Cows at Chilbolton

This painting took me a very long time to paint. It was all en plein air, and I am used to the challenge of landscape and it’s variations of tone and colour in the sky and landscape beneath, and the constant movement caused by changes of light and weather. What made this painting difficult was the cows – stepping in and out of the water – and having to make decisions about their individual placement within the composition. Understanding the nature of their reflections – easy and logical when they far away, but when they are near what one sees are strange contortions of cow underbelly. Patience prevailed ! I got to know their routine, and learnt how to gather quickly the information that I needed each time they crossed the river.