A couple of weeks ago, I painted a cow-calf pair. If you follow me on Instagram, you would’ve seen some of the process as well as the final painting shared on the grid. For those who don’t follow me there, here is the underpainting…
…and then the finished work…
I didn’t have plans to keep it when I first started this one. I’m pretty good at selling my works. It’s partly a hobby, but painting was absorbed as a part of my business pretty early on, so I try not to get too attached. I paint with the intention of selling. But I was in love with this one as soon as I rolled my chair back and viewed the painting in its entirety. I was so excited that I had an antique gilded frame that fit it, so I tried it on before the painting was even dry. It was definitely going to be a keeper if I could find a perfect place to hang it.
I ended up hanging it on the butler’s pantry…
Hanging a painting on a bookcase is an interesting thing because it’s fairly traditional and has been done for generations, but it also looks unexpected and unconventional. I really like it, though!
Now, I hate naming my paintings! My creativity stops at naming paintings! I would almost rather just number them, but this one does need a name. Want to help with that? What should this painting be named?
Utter Devotion1
No – udder devotion
Mother and child
My daughter, Lucy Kate, would LOVE Little Lucy!
Sweet and tender. Love it
How about naming it “Nuzzle”?
That’s what I was thinking! So I second that vote.
This painting is sooo gooood!
There is a poem by Robert Frost called “The Pasture”. It was included in the work: Frostiana (a beautiful piece where his poems are set to music). Read the poem and you will understand why I think this lovely painting should be called: You Come Too.
What about. “First Love”?
I would name it “Mother and Child”. There is clearly love in that painting. So happy you are keeping it and the only other place it should be hung is in my house! ? but seriously, it’s a special painting!
Love in the pasture
Always & Forever
This is a beautiful painting Marian. I just read the Robert Frost poem Sara referenced and agree “You Come Too” would be a good name. Or maybe something like “Nurture” , “New Beginnings” or “All Things New”-reflective of both the subject and the fact that this is a new(er) part of your business. Or if you’re in the moo (d) for whimsy you could title it ‘Another Mountain Moo (ved). 😉
Oh Marian, that painting is beautiful! Kinda brings out the motherly feelings we have towards our children. It’s perfect in every way!
A Mother”s Love
Loved
Tenderly
Beautiful painting!
or, just ‘Mother Love’
My fave part is just looking at the painting I can feel just how soft yet bristle-ly their fur (hair?) is! I want to touch them.
I am following ayour example! Yesterday-BY MYSELF-I put together an IKEA cart for my bathroom. I’m not going to mention how many times I had the pieces backward to each other or the new curse words I invented (LOTS!!). I have an impressionistic water color of sunflowers that I hung on it just now and it looks SO splendid! Thanks!
Yes! You Come, Too!!! What did you end up naming it, Marian?
How about:
You’re Mine
or
New Life
lovely work!!!!!!!!!!!
“Gentler Times….”
Amazing Grace…
Simply Precious
Beautiful painting. Looks like they are bonding.
You are a truly talented artist.
Morning glory ?
Home.. because when you are young, home is where mama is , love, comfort, safe, hugs , grace, security, … home
I love the painting!
Let your boys name it. I bet they love it!
I immediately thought the calf’s name was Margaret so I named it “Margret’s Mom” . Margaret’s mom is clearly her universe. *** such a touching moment!
I typed the wrong email on my submission:-/
You are wise to keep the ones that touch your heart, Marian. There are so many I’d love to have back.
This one really touched me too and probably will make every mother who visits your house feel all warm and fuzzy.
Hey, there’s a good name for it – “Warm ‘n’ Fuzzy”!
Happy Friday from Pat Godfrey McRee
Another name for the painting:
“Promise Mama You Won’t Jump Over the Moon”
“Over the Moon”
Excellence! I would keep it too if I were you, and it looks so at home hanging on the butler’s pantry. You never cease to amaze me with your multitude of skills.
First Love. You are amazing, and yes this should be a keeper. Let us know when copies are made, i for one would have to have one.
That’s a wonderful idea!! I’d love to have one, too!
You captured an emotion and that is not easy to do within a painting….so amazing and beautiful!
Endearing Love.
Bessie and babe
I am so happy you decided to keep this lovely painting. A name to consider would be “We Two”,,,
I really do enjoy your blog so much…lots of inspiration and encouragement.
Love the painting! You did a great job.
How about naming the painting “A Bovine’s Love”
“Love at First Sight”. It is an absolutely beautiful painting in which the person who views the painting can feel that mother/child love. Great Job Marian! It’s definitely a keeper. 🙂
Forever Mine 🙂
This might be my favorite of all your work. I think it would sell if you were to make copies. I would certainly buy one. It’s just so precious.
They are beautiful. The affection shown by the mother warms my heart. I have a tender spot for farm animal pictures. I am in love with them. So I pick “My Love”.
This is by far my very favorite! Wise move to keep it and it looks like it belongs on the Butler’s Pantry. However, if you decide to make prints of this painting, sign me up!!!!
