Painting a Colourful Highland Cow

Learning to Paint a Rainbow Highland Cow!

Today is my painting workshop at the gallery Creative Melbourne, in Melbourne Derbyshire. I set up the space yesterday afternoon so that all of the easels and canvases etc are ready to go when we all arrive this morning. We shall be making very vivid Highland Cow paintings I am sure, as Im taking 26 different colour tubes of paint including some sparkly pearlised paints. It will be a small group of six, today painting up in the mezzanine gallery, which is a lovely space to work in, above the art gallery itself which fills two floors below.

Spare Cake

I have baked two cakes for the occasion. Partially because I’m never sure my cake will rise! So I did a ‘spare’ and they both rose beautifully so now we have two. ‘Spare cake’ is surely one of the happiest phrases in the English language.

A Big Hairy Beast

We will be basing our painting loosely on this big colourific chap above, although each piece will be as unique as the artist who paints it. We typically have at least two or three total beginners in my workshops, which is always exciting. I haven’t met any of the artists joining me today, so I will find out about experience levels once everyone arrives. Some attendees are coming from a little farther afield today, so I hope everyone has had a nice journey to get here. I will post photos from the day’s activities later on.

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English Longhorn Cow Painting; Work in Progress

An Evening Painting Session

I’m making the most of the last few remaining light evenings. I can’t drive after dark, so Winter painting is always done during the morning hours.

This lovely big red-roan lady is an English Longhorn Cow that I’m working on currently. She will be available for sale soon. I love these gentle cows. We have a beautiful Longhorn herd as neighbours over at Calke Abbey!

English Longhorn Cow: Large Oil Painting

I’m really enjoying the colours in this English Longhorn cow’s coat. I’m using red ochres, brown pinks, maroon and dark blue mixed to create beautiful violet reds and aubergine tones.

One of my favourite commissions was for the owner of a herd of these beautiful cows. I’ll put a link to that painting here. If you would like a custom painting of your favourite cow /breed of cow, please do get in touch.

The Historical Staunton Hall and Ferrers Centre

A Creative Environment

Working in my new studio space every day, I find myself getting curious about the history of the building and surrounding estate, and how the Ferrers Centre came into being. So I tried to see what I could find out… and there is a lot(!) of history and interesting things to find out about. Below is a brief history. Of course, now that I have begun to read about these things, I’m even more curious than I was before and will delve deeper when I get the chance. One thing is for sure, it’s a privilege to be able to work here and create art surrounded by such a wonderful estate

Staunton Harold Church

The church was built in 1653 by Robert Shirley, in defiance of Cromwell, and in support of the King. Unfortunately, Shirley died in the Tower of London under Cromwell and didn’t get to see the church finished. After the monarchy was restored, the Church was completed by Richard Shepheard in 1665. Its a very interesting little church, and they sometimes give informative tours, which Im hoping to join in one day and find out more.

The Ferrers at Staunton Harold

The link between Staunton Hall and The Ferrers Name is a man called Robert Shirley (don’t call me Shirley) who inherited the family seat in 1646. He was a well-educated 7th baronet and headed for a career in politics. The peerage Baron Chartley of Ferrers was conferred on him so that he could proceed to the Houe of Lords. So he became the first Earl Ferrers

We are now on the 14th Earl Ferrers, although Staunton Harold Hall no longer belongs to that family. In 1954 the 12th Earl Ferrers put the house and land up for auction, and the hall was destined for demolition. Thankfully the hall was rescued and turned into a Cheshire home, later becoming a Sue Ryder Hospice. In 2003, the Blunt family bought the house and began to turn it back into a family home.

The Stable Block

The late 18th-century stable block, used to house the horses of the Staunton Estate, was arranged around a central courtyard. As well as stables, there was a coach house, grain store and quarters for unmarried servants. There was also a forge, which is still in use to this day. The Blunt family acquired the stable block in 1954 when they purchased Home Farm. By this time it had fallen into disrepair. The courtyard was overgrown and the buildings were standing derelict.

It took twenty years, but eventually the old neglected stableyard was transformed!

Ferrers Centre Today

The Blunt family had a wonderful vision of rebuilding and turning the space into a centre where craftspeople could work. It took until the seventies to achieve this dream, and in 1978, the first potter moved in. The centre has grown and thrived over the years and has become a hub for artists and craftspeople to work every day, and to offer their work for sale to the public right from their workspace. In this way, the centre is unique and has over 15 artisans working onsite, a Framers, a well-known Art Gallery, Deli and Tearooms to visit.

The Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts. Staunton Harold Hall, Melbourne Rd, Ashby-de-la-Zouch LE65 1RU Website

Staunton Harold Hall

The Hall is a country house built around a quadrangle, set in around 2000 acres. There is a church situated on the South East side., The ornate gateway to the Northeast front of the house is late 17th century, and the hound and the stag (below) were emblems of the coat of arms of the Shirley family. The gatehouse, at the Melbourne Road, entrance to the estate, was built in the 1800s.

The original house incorporated a Jacobean property, and was built around the early 1700s The Hall as it appears today is the result of rebuilding work carried out by the fifth Earl Ferrers beginning in 1763. The stables and walled kitchen garden were also built in the late 1700s. This was also when the two large lakes or pools, Church Pool, and Fish Pool were created, in place of the old formal gardens. The walled kitchen garden of three acres is now the site of the Garden Centre.

The Earls Ferrers

Even the name ‘Ferrers’ is interesting and I’ve seen quite a few local references to it. The name itself dates back to the Norman invasion, where a Man called Henry (de Ferrers) from Ferrieres Saint- Hilaire in Normandy was considered rather helpful to William the Conqueror, so he presented him with a huge amount of land as a result and he became one of the most influential men in the country at that time. Along with many other achievements, he founded Tutbuty Priory in 1080.

His son Robert became the Earl of Derby. Six generations of the de Ferrers Family would hold this title, which was taken away in 1275 after a rebellion. When the family was restored to favour 8 years later they were granted the Manor of Chartley, accompanied by the title Baron Ferrers of Chartley. The peerage continued until falling into abeyance in 1855.

It was Earl Ferrers, In the Study

It seems like he 4th Earl of Ferrers was actually not a very nice man even before he shot his old famildy steward in 1760. He shot him in a drunken rage, and the poor man died of his injuries the following day. Read more about this astonishing tale here. The Earl was the very last Peer to be hanged for murder in this country.

References: https://www.lrgt.org/places/staunton-harold-hall/

https://www.stauntonharoldestate.co.uk/history/

https://www.visitleicester.info/see-and-do/staunton-harold-estate-and-ferrers-centre-for-arts-and-crafts-p806181

Fabulous results in my beginner's art classes - Let your creative side out!

The step-by-step process is the reason my workshops are suitable for total beginners, as well as artists with more experience who want to learn new techniques and tips, all the way through to experienced artists who want a relaxing day painting away from it all, with time to experiment and try something different.

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Giant Highland Cow Paintings For Sale

Giant Highland Cow paintings for sale!

Dwarfing everyone else in the studio, its Cardross and Oban

Update* Cardross is now residing in beautiful Canada, and international shipping is available for these big girls. Im not saying its easy, but it’s available :) I offer overseas delivery at a subsidised rate so it’s worth checking out one of these big babies if you have a nice big wall.

Revisiting an owl theme

Astronomer - an Owl Painting with a Starry Sky Background

Astronomer - an Owl Painting with a Starry Sky Background

Today I revisited an owl that I have painted before , I wanted to use the same idea but really push the sky and the lighting effects more, to make this painting more like it was in my mind. I have a couple of alterations to make, and then we'll see if I managed to do what I set out to do this morning ☺️ Many artists won't paint the same scene twice, but I actually often do and I enjoy seeing which bits I can change or improve.