Here you will find new works, works in progress and news, just scroll down! 

For the artist's biography, resume, schedule and available Original Oil Paintings and Fine Art Prints, please visit the official website, www.DeniseRichArt.com.

For unique gifts featuring her artwork, visit www.CowsOn.com, featuring free
shipping from now until the end of the month!

For Roughstock Candles, visit www.TheCandleRanch.com

Commissions Accepted.
Questions, or to arrange a studio visit, call the studio at 619-933-5935

Two new paintings I'm working on, which will go into the Western portfolio on my
website once finished, are something new because they are larger works. Both are 24"x36" unframed.  Here is a progress picture of one of them:

10x20 oil on board
available-contact the studio for price

Here is my latest finished work, and the story behind it.
Several months back I was trying to get more Hereford photo reference, so I ran a classified ad in the Ramona newspaper which went something like this:
"WANTED: Artist looking for bovine models to photograph for painting reference".  I  knew it was a longshot and that people could consider it a joke, but I was pleased to receive three replies from willing bovine owners.

One of them was a young gal named Kendall, who showed cows and had several on her property.  The photo reference for this painting was taken as she was chasing them out of an area they were not supposed to be in.  I knew this would be a painting the minute I took the picture, loving the way they almost remind me of dogs who know they are in trouble, thus the title "Getting Out of Dodge".

I've just finished two new paintings available in the small originals portfolio on the
website, www.deniserichart.com.
The first one is a sweet little Texas Longhorn calf, 6"x6" oil on board.  This little calf had an irresistibly cute face.  This is a study for a larger portrait I will be doing in the future.  If you are interested in the larger portrait contact me, the study is available now.


Last but certainly not least, a 5"x7" oil on board study for my series of paintings featuring
a combination of realism and abstract, with the entire composition filled by bovine.  Other paintings in this series include "Eye Herd" (Holsteins)  Red and White Cattle (study, Herefords), Wholesteins (Holsteins of course).  It's a favorite series, and one I am planning to include a representation for as many breeds as possible.  It all depends on what photo reference I am able to take in my travels.

I started out only painting small works, and when I began painting larger ones I ignored the small format original.  Recently I have had a number of collectors request of me to do more small originals.  I agree.
The first set, shown below,  is available for purchase on my website www.deniserichart.com now in the portfolio titled "Small Originals"

"Red and White Cattle"
6"x6" oil on masonite board



"Holstein Head, Barn Red"
8"x8" oil on portrait canvas



Holsteins Three
5"x7" oil on masonite board



"Hereford In The Morning"
8"x10"  oil on canvas, stretched




"Angus Cow Basking"
6"x8" oil on masonite board

I've been working for a while on larger paintings, and am currently in the process of finishing several new small format works, which will go into their own category on the website, www.deniserichart.com, for originals under 12"x12".   I should have the first of them listed on the website in a couple of days, there will be Holsteins, Herefords and Angus, plus more.

Here is an upcoming addition to my Western/Rodeo works.  I had to paint this, there is something about the main steer's face, looking quite bored while he waits his turn to try and
outrun the cowboys (not with the best of views meanwhile!), upstaged by another steer peeking  from behind, perhaps contemplating the significance of the upside down horseshoe?
 
Working title, "Out of Luck?"
16x20, oil on canvas

I've been busy with a lot of projects lately, filling print orders, sending original paintings to a show in San Antonio, hand embellishing, working on a couple of new works for upcoming shows....
Here is a picture of me with one of my recent orders, a hand embellished print of "Holstein Trio on Red".  The print is 24"x32". 
Packing a large piece takes some time and patience, and nerves of steel, hoping it arrives in one piece!  This one did, and here's what the new owner had to say about it:
"...it's fantastic! Just what I hoped it would be! Thanks, Denise!!!"

If you get a chance to check out the February/March edition of  Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine, don't be surprised when you turn one of the pages and find Holstein cows from one of my paintings looking back at you.  There is a column (I'm not telling what page, it will take the fun out of looking for it) about me and my artwork, with a picture of the commissioned painting for Holstein World.

This is a really great magazine if you have not seen it before, I recommend it.  (Especially the Feb/March issue, just out!  ;o)

So I'm in the middle of working on a new painting of Howard's Heifer from another of the many great reference photos she posed for a while back, and I hit the end of my 150 ml tube of permalba white.  Being she's of the white face variety of cattle, of course, I need to immediately find a new tube, of which I know there exist at least two...somewhere.....I remember where they are, oh yes, I cleaned the studio a few weeks back, now where did I put that box???

I believe there is a place for everything, and everything in it's place, and it's place is right where I put it the last time!

