Impressionist Portrait of a Black Calf in a Blue Background

This painting was inspired by a photo sent to me by a friend. She has cows in her pasture and this one calf just came up to the fence..curious and yet shy. I wanted to capture that feeling that so many young animals have - wondering about the world around them, but still unsure of what they will find out there.

The background of this painting is mostly shades of blue with touches of purple. The little calf appears almost black, but then you can see the varying shades of grays that define his body. The overall painting feels like evening with the last bits of bright light falling on our cow. The brushwork is visible and the colors and shapes lock into each other with both soft and hard edges.