The Cuddling . Just a lovely work of art.
I am so glad you kept that one. Beautiful work, Marian.
What a lovely painting, truly you caught the magic with this one. The emotion transmitted is palpable. I just love it and have been calling them, Mona and Lisa. Marie
I’d be keeping it too! It is full of love!
That is just beautiful.
I would name it Mother’s Love.
That it’s my first thought!
This is outstanding. Truly outstanding. Maybe gllicee prints? Bess and babe or my vote is tenderness. Truly you captured the tenderness and bond of a mother and babe. Love it.
I immediately thought of Devotion
Your painting is adorable. Maybe ‘Moment in Pasture’.
your painting is so beautiful! looks great in the frame & wonderful where you’ve hung it on the butler’s pantry!
A Mother’s Love
Snuggle buddies.
I may need to commission you to paint a Texas Longhorn for me!
The word “Nurture” came to mind.
Beautiful!!!
I love this painting! I would name it Motherly Love
I love this painting, we always had a few cattle and of course babies, when i was growing up and it reminds me of those times. I have 3 paintings of cows hanging in my home. We always came up with names for those babies but i am leaving that alone, they do care for their own.
Would call it le tendresse. which is French for tenderness, kindness, etc.
“The Bond” please make prints to offer for sale ?
An adorable painting! I love it!! I have a collection of cow paintings and prints, and yours would fit right in!! 🙂
I agree with Amy, this painting evokes emotion, perhaps remembering our own mother’s loving touch. So glad you are keeping it and it looks perfect there on the butler’s pantry. The green really helps highlight it. My suggestion, “A mother’s Loving Touch”.
Are you going to have it copied or whatever it’s called? I have seen some of your copies of your originals for sale and would love to purchase this one even as a “copy”. It’s amazing and you can “feel” the fur of the calf!!!
You couldn’t have chosen a more perfect piece of art for that lovely spot between your formal dining room with the amazing mural and the kitchen/dining room! And you painted it!! I think that’s truly an heirloom piece—something to pass on to your boys!
“First Love,” is what it feels like to me….or, “First Moments Together.” ♥️
It is so beautiful. I like what someone else suggested “Utter Devotion.” Growing up on a farm I have seen this interaction many times between mamas and babies, it made my heart sing.
You should consider selling prints, it’s so lovely!
“love” and I’d really love to buy a canvas of this painting
Oh, my…Marian, I am awestruck at your talent. This painting is so pro-essional and evokes such strong emotion o- the bond between mother and child–yes, even cow mother and her baby. You have so beauti-ully captured the bond between the two.
I’ve known you are a talented artist, but this painting leaves no doubt. I don’t blame you -or keeping it but I sure would treasure a print. (No pressure, though.)
(Apologies that my keyboard is re-using to print the letter a-ter E in the alphabet. Thus the dashes.)
If you decide to sell this original-or Eulalie-I would LOVE the opportunity to purchase one or both! Your painting prowess has definitely come through in this painting. I remember the first ones you were timid to show and now you can produce very fine works of art. Your talents amaze me!
I have friends who bought Paintings back after having sold their work! Keep it…you will certainly regret it. It is beautiful. A tenderness needed in these times, that seems absent in our world today……at least on the surface. I would like to think these precious animals could teach all of us about love and kindness.
Tender Love would be my choice for a name for your painting.
I love it so much! Cows are adorable! How about “Safe Place”.
I love it. My vote is for You Come Too. Brilliant.
I absolutely love this painting! One of my favorites you’ve done thus far!!!
My choice of a name would be “Real Life…Enduring Love”
I’m kind of fascinated by the under painting and why you do that?
I have never tried underpainting….but it makes sense to do so. Do you know if people typically underpaint when they use oils vs. acrylics?
Love the painting….wish I could do cows.
I loved the painting at first glance! I also enjoyed your story of falling in love with it yourself when you saw it completed. I don’t have any artistic talent and was surprised to hear that you paint with the idea of selling in your mind. I guess that’s logical. But that you loved it so much when it was completed really took me by surprise!! Made the hair on my arms shiver! Thanks for sharing with us and the frame was absolutely perfect too!!
PS How did you decide to do a painting like this? Where do you normally get your inspiration? Whenever I hear the 23rd Psalm, I wish I could paint or draw. “He leads me beside the still waters”, I picture a grassy hill with a stream running in the valley. So peaceful. Maybe I will trying to draw it one more time. Just to see if any talent has shown up yet! Enjoy your ability!
That is a wonderful painting. I absolutely love it. I would definitely keep it. You are so talented!
This made me so nostalgic. We raised Polled Herefords when I was growing up on a small farm in northwest Missouri. You did a lovely job and I don’t blame you for wanting to keep it. And the colors are perfect in the spot you selected to hang it.
This painting touches my heart and it’s beautiful! I’d call it ‘Bovine Agape’.
Over the Moon
or
The Bonding.