Finally found the Permalba, in a box, under a box, in the closet.  Howard's Heifer takes on a personality on canvas once again:

12x16 oil on linen

Now that the Holiday rush is finally over, I'm buckled down (as much as I am capable anyway) and getting busy!  Three shows between now and April to prepare for, this week I'm getting ready to send a selection of original oil paintings to the

If you visit the Tillamook Cheese factory in Tillamook, Oregon, you will find this display on the wall.

Thanks to my friend Shannon for forwarding some photos taken my her parents from their visit to the Tillamook Cheese factory.  This is taken in the dining room.

I'm currently working on new paintings I will be showing at the Cattlemen's Western Art Show and Sale in April.  I will post some of them, but will keep a few under wraps until the show. 

Team Roping and Rodeo Bull and Rider are two new oil paintings. 


For purchase information on either of these paintings, click here.

Commissioned paintings are great special gifts, lifetime keepsakes that can be passed down for generations.  If you have a photo that you cherish and would like to see immortalized in oil, just contact me for a consultation.  Once you send me a photo either through email or regular mail I will evaluate it's potential and work with you on creating something that will be very special.    Here is an example of a commissioned work, a sweet sixteen year old girl and her horse, commissioned as a Birthday gift for her mother.  (I was told she loved it so much she cried.)   A well done oil painting takes time and there is a limit to availability.  If you want it for a special occasion, be sure to put in a request as early as possible.  There is a link to my email in the left column, or denise@therichartist.com.

Photo/Painting

Here is a new Holstein cow painting.  I liked the three head line up, and chose to put them in front of a rich barn red background.  With a light shining on this painting it really glows.

This painting is available, click here for details.

The Rich Artist has gone western!  Of course, this doesn't mean there won't be more cow paintings, just that there will be an addition of western and cowboy themed works which are a natural extension of the cow theme.  Now available as Canvas Giclees :
Belly Up to the Campfire, 10x20


Rodeo Cowboy Boy   8x10


Rodeo Cowboy Boy II   12x16

For prices and availability, click here.

My work will be available at the Harris Ranch Country Store, Coalinga, Ca  and in Boot Barn. 
In addition, a new Exclusive licensed merchandise store has opened, with beautiful quality Cow merchandise featuring my work.  You can see these great cow, cowboy, western and rodeo art items at www.cowson.com. 

This is a video I took off of the television, don't look for your cell phone in the end, that's on the video.  My son had to call me as soon as it was over to say, "She paints cows, horses, dogs, birds, even her daughter and husband, but not her son who she doesn't care about...."Of course that's not true, the first thing I ever did any artwork of were pictures of my son!

I just love the way a cow's face is made, this original cow oil painting shows these fine features from the side view. 

Are You Still Here?
12"x12"
oil on stretched canvas
This painting is available, click here for details.

These are the same two calves that were depicted in a previous painting titled "Double Trouble".   Something became very interesting to their right. 
This painting features some very rich, glowing colors in the shadows. 
You will want to put a light on it for the full effect.
 
Calves by the Barn
11"x14"
oil on portrait smooth canvas
This painting is available.

This is a Charolais cow portrait in oil on linen.  I took the photo reference for this in Ramona among the same herd of cattle as the recent painting of the Hereford cow and her Black Baldy calf.
My daughter thinks it looks like Bodacious the famous Rodeo Bull.  I'm pretty sure they are from the same type of stock, but of course this is a cow, not a bull.

I really loved painting the swirls and putting a lot of subtle color in.

12"x16"
oil on stretched linen
This painting is available, for information, click here.

My bovine filled corner of the world was busy getting ready, so I've got a few
paintings behind in listing new work!

This first original oil is a Black Angus Cow and Calf.  I really love how this painting looks, the sillouette style of the black cows against the rich greens really does stand out.  I loved the pose of both of them in the original photo reference, taken on the left side of the road just before you hit Dudley's Bakery in Santa Ysabel going east from Ramona.   If you drive out there much, you've probably seen them.  Then again, maybe not, sometimes I forget that not everyone has the same cow radar as I do!

The brushwork is very evident, but doesn't show up in the photograph here of the painting.  I can send you closer views if you are interested.
6"x12"
oil on gessoed masonite, my favorite support. 
The surface of this is just beautiful.
This original oil painting is Sold.

These bulls are Brahma mixes.  They were hanging out in a corral waiting for their turn to buck someone, looking like they are well prepared for the job.

This painting is 12 by 16 inches
oil on gessoed masonite
Available, click here for information.

