Cincy Freedom, 2003
The Clifton Hills Terrace Home painting is the third in
the series of paintings of the Charolais cow "Cincy Freedom." She escaped from a
meat packing plant on February 14th, 2001 and roamed for two weeks in the woods
around the plant. She was captured and now lives on the
Farm Sanctuary. The director of
the sanctuary reported that even after almost two years she is still skittish
around humans.
The cow walked through the grounds of the home in the
painting on her way to the major city park where she lived for two weeks. It
is hard to believe that she climbed up to the top of this hill only to have to
go down again, cross a busy street and find her way into the border woods of Mount
Storm Park.
Can you imagine her resting a bit or even spending the
night on top of Clifton Hills contemplating her next move?
The Painting's Timeline
Tom's client said that her son put the experience succinctly:
" When I heard you were giving a picture of the Clifton cow in our
yard to Dad for Christmas, I thought it was a little bazaar, but now I realize
that it is art that happens to involve our family."
Tom replied:
Thank you for the perfect experience. Without you painting is a somewhat
lopsided event.
Tuesday December 16th
The Clifton cow "Cincy Freedom" Takes a Break From Her Escape
Monday December 15th, 10" x 8", oil on canvas
Friday December 12th
The painting is taking on a story line as if it was a one
frame movie. Just imagine what is going on. All the elements are mixed together.
Just deciding how they all fit together would take quite a thought. Even the
fence in the lower right foreground needs to be explained. Is it like the fence
"Freedom" jumped to escape? And the children, are they vestiges of a summer day?
St. Nichols Day December 6, 2003
Deep in to painting children after finishing the left hand
side background. A little know device called a Claire-Vue was used in laying out
the small background buildings and children. Looking through a split mirror you
can flesh out a image that is pasted above the canvas.
Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.
December 1, 2003
The article about the Clifton
Endowment Fund in the Chronicle looks like a road towards making the old Clifton
school a historical society building . Contributions would make a great Christmas
gift.
Slowly but surely the painting will be addressed until
finished.
September 2003
