A new turquoise and gold scottish Highland Cow painting

Painting Highland Cow again this time with gorgeous turquoise and teal

I spent the week painting the Highland Cow in these lovely bright aqua shades.

Now freshly completed and getting dry in my studio this week. She has a very level and intense stare and is a dark ginger brown, with sunny highlights in her sweeping forelock. Painted with brushes, fingers and a palette knife, there is a lot of texture and movement in the piece. She is 30 x 40” / 80 x 100 cm, and this painting is now sold. Check out my new originals or why not commission your own custom Highland Cow art piece?

Kirriemuir - original Highland Cow Painting

Kelso - Colourful cow!

Kelso 80 x 100 cm

A Big Colourful Cow Canvas in Orange, Blue and Purple - a Winning Combination!

I have been working hard to get my new pieces ready to take to the Creative Melbourne gallery this week, as part of the Derbyshire Open Arts Trail 2022 If this lady is dry in time we will be taking her along! Layers of textured deep purple-blue and fizzy orange make this piece a real eye-opener!

Some of my new Highland Cow paintings will be released for sale on my originals page as they become available, and you can sign up for my art collectors newsletter for early updates.

*Update! If you want to see a photo of Kelso in her new home, see this post.

Kelso canvas prints are now available to purchase here

Who paints the Colourful Highland cows?

The Story Behind the Colourful Highland Cow Paintings
I painted my first Highland Cow in 2018, from a photo reference of a beautiful brown and very hairy Highland Cow with a quizzical expression. I used the stance, and the lighting from the photo, however I used my own colour palette. The idea was to use some of the rich and beautiful glowing colours present in the gorgeous Harris Tweed fabric, which always reminds me of the beauty of the Scottish scenery. I painted that piece in two sessions, and it all fell into place very quickly. I enjoyed it so much that I began to paint a whole series of these lovely cows. The colours and the expressive brush and finger marks do seem to suit the character of the Highland Cattle, and I enjoy creating the moody and stormy surroundings.

The most famous of my colourful Highland Cow paintings is that first one, simply titled ‘Highland Cow’. I entered the Wraptious artist competition that year, having put together a collection of five paintings , all of the animals, for my entry. I won the competition and was signed up as a licensed artist , and my Highland Cow began to be featured on a lot of their home and giftware that year. He is still a bestseller now and a familiar face in boutiques and shops both in the UK and abroad.

My original Highland Cow painting

Buy a large canvas print of the Highland Cow here:

Patchings Festival 2022

I am excited to be exhibiting/demonstrating at Patchings for the first time this year! I have attended several times as a visitor amid much excitement and enjoyed seeing all the professional artists stands and watching them work, so its thrilling to be going as an artist this year. Here is the link, hopefully Ill see you there!

A new Highland Cow oil painting on the easel - work in progress

A new 80 x 100 cm oil painting on canvas. This was the second layer of oils. This piece is going to be very rich in blues and teals, with layers of translucent colour building up to a really intense finish. The Highland Cow will be resplendent in shiny gold and blonde waves. That is the plan- ill let you know how it goes! This piece will be available for sale on my website when finished.

Deer Painting on Canvas

I have been working on these two for a couple of months and they are just about finished, bar any tweak i do this week

Setting up for the Rainbow Cow Painting Workshop today

I’m lucky in that when I run a Sunday workshop at Sharpes Pottery Museum, I’m able to set the room up the evening before so that it’s not such a rush in the morning. The volunteers very kindly get all the tables and chairs out ready for me too -all much appreciated! Here is my room almost ready for today’s Rainbow Cow workshop. Today we have a group of people who booked the workshop privately on a date to suit them all. They are all beginners and that doesn’t matter at all! You can do the same, if you want me to organise a group event, maybe for a birthday party or a hen ‘do’ just get in touch and I can tailor a workshop day to your requirements.

Derbyshire Open Arts Trail! 28-29th May 2022 - Melbourne Event!

