Lady of Calke - 80 x 100 cm/30 x 40 "

Lady of Calke
Oil on canvas, 80 × 100 cm

Thick, lively brushwork and warm, weathered colour celebrate a breed that has been part of Britain’s parkland and farm life for centuries. Hardy, curious, and quietly grand. She’s stubborn in the best way, steady, maternal, and used to getting on with things.

This English Longhorn faces the viewer directly. Her wide horns frame a calm, attentive gaze. There’s a sense that she’s looking back at you, taking you in. Cows are social animals!  They form close bonds, recognise individuals, and have strong attachments to their surroundings and to each other. That understanding sits behind this painting. She isn’t just part of the scenery. She’s part of a social world, with friends, family, routines and preferences of her own.

The title Lady of Calke comes from Calke Abbey Estate, known for its long-standing herd of English Longhorn cattle. The estate is close to my studio, and these animals are part of the landscape I live and work within. I have wandered among the herd in the summer months. I'm always struck by how impressive their size is, yet they are so, so gentle, kind and calm.

This is a painting about awareness and presence. To live with her is to be reminded that the animals around us are  thinking, feeling beings sharing the land with us.

Signed and supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity.