Returning from a walk along Brooks Creek Lane with dad and the dog, I could see a small flock of sheep gathered on the knoll the other side of the fence from our entrance. Clouds were gathering over the hill behind in an ominous fashion giving a really melodramatic lighting to the scene.
In painting it, I used a deep red as an underlayer and applied the superimposing layers very thinly using lots of turps to allow the underlayer to impart a subtle threat to the whole scene. Riffing on the initial intensity of the block-out, I exaggerated the overall contrasts and the strength of the clouds.
Looking at the scene once I had painted it, it brought to mind the occasional mention of sheep grazier’s alerts in weather reports. This morphed into the title shepherd’s warning from the “old saw” (traditional saying) – “clouds in the morning – shepherd’s warning; clouds at night – shepherd’s delight”.
Painted on 48″x36″ canvas in oils. Was exhibited at Sutton Village Gallery as part of my “Beyond the Front Gate” exhibition.
Sorry about the photo – I’ll try and take a squarer one later this week.
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