I’m delighted to be part of a group of fantastic artists holding an ‘open studio ‘ exhibition as part of the above event this year. We are lucky enough to be holding our collaborative exhibition and ‘meet the artist’ event at the brand new Creative Melbourne art gallery in Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 8EJ. The gallery is a wonderful space, on three levels and we are taking over the first floor on both days. We are Sujata Allen, Teresa Barlow, Jane Bevan, Amanda Hughes, Susan Olumide, and Kate Westwood (and me ). Please pop along, we will all be there, there will be one or two demonstrations of work in progress and we would love to see you. I’ll give you the link to the Trail Event and you can use the map and do the whole trail if you like. Our spot in Melbourne will be the most Southern point on the trail map, so you can start with us and then come back at the end again, exhausted on Sunday if you like :D We will all have things available to purchase but, will be just as happy to see you if you are simply coming for a nice day out! It will be so nice to be out sharing our work and seeing people again this Summer. When you get to the Creative Melbourne Gallery, come upstairs to the main gallery-its like a hidden treasure up there, tardis-style- bigger than you think!

This photo was taken at the Creatiove Melbourne ‘Splash of Colour’ exhibition last month.

Jet-setting Labradoodle Bailey arrives in the Netherlands!

In fact the original Bailey was already there- it was his portrait that had to cover the miles, hitching a ride with some good friends , arriving safe and sound . Here he is on the wall with the beautiful muse in attendance! Thank you , Emma for sharing this fab photo!.

Stringing a canvas.

How I string a canvas ready to hang (and what to do with the widgets!)

Sorry about the orientation :) this is a reel borrowed from my instagram page . I do get asked which canvases I prefer so here is a link to my current favourite ones , This is my affiliate link, so you will receive a 10% discount through using it and they pay me a small commission which all helps towards the paint costs, without affecting the price you pay.

Art studio mugshots!

Its just me and my cow! This one is just getting ready for a coat of varnish and took the opportunity for a quick snap! I love this one, she’s super-colourific which is just the way I like it!

View available paintings on my web site here

Buying an original piece of art - 10 reasons why you should.

1) When you buy an original painting or sculpture, whether directly from the artist or through an art gallery, you are helping to support the arts and perpetuate original art-making, which makes the world a better, more enjoyable place.

2) Original art carries all of the texture and original mark-making from the artist’s hand and has a much more tactile quality than a reproduction print. There may be lumps, bumps, scratches and heavy brush marks and even finger marks all adding to the uniqueness of the artwork.

3) There is a cachet to owning the one-off original, there is only one available, and it’s yours.

4 ) An original painting will usually carry the signature in paint on the front of the work, and a certificate of authenticity so you have all the official provenance, in case you decide eventually to sell the piece of art.

5) An original piece will accrue in value over time, so that when you are buying an artwork, you are making an investment, rather than just filling a space on your wall as you might with a print.

6) Original pieces of art are collectable. When you purchase from an artist, you become a collector of their work. If you really love the paintings by the artist and follow them, it’s exciting to see new pieces come onto the market.

7) Original art seems to bring enlivening energy to a home, perhaps its the excitement of owning a one-off piece by an artist that you love, or maybe the piece carries with it some of the heart and spirit that caused the artist to create it. Either way, its always a positive addition to your living space.

8) A painting is a truly elegant way of bringing your own taste and style to a room, when you choose a painting that resonates with you, it’s a bit like playing your favourite music, your guests will immediately see what you are all about.

9) Originals are a talking point and a focal point. The clarity of colour and variety of texture grabs the eye and can be a great conversation starter

. 10) The sheer joy of owning an original that you love will make you smile every day as you look at it.

Buying original art - what to look for

Here are a few items to take into consideration when thinking about buying a piece of original art.

