Sheep Grazing on Te Mata Peak

These sheep were grazing on the steep  hills of Te Mata peak, Havelock North. I love this part of the world.....they have it all, vineyards, mountains, sea, orchards, fine weather, great towns and quaint villages.

I took this photo and have painted it before, but I have no idea where that first edition is hiding, so I used the opportunity to paint it again. If i find the original, I will post it.

The weather is warming up and my easel is seeing a little bit of outdoors action, but the truth is, I should get up earlier to paint but am a lazy so and so!

oil on hardboard
25 x 30 cm

Sheep admiring the sunset...yeah,right!

Sorry, clearly I am a bit silly at the moment. This was from an art class a few weeks back where I wiped THIS canvas clean about 3 times before I painted this scene. Frankly, the air was blue and my irritation levels at my own lack of focuswas on Defcon 9 . Then a watercolourist (such even mild,even tempered people!!) by the name of Karen let me look at some of her reference photos of sheep and this happened.

Not great, but not bad either.
The colour looks strange in the foreground( might be the photographer!) , not as dark in real life ,but the sky is about right.

Getting back into the swing of it.

I sold some more cows! I am so pleased and so happy that they went to someone who really knows a cow when he see one...a Friesen-Holstein breeder, I believe! I hope he is happy.They made me happy to paint them.

Now,maybe a sheep lover(in a good way, folks) would like this one!

Banner sheep

Someone wanted to see the whole of the sheep painting that features in the banner.Tadah!

I really like sheep. I patted some today at the local Fieldays agricultural thingamabob and took some great photos of farmers. Did I mention how much I like farmers?I am sure there must be a mailorder catalogue specialising in farmer fashion and bruskeness...and gumboots and funny hats etc.Anyway, if I could get away with it, I would take more photo's than is sensible or neccesary , but I am carefull not to offend.So, I settle for sheep patting and sly photography