you.
ReplyDeleteHi Carole. Yes, heaps of paint. At times I felt mired in paint. Happy week to you.
Deletewow---your hair had to be beautiful---this cow is a wonderful color. I like how you had a stream of consciousness explanation for this painting. The big question is do you ever stand with your foot delicately raised like this? Seriously, now...I totally love this painting. I love cows--and this one is a real beauty (together with it's interesting surroundings!!)
ReplyDeleteHi Celeste. The hair color was okay, but I hated the freckles and blushing that accompanied it. It was not until I was writing the post that I remembered my lavender room. Now, you've triggered another memory. In a family photo taken in Richmond when I was a baby, a young unknown girl is off to the side--posing with her left foot raised. My mother said she just ran up and got in the picture.
DeleteHallie, you made me laugh. I am so envious of that hair color too. I was born with red hair but it sure didn't last long. My oldest daughter is a red head and so is her son and daughter. I like the way you think and how it comes out in a wonderful painting!
ReplyDeleteHi CrimsonLeaves. I think red is the first hair color to fade. I don't consciously make the connections when I'm working on a painting; I notice them later. I've read that all paintings are actually self-portraits.
DeleteWhat a lot of, er...cow! ha ha Love the bold colors and the thinking about what it just might mean :) A self-portrait? Well, maybe the colors and that dainty leg/foot and earring! ha ha
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda(RH). I have no idea what these cows weigh. When I was painting, I was reminded of a chart I've seen that shows cuts of beef. I had to turn off that part of my brain. Somehow I ended up with analgous colors (I think). I was aiming for gray and got violet--a mix of viridian and crimson. Since I had a big pile, I used it and liked it--oh yeah, winter trees can look like that! This was painted in two days and I enjoyed every minute.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely cowstanding!
ReplyDeleteThank you, SamArtDog. Do you have cows like this?
DeleteYes, I agree that every painting is a self portrait. I always enjoy how you share your process and take us from point a to point b.
ReplyDeleteA memoir in paintings.
You and oil paints are good friends. Love the lavender trees. In fact, I love it all.
Hi PAMO. You do a lot of self portraits in drawing and in writing--we do create memoirs. I suspect that paintings I like by other artists trip some memory wire, too. Thank you.
DeleteWell, I was going to say, "hey, I knew her!" until you said it was probably a self-portrait.
ReplyDeleteYour colors and your tree are the way it is, or should be! So cool.
Hi Dan. So you've known some cows--the ones I've known have been nice and gentle.
DeleteThanks; I do like the simple surroundings in this one.
I like your lady-like cow with her green earring in the purple trees. You've made something ordinary extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteThank you CarolKing. What a nice comment!
DeleteYou are having fun with oils and creating your very own piece from parts of photos. I like your composition and color choices. Funny what you say about a self portrait. I believe there is a bit of us in each painting. I am working on a portrait of my granddaughter and Bob said I made Kelly look more like my famly!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary. I've laughed when drawing from models; I tend to always shorten their legs--make them like mine. (I might have shortened this cow's legs.). I will wait to see Kelly's portrait.
DeleteHi Hallie, I haven't been on my 'puter much lately BUT you have! You've been busy painting too ! I've been told by several people this will keep us young. Love your red angus with earring. Too funny.
ReplyDeleteHi DLPR (Sue). Definitely, painting keeps us young--as long as we keep our eyes on on the canvas and not on the mirror. Mirrors are handy, though, for looking at paintings in progress.
DeleteI've been delinquent in visiting and nearly missed another great post and painting. Absolutely lovely! The great thing about blogs is that we can catch up.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gail. I'm sometimes delinquent, too. Than I find it's nice to just spend time reading blogs and all the comments.
DeleteLove that red cow, and what a fabulous color for hair !
ReplyDeleteThanks you Jane. We're glad you're back--hope it was a wonderful vacation.
DeleteCatching up with what you were creating Hallie, this is one amazing composition you came up with, The branches make a cute view finder through which I am enjoying the cow! The simplicity of execution also impressed me so much!
ReplyDeleteWillie looks a lot like my favorite doggie Snowy from Tintin books and pray he recovers fast.