1) Choose a painting that really calls out to you, youll know when you definitely love a painting. Unless you are spending huge amounts on a piece that will be kept under lock and key, you want to be able to enjoy your painting every day as it hangs in your home. So trust your own taste and if you love and need a particular painting, it is never going to be the worng purchase.

2) Decide whether you are looking for a painting in a particular medium. Your chosen type of piece will probably dictate your presentation options. For instance, an original oil painting would typically be framed without glass.. Works on paper such as watercolour or soft pastel paintings are framed under glass, Oils and acrylics on canvas may be framed or hung unframed, gallery wrapped (painted sides)

3) What is your budget? As original art generally holds or increases in value you are making an investment. You might acquire a piece from an emerging artist at a very preferential price before he or she becomes sought-after, and the prices go up accordingly. Or you might want to buy a piece from an established artist who is selling at higher prices, and choose to look for a smaller piece from that artist depending on budget restrictions. If you work out a firm budget before you start it will give you a clearer idea of how and where to begin hunting.

4) Where will you hang your original painting? Whether your piece is framed traditionally under glass or on a stretched canvas over a wooden frame, you will need to by mindful of temperature and humidity fluctuations as these can warp the wood. Although most modern paints and inks are very lightfast , it would still not be advisable to hang a painting in direct sunshine for a number of years just in case .

5) Measure your space carefully - if buying a larger piece, its wise to really measure your available hanging space as measuring with the eye can be rather deceptive.

6) Budget for shipping costs in needed, and for framing your new piece if thats what you plan to present the work.

7) You will need to arrange for the painting to be covered by your home insurance before you take it home.

8) Is your desired painting ready to hang or will you need to organise framing initially before you can place the piece in your chosen spot

9) Is provenance paperwork supplied with the piece. A certificate of authenticity is very nice to have and many artists will supply this for you upon purchase. Is the painting signed on the front or the back? As long as the piece bears the signature of the artist it does not really matter, but you may have a preference

10) IWhen you are intending to buy from an artist that you dont know well, you can usually find out a lot by cdelving into their website and social pages to get a feel for their practice and their values. You can check their recently sold paintings and get a feel for how well their work is selling and for what prices currently.

Vegan Silk Scarves

These are new vegan silk scarves, printed with my original artworks.

I have a Westie and a Scottie design too! You can view all the new designs here

A New Forest Painting on the Easel 91 x 61 cm

I love painting the woodlands that surround our home, trying to capture the wonderful calming and healing properties of spending time in the woods.

Three new paintings this week

Pensive Moorland Magic, Beinn Eighe, and Hawk Moor Prince all finished this week and available for sale.

New paintings this week - on the easel!

This week I have three new deer stag oil paintings that will be available on my website once finished. Size and price information to follow…

My vegan friendly silk scarves featured in Vegan Life Magazine!

I was extremely pleased when I was tagged in a post by Victoria Featherstone Pearce this week on Instagram! It turns out she has featured my cruelty-free silk alternative scarves in Vegan Life Magazin this month. Of course, I am absolutely thrilled, as I spent ages and ages trying to find a way of producing these and the easy option would have been to use real silk, however, the process they use to get real silk real is barbaric so I won’t have anything to do with that. Instead, I’ve managed to find a fabric that is almost like the real thing - soft floaty and beautiful, and man-made. I have my original artwork printed on this fabric which is then hemmed by experts and then sent out to the lucky recipient.

To celebrate this bit of welcome press coverage I have revamped my collection and added the option of a printed presentation tin to match. Have a look at the newest designs here. And if you want to have a look at the magazine, I’ve linked it in the image below!

A bright and colourful Labradoodle portrait!

Here is my latest commissioned painting, a lovely Labradoodle portrait ready to be varnished and then travel to his new home in the Netherlands. When I paint a pet I seek to capture the fun and personality in the dog. As you know my eyesight doesnt allow for small detailed pieces, but Im always happy to be let loose on a big colourful expressive pet portrait!

Find out how to order your own bespoke painting here!