Painting with Cows: Plein Air Painting in Rural Western Australia
As you can probably gather, art—and painting in particular—plays a huge role in my life. I feel fortunate and deeply grateful that I’ve been able to fully embrace the artist’s life. Most days I’m in the studio: painting, planning, writing about art, or, if not, scrolling through Instagram art feeds. My Instagram algorithm has been thoroughly trained to show me mainly art reels, with the occasional cute kitten or dog reel thrown in.
At the moment, I’m experimenting with painting and drawing portraits and completing an online course called Momentum with Louise Fletcher, which I’m hoping will help steer me in the right direction for a major new series. I’ve also taken a leap of courage and approached a gallery about the possibility of a solo exhibition sometime in the next year or so.
Another aspect of my practice that I’ve recently rekindled—and am really excited about—is going out into the field to paint en plein air. I discovered a brilliant little painting group called South West Plein Air Artists. Every Tuesday morning we head out somewhere in the local area to paint for a couple of hours, then debrief in a local café. This ritual is incredibly nourishing for an artist who spends so much time working solo in the studio.
There is something really special about painting outdoors. It can be uncomfortable—hot, cold, windy, full of creepy crawlies—and the work produced isn’t always fabulous, but it is fresh and immediate. It definitely comes with challenges and surprises.
One day, I was perched high on a hill in what felt like an icy wind tunnel, working on a stunning view of a dam nestled at the base of rolling hills. Despite being stiff with the cold, I was completely engrossed in capturing the scene in front of me. Gradually, I became aware of some rather strange noises coming from behind me. I ignored them at first, too intent on painting, but eventually turned around to find four enormous brown bovine eyes appraising both me and my work.
Luckily, a fence separated me from the cows, but they seemed in no hurry to move on. In fact, they appeared to confer with each other as they chewed their cud. I was hoping they had some positive feedback. (Pun absolutely intended.)
Mmm could try harder….
As a group, we’ve painted in a forest, at a tree park, by the ocean, at a wedding venue, and in cafés—each outing fabulous fun. We’ve gone from strength to strength and have now been accepted for a group exhibition at the wonderful Collie Art Gallery in mid-2027.
My plein air works are all small, around 30 x 30 cm, painted in oils and framed by my ever-accommodating and supportive Rob. I’ve listed some of these paintings for sale on my website, so please have a look.
Thanks for reading this far. I love to get your feedback so leave a comment below.
Diana x