"Looking back" Drawing

I paint farm animals, particularly traditional breeds of cattle, horses and sheep, with little background in oil on paper or linen. I work mainly life-size, to give the animals a strong physical presence. Much of my work begins with drawing from life in fields and stables. Animals are constantly moving, so working from observation requires speed and leaves visible lines. I try to keep these searching brushstrokes and transparent passages in the finished studio paintings.


Through visiting farms and keeping my own livestock, I have become increasingly interested in how economic use shapes animals’ lives, and in traditional breeds as living heritage. These old breeds carry histories of farming that are still alive, but under pressure.


My work moves between admiration for the animal and questions about the way we breed, keep and use them. The resulting paintings allow a close encounter with the often invisible beings that are so deeply embedded into our culture and everyday lives.