(Australian) sheep and cattle
"I might be painting sheds but in the background are always the sheep"
photo: Gail Galloway
description
An ongoing series of paintings (mainly watercolour on paper) featuring various breeds of cattle and sheep by Australian artist, Christine Porter created as part of her journey as a "serial artist-in-residence" throughout rural and regional Australia since 1984. about the artist
what is a "serial artist-in-residence"?
background
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"There are some sheep in the yard you might be interested in..." In 1990, Christine had been painting woolsheds for some time, along with the occasional attendant livestock, when Richard Bagshaw rang up one morning. " There are some sheep in the yards you might be interested in", he said. New enthusiam engendered by what she saw that morning; the dust, backlighting, and a "bristol" board surface to paint on instead of traditional paper, resulted in a body of work that meant that for some time then, back at the beginning, Christine was known as a painter of sheep. (The first sheep paintings had dated from before she left teaching. A holiday during shearing at "Abbotsford", Hughenden in about 1983, gave her a first-hand look at what would develop into a career-long fascination.) |
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It was a few years later when the phone rang again - " there are some cows and calves in the yards," Richard said. "Are you interested in having a look at them, seeing as how you liked the sheep so much...?' Work from that series graces the Shire council collection in Barcaldine and private collections Australia-wide. The cattle and sheep are a subject she returns to as the inspiration strikes, that are part of the story of the grazing properties she visits, as well as being subjects in their own right . image: the Hereford 1995 watercolour on paper 59x45cm collection of Barcaldine Shire Council |
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These two images, and the story of those early years are reproduced in the full colour catalogue of Christine's 2001 retrospective exhibition ten years; one thousand paintings published by Full Moon Publications, which is still available. more information |
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Twenty five years after her first introduction to the animal that had carried the Australian economy on its back for so long, oftentimes the Merino in the case of the Queensland properties she'd visited, Christine traveled to the UK and was suddenly introduced to a multitude of breeds of any number of different shapes, colours and sizes. The 2007-8 trips resulted in a large body of work about the British and European breeds of sheep she encountered there which she went on to exhibit successfully in Scotland as well as in Australia in 2008. More about the British breeds series of paintings image: black and blue 2008 watercolour and body colour on paper size private collection |
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Periodically the subject of sheep or cattle presents itself and that tangent will be followed such as the Brahmans (scroll down) or the painting of this calf, born on the stock route during dry years in western New South Wales. Christine was beginning a series of paintings of the family shearing shed for the unintentional drover (his friends had pooled together to buy him and his new wife a collective wedding present) when this calf had caught her eye. read about how to commission a shearing shed painting image: born on the road (detail) 2009 size watercolour on paper (private collection) |
artist statement
Sometimes it's just about what they look like. The shape, the colour, the tone, the contrast, the composition. Sometimes it's about the painting before it's about the subject. That's what being an artist is about. It's not about making something because it might sell, or because it'll look good with the sofa. It's about what makes your heart feel like it's coming into land at Barcaldine airport, in the middle of summer, in the oldest DC3 in the fleet. You're not really sure if you are going to make it, and all you can think about when you land, moments after your lunch wants to, is that at the Royal Easter Show people pay good money for experiences like this.
Christine Porter 145 17'13"E, 22 33'24"S
installation , exhibitions and sales
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presentation Most of the work in this series has been exhibited framed behind glass, similar to the examples (below left). Some work is presented archivally matted and wrapped in cellophane ready for framing (left). |
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where to see or purchase these paintings in Australia 2012: Some work is currently being shown at Fairway Studios, Goondiwindi (07 46713101) and at Christine's studio/gallery Lismore (by appointment, 02 66225733). A selection of paintings will be in various art shows during the year. Contact us for details of the current availability, location and/or price of any particular work. In 2010 work from this series was shown at Christine's solo exhibitions: a box of horseshoes - The Moree Gallery, Moree NSW and down the Mole at Forest to Furniture in Tenterfield. |
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prices |
copyright, reproductions and licensing
- The copyright of all content on this website - all pictures and words - is owned by the artist. It is illegal to copy or transmit any image from this site. Please contact us if you wish to see a larger file of any image.
- At the present time Christine is concentrating on selling only original paintings from this series, however please contact us if there is an image you are particularly taken with as this situation may change.
- Christine and Full Moon Publications are happy to discuss appropriate licencing of Christine's images.
available artwork
All this work is for sale. Contact us for up-to-date information about a particular artwork or to buy or lease paintings from this series.
Please be aware of the sort of discrepancies that can occur between the photographed and web-produced artwork and how it appears in real life.
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calf ( Belmont-Charolais cross) 2012 watercolour on paper 14 x 15cm |
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Brahman II 2010 watercolour on paper 14 x 15cm |
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Brahman III 2010 watercolour on paper 14 x 15cm |
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cattle sketch 2009 watercolour on paper 14 x 15cm |
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calf |
selected archive
These works have been sold and are now in public, corporate and private collections worldwide. This is only a selection of the paintings that have sold from this series.
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Brahman I |
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Brahman pair 2010 watercolour on paper 14 x 15cm private collection |
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calf 2009 watercolour on paper 14 x 15cm private collection |
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born on the road 2009 watercolour on paper 14 x 15cm private collection |
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in the river paddock 2009 watercolour on paper cm corporate collection |
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ewe 2009 watercolour and body colour on paper cm private collection |
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the mob |