Highland Cow Canvases
Highland Cows on Canvas
I now have a seperate website where you can browse and buy my original art as canvas prints! The website is www.suegardnerstudio.co.uk
Its not just cows, I have all of my collections available as open edition prints. Customers have sent wonderful feedback about the look, feel and quality of these canvases. You can also browse traditional prints on paper and framed prints too!
Folie a Deux at Melbourne Festival
Two Hares’ Racing and Chasing
My unique painting of two Mad March hares had an outing at the weekend, at Melbourne Festival.
They attracted a lot of stares! This painting is now for sale on my website - international shipping!
Melbourne Art and Architecture Trail 16-17th September 2023
Check out the Melbourne Festival website here
It’s nearly time for the unique Melbourne Arts and Architecture Trail. I’m happy to be taking part again this year! In fact, I am once again being kindly hosted by the Pierre Hourlier Wine Shop, near Melbourne Hall. I recommend using the Park and Ride service that they organise, as parking around the streets of the village itself gets fraught early in the day. There are two park-and-ride car parks, Tori & Ben’s Farm Shop at Kings Newton DE73 8DD or Melbourne Schools in Packhorse Road DE73 8JE
The wine shop is a great venue, part of the Melbourne Hall Craft complex, and I’m looking forward to spending a couple of days there meeting visitors and showing my new work. Here are a couple of snaps from last year’s event.
Glorious Colours: New Highland Cow Painting
My latest Highland Cow oil painting ‘Lochinver’ will be available this week
I have had a wonderful time with this piece, which incorporates SO many layers! This is my latest Highland Cow piece. It measures 80 x 100 cm or 30 x 40 “ and is an oil painting on stretched canvas, ready to hang.
I have blended orange and red tones with beautiful cool blues and violet . Its a stunning effect! This piece will be ready this week., and will be listed on my website here, or messmessage me more information
Recording my first online workshop tutorial
How to Paint a Colourful Snow Leopard
For the past two weeks, I have been very busy as I’m creating my first online painting tutorial. I have been promising to make these for a couple of years but things kept waylaying me. So this time I have set aside a decent amount of time to master the technical side of things. If you want me to let you know when my online courses are available, sign up below.
The past two weeks I have been very busy as Im creating my first online painting tutorial. I have been promising to make these for a couple of years but things kept waylaying me. So this time I have set aside a decent amount of time to master the technical side of things. It has been quite a fun, if daunting experience so far! Im enjoying it. I hope to release the colourful snow leopard mini course this month!
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.
Large Highland Cow painting just finished
Large Atmospheric Highland Cow Oil Painting
She’s just gorgeous. This is ‘Rannoch Moor’ and she measures 78 x 102 cm so rather a big girl. Reminiscent of the rugged, windswept beauty of the Scottish countryside. An oil painting on stretched canvas, this piece is gallery wrapped ready to hang unframed
If you would like a closer look at this piece, please click through to her listing, here on my website.
Rannoch Moor is suitable for international shipping if required. Please contact me for an up to date shipping quotation to your overseas location.
A woodland encounter; stag painting in progress
Colourful Background for my Stag Painting
I decided that my ne stag painting needed some more colour and interest. So I have added another layer, and used some beautiful new Autumn colours in the foliage. I will add another layer with some leaves and other botanical shapes once this layer is dry. I hope to habve this piece ready to display at the Melbourne Festival, which is taking place on the 16/17 September
A Big Red Highland Cow Painting - Hot Colours!
Big Bold and Bright - New Large Cow Paintings
I can always tell when the nights are beginning to draw in by the colours that find their way back into my paintings! Here I am revelling in the bright reds again with touches of orange and lemon yellow.
This big Highland Cow oil painting is very nearly finished and will soon be available for sale (with her sister below,) on my website
A new look for this lady
Highland cow in a summer meadow
Highland cow in a summer meadow
I am re-working this painting as I wanted to add a lot more interest into her surroundings and a summery feel to the piece.
These soft blended oil paint effects look almost like watercolour and Im excited to see how she will turn out!
A Beautifully Colourful New Stag Painting
Bright Woodland Colours; A New Stag Painting
Lots of lovely emerald, turquoise and scarlet in this piece. I'm going to add some texture in the final layer when this one is dry in a day or two.
Two Colourful Cows - Cheeky-faced and boisterous!