Thanks to the Vice President of the Lakeside Rodeo Association, I was able to take some reference photos of their rodeo bulls.  The first paintings from those pictures are now available.
I'm always looking for reference that shows personality and expression.

16 by 20 inches
oil on gessoed masonite
available

I am often asked if I can do a painting from someone's photograph of their cow, horse, daughter, family dog, etc.  The answer is yes.  Painting from photographs is all that I do.  Every one of my original oil paintings was done from a photograph that I have taken.  The style can vary from loose to almost photo real.  With my original oils  it depends upon my mood, with your photos it depends on your preference.  This will all be discussed ahead of time to insure that you receive the heirloom painting you are expecting.
If you would like to see the original photos from any of my paintings, please ask, here is one example.  The intention here
was not to be photo real, but to be realistic in a painterly style that captured the mood, the softness and sweetness of the scene.  My subject range is limitless, if you have a photo of it, it can become a treasured oil painting.



Original photograph.      Original oil painting.

Another example is my neighbor's Harley Davidson Fat Boy.
The idea here was to be more photo real, but still be clearly a painting.  If you would like to see larger images for comparison, please email me and I will be happy to send it to you. 

Original photograph.        Original oil painting.

"She Takes After Her Father's Side"
18" x 18" oil on stretched canvas
This is a common sight in the fields of beef cattle, Hereford cows with Black Angus sires
producing Black Baldy calves.  I love the contrast of the two colors on white face cattle.
The reference photo for this pair was taken in Ramona.
This painting is available, click here for more information.

Wholesteins 2
oil on canvas
20" x 24"

This painting has just been finished.  I love this look, another variation on a previously
sold work, this whole painting is Holsteins.  This is number two in a series I am developing
with this theme.  Great for Holstein fans, great for the dramatic black and white factor.
This painting is available.  Click here for purchase information.

Have I mentioned how much I love it when the cows line up just right?  This group was marching through the field of mustard flowers in perfect formation, "Cutting the Mustard".

10 by 20 inches
oil on stretched canvas
This painting is available, click here for details.

I've noticed, and I don't know if it is coincidental, but among the few Bulls I have had the opportunity to be close enough to photograph, a tendency to avoid turning their head toward me.  It looks like they are trying to watch me while being too cool about it.  This little Bull Calf did the same thing, so I did get a nice profile shot of him for this portrait.
11 y 14 inches
oil on stretched canvas
This painting is available.

I think this is a steer, but he was big and a male either way.  I found him in Ramona.
This painting is titled, My Good Side, and it is available, click here for information.
12 x 12, oil on canvas

This is one of the works that I listed on my progress blog, and it sold before I got to list it here for sale.  I really do love the way this turned out, and am working on another composition that uses the same idea, filling the canvas with black and white Holstein bodies.  This painting is sold, available as a print here.

Wholesteins

sold

"Artificial What????" is a 12 by 16 original oil painting on stretched canvas of a Holstein Cow with what looked to me like a surprised expression as she peers backward. 

This painting is sold.  Prints are available here.

The Golden Girls, here in the low sun, with shadows made by those cute cow ears.  I painted them with Autumn colors, and even here in Sunny Southern California it feels right as the temperature has been dipping close to freezing at night. This is a large painting, 16 by 20, oil on stretched linen. This painting is available, click here for more information.

Here comes trouble, times two.  A couple of cautious calves, curiosity getting the better of them as they watch.  This painting has rich color and a very painterly style. 










I think this painting looks great in a dark
wood frame as shown here, it really accentuates the high contrasts.


"Double Trouble"
sold

My daughter and I often talk about our dream house.  It as she described to me again this morning it is " on a big hill with a view, and a big flat area below that we would fence in for the cows and one small area for a pig."  She added the pig to the scene this morning.  It will be a pet, I'm told.  I like it, but my husband might not be impressed when all of the animals are pets, and none of them will end up on a bun with bbq sauce! (roll).

 

Herefords are on a roll, this means I've been painting a few of them, number two today is titled "It's good to be Queen!".  This is Her Royal Highness, Queen of the Pasture if ever I saw it, just look at that regal head carriage, that crown of horns held high, the slight look down the nose at her subjects, OK, at me.  Anyway I get a kick out of her attitude, this was fun to paint and is one of my favorites.

This painting is sold, available as canvas giclee/fine art print
here.

This very cute Hereford Heifer that I had a photo session with is turning up in a number of paintings/future paintings.  Here is one of them, number two in her personal gallery.   The title of this painting is "I'm just a Girl..." as in the No Doubt song of course, "I'm just a girl all pretty and petite" it continues.   OK, by most standards she's not petite, but if you had seen her mother...





"I'm just a Girl..."
Sold