sheep – Varla's Blue Sheep Art

February 10, 2022February 11, 2022 Varla Bishop Acrylic, Business Side of Painting, Farm Animals, Landscape, Wildlife

Why Sheep?

I paint a lot of sheep. There is a reason. There is a story. Isn’t there always a story?

I’m not sure I can make this story brief. Seems like it loses some of its sparkle if I try. I really don’t want to tell you a dull and boring story. Since this story is about sheep I’m already at risk of putting you to sleep. So I’ll try my best not to make this a bedtime tale but a kinda, sorta of an adventure.

It starts at my grandma’s house. She had a huge two story, five bedroom farmhouse. It was once my grandfather’s childhood home. He was the baby of the family and the last to get married. He had inherited the house. He was an apple farmer with acres and acres of apple trees. He grew up in Hales Corners, Wisconsin which is anything but rural now. But back then there was land to buy and opportunities to be had. His parents came here from Czechoslovakia. I don’t know why and I never asked him questions. Typical kid. I so loved that house.

There were outbuildings that had bushels of apples ready to be sold. My grandma made some amazing apple desserts that I totally lost my mind over. She could do anything with apples including the cores. Remember red pickled apples? Yum.

As a kid I loved playing on the staircase in that house. Probably because I thought stairs were cool. I was a kid that grew up in a mobile home so anything that wasn’t in my home was pretty neat. The staircase was not straight but turned halfway up. It had a big landing. It was there I played with my dolls and studied my environment. On the wall was a big picture of sheep. I counted and recounted the number of sheep in that painting never coming up with the same number twice. I spent many hours of my childhood on the floor beneath that painting.

I even challenged my cousins in how many sheep there were. The struggle was real. The count always seemed allusive to all of us. But still it was my favorite painting. One day grandma said she had something important to ask me. She was working on her will and wanted to know what I would like. I instantly said – the sheep picture!!!! Grandma said “you don’t want that”, but I did. “No you don’t. You need to think about this.” I never changed my mind.

My grandma always hoped I would be an art teacher one day. I had other dreams. Grandma said I would change my mind many times before I grew up. I never changed my mind with that either. I would one day become a Wisconsin State Trooper. Grandma lived to see me get my badge. ❤️

When my grandmother passed away it was at my house. It was Christmas Eve. It was one of the saddest times in my life. I never went back to her house. I didn’t know if grandma had left me that sheep painting, but she had. I did get heirlooms from my grandparents thanks to my mom. But the picture was more then just a picture to me.

The sheep painting traveled a great distance to end up with me. It hung on that wall at their house in the same spot my entire life. It reminds me of my childhood. It reminds me of my grandparents and all that they taught me. I miss them. So Varla’s Blue “SHEEP” art represents a part of my past. One of my loves. To remember them I paint sheep. I paint a lot of sheep. Now why is my business called Varla’s “Blue” sheep art! That’s another story.

Title unknown. Hard to read the artist signature. C. Van Lelv…….?

January 29, 2022 Varla Bishop Acrylic, Farm Animals, sheep

So Many Feet

I’ve been wanting to paint a group of sheep. I wanted it to be a winter scene. I finally found the right photo and with her permission I started to paint. Seemed like I underestimated the number of legs and ears in this grouping. Each sheep four legs; each sheep two ears. Wait, I think I have two many ears! Did I miss a head?

It was fun and kind of silly at times. I started with a real good base drawing. That is the key to any good painting. A good drawing, then a close review and I started my first set of counting. I painted one or two sheep a day. Then I stopped. Is that one leg or two legs close together? Which sheep goes with these legs? Yikes my eyes were starting to jump. Maybe I need a friend’s help with this puzzle? No I got this. It’s not difficult. I lived on a farm once upon a time. I need to paint on!

So I’m painting sheep and more sheep. I’m coming to the end. I pause. They don’t look fluffy enough. Yes, sheep are considered fluffy but sometimes people say they are wooly. It’s the same thing. ❤️

Do I dare say this? Yes I’m done. They are looking at me like I’m looking at them. Seems like they heard something or maybe a really cute ewe in the neighboring field just caught their eye. 🐑. All I know for sure is I love painting sheep. Why? Well that’s another story for another day.

Thanks to Julie Leatherwood Creek Farms for granting permission to paint from her photograph.

November 14, 2020December 23, 2020 Varla Bishop Acrylic, Farm Animals, Landscape

A Pop of Pink

I love the barns that have a quilt block attached to them. In fact there is a brochure you can get from Wisconsin tourism that maps out where quilted barns can be found by county. I have found many in Rock and Monroe Counties but not all are identified on a map.

My husband and I were on STH 33 heading east towards West Bend when I saw this quilted barn. We had to stop. The quilt design looked pretty new. It was definitely newer then the barn. I loved it. The bright pink rose popping out against the weathered wood of this old barn. I thought it was so pretty.

I painted that barn but I had to add some sheep and snow. Sheep always makes a painting look better. ❤️ Snow is coming. The temperatures are dropping and I already miss the fall days.

I think it’s going to be a long winter, but next year has got to be better then 2020. So find someone you love and hunker down. Be sure to have plenty of hot chocolate on hand. Before you know it spring is here and it will be garage sale season again.