In this article I would like to talk about the story behind one of my paintings, "Cotton Grass."
It is one of my biggest paintings to date. Unlike a good many equine artists, I have not yet started to do huge, lifesize paintings: I have to admit I find the propspect a bit daunting!
When I decide to do a painting, I tend to look through my photographs to find which ones would make a good painting. They do not have to be great photographs: I try to concentrate on movement, light, colour and to avoid "copying" my photos. This is the reason why I tend not to paint my favourite photos as I like them as they are. On the other hand I like turning "rubbish" photos into better paintings.
It was a little different for "Cotton Grass." It starting point was the memory of a beautiful summer day on Dartmoor. I was walking on the moor. The sun was shining, the sky was blue. A gentle wind made waves among the shimmering long grass and skylarks were singing. The gorsebushes were in flower, an explosion of yellow and gold. The hills in the distance were painted by the shadows of clouds. The fluffy white cotton flowers were bobbing in the breeze.
It was a hot day and one of the herds of ponies I had been following (by that I mean taking photographs of, sketching, etc.) had taken refuge in a bog, or swamp. A couple of foals were playing together while a mare kept an eye on them. The stallion and his helper were watching out for any intruder. It was a particularity of this herd that there was a stallion who was the "boss" and another, very young one who was at first hanging around and trying to steal the mares, then was sort of accepted by the Boss: he was no longer chased off but was allowed to graze with them, as long as he left the mares alone, as if they had a sort of deal!
I took pictures of it all and that was it, until several months later I decided I wanted to turn this memory and the feelings of that day into a painting. I did not have any perfect photographs that had captured it, so I used and great many references, as well as my memories and my imagination. It was challenging, but also one of the paintings I enjoyed doing most and each time I look at it, I am back on the moor, that wonderful summer day. This is why it is not a painting I am going to sell.
Cards and canvas prints of "Cotton Grass" are available.