Denise Rich, aka The Rich Artist
Focusing on Original Oil Paintings of cows and cattle since 2004
The Official Happy Cow Artist
Best known for her bovine renditions, with unique compositions and contemporary views, Denise has combined her love of animals and art in oil for the past 20 years. Denise's focus for the past several years has been cows because "Cows make me smile. I seriously can't look at one and hold back a smile. I don't just see an animal, I see a personality, and that is what I am working to present in my paintings of cows." In 2006 Denise received a commission from the California Milk Advisory Board to paint their famous Happy Cows of the Real California Milk campaign. This led to becoming "The Official Happy Cow Artist", as seen on their website. Her creative process begins with field work, taking reference photos. Cows being a favorite subject means "field work" can be taken literally, and involves careful stepping! With a signature "painterly realism" style Denise breathes life into her subjects, often bringing viewer comments of how "you could just reach out and touch them" and "I expect them to mooo".

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If you can't use the link, just send an email to richartist@cox.net Or call me in the Studio. (619) 933-5935
This Month
August 2005
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Year Archive
View Article  "What Attitude?" Holstein cow painting
 The finishing touches are in, here is the completed painting:

"What attitude?"
12 by 16 oil on canvas
This painting is sold
View Article  "Queen of the Hill" Holstein oil painting
I painted the Hereford cow titled "King of the Hill", here is another regal bovine being, this one is titled "Queen of the Hill" and pictures a Holstein lady lounging on a grassy green hill with dried hills of recently baled hay behind her in San Pasqual valley.

"Queen of the Hill" 1
This painting is sold.

View Article  commission in progress
 Here is a  commisson in progress, Dale and his cow Molly.  This is Molly as she was about to give birth to twin calves, at around midnight.  I really like the dramatic lighting in this poignant piece, but it makes it a challenge to paint.  I am actually working with three copies of this photo, adjusted differently with brightness and contrast so I can see some detail. 

11 by 14 on linen.
september 7 progress update:

september 30, the finished painting:


View Article  Finally, a Jersey cow painting, finished
I finally had a chance to photograph some Jersey cows.  Here is the first painting from the photos I took at K and F Dairy in El Centro, thank you Tom!

A fourth addition to my growing calf collection.
oil on masonite.
This painting is sold
Available in print click here.


View Article  A new Holstein cow painting, "Uptown Girl"
I know you Holstein fans are wondering what's going on, interlopers have taken the spotlight off and on, and I admit, I will be sharing time with some of the other breeds.  Well, it's your turn again, and  here is one I'm very pleased with and would like to think is small but mighty, This painting is called "Uptown Girl" because she looks to me like she is something special.

oil on masonite
This painting is sold.
Available in print, click here for purchase information.

 
View Article  Hereford cow painting, clockwork orange eye.
I love this painting of a Hereford cow, the shadow from the eyelashes reminds me of the promo photos for the movie "A Clockwork Orange" which I never did see, and have no idea what it is about, but I named the painting after it anyway.

12 by 16 oil on canvas
this painting is sold.
Available in print click here for purchase information.
View Article  Dairy Cows paintings expanding, another new Guernsey painting.
Here is another beautiful Guernsey.  I love the lighting in this painting.  (Thanks again, Linda for letting me visit your ranch!)


10 by 10 inches, oil on canvas
this painting is sold
Available in print, for purchase information click here.