These two have been in the works for a long time. They were painted at my old studio and moved into storage when i took this new studio at the Ferrers Centre. I have only just had time to get them out and have a look. I decided they werent finished after all, and I have addedd some more layers of brighter colour and changed their background. Now they are finally ready to greet the world with their high spirits!
This piece is an original oil pn a stretched canvas, ready to hang. The painting is available for worldwide shipping (with a couple of restricted countries). Find out more here
An Oil Painting Demonstration
An Oil Painting Demonstration
Last week I was delighted to attend the Desford and Peckleton Art Club. Theirs is an evening meeting so I arrived at 1830 to set up my easel and get my paints ready. The demonstration ran between 1915 and 2100 with a tea break in the middle.
It is always a strange experience, to paint in front of a group of people. Just as in the studio, you hope that you will achieve the desired results but you never quite know. It’s exactly the same when folk are watching and listening, with the added chance of making yourself look like a fool!
I decided that I would demonstrate some of the current ideas I’m working on so that I could show my thoughts and decision-making process in ‘real-time’. I took one piece that I had already made a start on, the week before. And one blank canvas that I had prepared with a rough coat of black oil paint as a base.
Both pieces were of the same Eagle Owl in different poses. These were photos that we had taken of Max, one of the owls at the Rosliston Owl Centre on our visit back in April.
With the first piece, I was able to show how I begin a painting by working straight onto the canvas with a large brush. How I map out the composition, and my thought process when deciding where everything should go. In the second painting, I showed how I progress a piece after the first layer is dry, working back into the piece in glazes of colour and editing as I go along.
It was a very nice evening and hopefully it was interesting for the group of artists.
Ready to start layer 2, bac at the studio
My colours were transparent maroon, ultramarine and white
I had to dash away quickly at the end, as I turn into a pumpkin at sunset. This is due to my impaired vision not allowing me to drive after dark. Particularly on unlit country roads. I think this will preclude my attending evening groups in future, however, I will still be able to demonstrate for daytime art clubs.
Here is the first of the paintings after another hour’s work back in the studio today.
Ben Nevis: A new and fanciful Highland Cow painting!
A New Oil Painting: Colourful Escapism
This piece is a flight of fancy. Ive used all of the colours of the rainbow! Layer upon layer of textured colour creates a stunning, joyful piece to enliven any space.
An original oil painting, I have titled this one ‘Ben Nevis’.
Ben Nevis is available for sale here
Boxing Hares - Mad March Hares
A painting of two hares for sale
This original piece is one of a series that features pairs of hares, surrounded by the magic of a wildflower meadow. I have two available pieces, and this one is’ March Hares’. Traditionally these could be called Boxing Hares, but in reality, this is more like two hares playing and having fun. The piece is quite unique, with all of the little flowery details. I came up with the idea while walking my dogs one morning last year, on one of those days when Spring is in the air and the wildlife is very much in evidence!
This piece is available for sale here
New Highland Cow Paintings with an Autumn Colour Palette
Warm shades of copper, gold and soft green
It’s a very busy time n the studio this month as we all have a full schedule of exhibitions over the Autumn and Winter to prepare for.. This new piece measures around 60 x 90 cm and is a flurry of colours and shapes, in soft seasonal tones. I love to be inspired by the tangle of hedgerow foliage this time of year, and it shows up in my paintings.
Once dry, this piece will be available to purchase on my website, or from my studio by appointment.
Paint a Highland Cow - Half Day Course
Paint your own cow!
** 2025 Workshop dates are LIVE! Book here https://suegardnerstudio.com/workshops/
My Colourful Rainbow Highland Cow Workshops are always popular, and I have been asked to hold a half day session at Sharpes Pottery Museum in November. This will be a step-by-step painting workshop, on how to create a colourful highland cow from start to finish! Don’t worry if you have never painted since school, beginners and more experienced artists are all very welcome / I simplify the process, breaking it down into fun steps. You can have a pre-drawn canvas too, to allow you to relax and focus on your colour choices.
Braemar Daisies - Highland Cow with Flowers
Braemar Daisies
She is such a sweetheart, check out those eyes!
Available as a fine art canvas giclee print, with the option of a sleek black float frame to complement her perfectly!
"Welcome to my World" - Woodland Scene
@Welcome to my World’ hanging on the wall at my studio this week
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
