English Longhorn Bull

Soft pastel on card
56cm x 79cm

I must be nuts!

Armed only with paint and paper, I try to evoke an impression of the fleeting effects of light on skin, fur, feathers, moss, bark, grass, sea, rock and even air! The challenges of painting are absorbing, exciting, rewarding, frustrating fun and totally addictive.

A few years ago, a sojourn in rural Herefordshire presented the opportunity to study British heritage breeds of farm animals. Since then, rare breeds and endangered wild species have become increasingly important to my work. Today, pastel portraits make up most of my commissioned work, from esteemed academics to much loved horses and prize-winning cattle. I find that pastel beautifully depicts the softness of skin, hair and fur and yet retains the complex details of light and shade that portraits demand.

The English Longhorn is a beautiful docile, long-lived, multi-use breed with a timeless quality. It was prized for milk, beef and as a draught animal for centuries, but it faded into obscurity in the 1960’s and 70’s. Thanks to the work of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, it has been rescued, to flourish once again.