Jennifer Hogwood

What happens when cows and contemporary animal humourous art collide? We’ll tell you what happens, Jennifer Hogwood. That’s who happens. She of amazing cow art fame. Although ‘she’ does of course to the cat’s mother, which is throwing you a bit of a curveball here, so we’ll use Hogwood’s surname henceforth to avoid any animaltastic confusion. It’s not ordinary cattle we must point out, but traditional highland livestock. The breed of grass-munchers which sport horns, shaggy brown coats and emo-fringes, as opposed to udders and black and white bodywork. Although we’re sure these Hogwood’s highland McMoos (as she endearingly refers to them as) are physically equipped in the undercarriage department. Anyway, enough of this banter and to matters artistic. And contemporary.

Hogwood’s signature bold, distinctive style comes about as a result of her possessing what can best be described as a seismic sense of colour, a fastidious observational attributes and the pre-requisitional affection for her four-legged highland friends. And we – along with her horded of fans and collectors alike – routinely believe that her endearingly illustrative images convey a peerless sense of charm and humour in equal measure.

Continuing the bovine theme, Hogwood’s studio is found in a, yup, you guessed it, former milking parlour, itself situated on a working farm deep in rural Wiltshire. Which of course is right, smack bang in the middle of countryside and agriculturalness to those of a suburban postcode. Hogwood describes the setting as perfect (which you would, unless you prefer to live beside the seaside, beside the sea), with its beautiful vistas, emotionally-engaging panoramas and a field full of your muses/cows parked just outside your door. Almost. To Hogwood’s mind, this is artistic utopia, having cows, chickens, dogs and horses ambling around the yard and fields at close hand, as she’s long since used to being in the midst of such scenarios having grown up surrounded by them.

Growing up in equally rural Bedfordshire having been born there in 1980, Hogwood remembers rolling fields as one of her earliest recalls, and speaks with animated quality about spending every minute in the great outdoors at her immediate beck and call, riding, walking or having her own little childhood adventures. In the exciting new artist’s own words, Hogwood adds; “It's always peaceful and this sense of calm makes it the ideal place to work. (And the animals) have such individual personalities and a lovely innocence about them”.

Despite always being fascinated by painting and being classed as creative by everyone who met her acquaintance for a young age, Hogwood had no formal art training and is completely self taught. "I take something away from every piece I create and as an artist I am constantly evolving." Hogwood’s pre-painting routine firstly comprises of freehand pencil sketches to determine the positioning and outline, before she embarks on applying thin layers of paint, ensuring that it dries as quickly as possible so as to construct the prescribed and graphically opulent veneer of colour and texture. To finish the individual piece off, Hogwood will then introduce other elements to the mix, which she feels adds a certain character to the composition; something hand-embellished like little jewels for example which Hogwood will lend to the cows’ eyes to suggest a depth of sparkle and life.

And did you know that Hogwood is responsible for inventing a new colour? No? Well now you do. A unique, never been seen before shade of brown which she brings to every painting (in the illustrative guise of her McMoos, naturally). Although not patented (or actually a COMPLETELY new shade of brown) Hogwood knows precisely how her innovative shade of brown will react and interact with other cow colours; or if she adds a touch of white or dark to the pictorial equation. Which is of vital importance to proper artists any road. And if there’s one thing Hogwood is, that’s a proper, bona fida contemporary artist; who’s work just so happens to be in-demand for good reason.