Mon, 01 Sep 2025 22:42:30 -0700WeeblySun, 02 Apr 2017 11:27:24 GMThttps://www.melshand.com/the-romance-and-the-reality/in-the-beginningIn 2017 I was lucky enough to spend most of September in the U.S.A catching up with much loved cousins and making many new friends along the way. The planning for the trip began in February when a bumper litter of spaniel puppies made the idea of a much longed for trip a glimmer of a possibility.  Researching online I came across the amazing Colorado based artist Jill Soukup who paints architecture, bison and horses, and whose work stopped me dead in my tracks with professional envy! Going through images I came across one of her demonstrating plein air in a corral   When I came back from the USA last September I was struck by the comparisons between the work of the ranchers and that of our own Scottish sporting estates. The sheer hard graft, dedication and vocational elements all spoke of a lifestyle that changes with the seasons. So it inspired me to capture the story in a series of small oil paintings. So far I've nearly completed three sets of working dogs, single horses and boots. This particular painting was inspired by an original photograph captured by Ross Dakers and it's part of 'the Gathering' pair.]]>