All paintings, like children, deserve names. 😉
I was hoping you’d sell this. It’s absolutely beautiful❤️
I’d name it, I’m Here
Oh definitely…You Come Too….love that…love, love that picture. My Mom used to love anything “cow”…perhaps from living on a small farm growing up…she would have loved this one, as well
I absolutely love this painting, I can see why you would love it to, it appeals to me on so many levels! You have definitely improved as a painter, I can see this on a postcard or a birthday card too!
Great work, dont sell it if you love it!
I’d go with Cow Love. It looks lovely hung there.
LOVE!!! I’d call it “Known” 3When I look at it I think about how when I was pregnant 36 years ago, i just KNEW what my baby’s personality would be…I didn’t even what gender it would be. Also how one of our greatest needs is to know and be known, that’s what I see in this, utter acceptance.
I don’t blame you for keeping this one! Awesome! I would name it “Udder Devotion”
I am not good at naming paintings either, but that painting is gorgeous and gentle. Love it!
Excellent work, marvelous painting, well placed in your home. Names: a Special Moment in Time, Special Moment, Seeing eye to eye, Love EYE to EYE, Love Close Up, Marion’s Cow Love, must stop. Such an inspiring portrait. Would love a print if you do them. .
Oops, Marian’s Cow Love.
Silent love
Heavenly peace
The bond
Bonding
Welcome baby
Aww… I love this painting! It’s perfect. So many great names. Anxious to see what you pick! Thinking I really like Sharon’s “Marian’s Cow Love.”
How about “The New Arrival” or “Spring in the Meadow”? Or from a favorite movie, “All at once, one day it’s spring.”
This is precious, amazing. Maybe you should make that one into a giclee print.
Cindy
Love this painting. It looks perfect where it is. To me, it looks old fashion. Going back to our German roots, Liebchen is a old fashion term of endearment for the word “love”. I vote for Kleine Liebchen translates to Little Love.
The painting is beautiful! I shared your post with my husband and he suggested it be called Bonding. I thought that was appropriate!! It is inspiring to see you use your God given creativity and I love how you’ve made your house a home!!
A Mother’s Love
God has given you so many wonderful talents! Beautiful painting. I like something like “Bonding”, “Enduring Bond”, or Kathy’s suggestion, “Kleine Liebchen”.
All suggestions are great – and I would love a copy of it too if you ever do that…..and I love where you hung it up on the bookcase portion…..
Maternité …tout simplement !
Superb Marian! So proud of your hard work. It is so beautiful. How about “Muzzle Nuzzle? ☺️
Beautiful, sweet painting. I just found the Robert Frost Poem. I love the suggestion of You Come Too–it has beautiful rhythm.
Beautiful -Love it so much . The “Mother and Child Reunion” with credit to Paul Simon ?
Love love love this painting. Would love to but a copy. I can understand why you kept it, it is awesome!
You come too! I can feel that when I see this painting.
I’d call this beautiful painting “New Life”
Beautiful painting! My title would be Mothering Sunday or just Mother’s Day
Just my opinion, you need a lot more of your art hanging on your walls. Just sayin……..
I adore the painting! I have been following you for years and although my home is on the traditional side, I have the Miss Mustard Seed look on the Kitchen /Laundry side of my house! I just love both of your homes! When I saw the painting of Eulalie that you had in your first homes dining room (under the buffet)..I had to have my own and that is right where mine hangs under my buffet. She makes me smile every morning still after all of these years!
You are a beautiful person, inside and out. I would name it: To the Mooon
absolutely perfect name!
Love, love this!
We had calves just like these when I was a little girl in Louisiana. I use to take a nap at the barn leaning up against a calf reading my book and enjoying the summertime. Our barn had sawdust floors and they were clean and a soft spot.
You have a great deal of talent and can see the sweet side of animals.
Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful workmanship, lovely frame and perfect location! This painting is like a mini extension of your dining room (mural and mirror).
As for a name…since you have a strong attachment to the painting and the cow and calf seem to be expressing a fond attachment to each other, how about “Attachment”, “Fondly Attached” or “Endearment”?
It is absolutely beautiful. I love where you placed it also, unexpected.
I would name it: first love
So endearing love the painting and the placement
I would name it “ bonding”
LOVE the painting – never understood hanging art on shelves, but the greens complement one another beautifully.
To me it is: TENDERNESS
Keep up the amazing works – you are such an amazing painter – blows my mind!
Marian, it is beautiful. I am so happy you decided to keep it for your own family to enjoy. I think you should name it “Das Kalb” which is the German for The Calf.
Much love,
Christina
Sweet Mama and Calf
Sweet and lovely painting. I have fond memories as a child of going to a neighbors farm and the owners son showing me how the calves would suck on your fingers looking for milk. I would help bottle feed and then sometimes we both would fall asleep in a bed of soft straw. I was about 8 years old, and to me it felt like heaven in a barn. I agree with one above for a name-Attachment, the way it should be, the calf with its mother.
Mother’s Love or Devotion…… I love this painting so much. It evokes the love between mothers and offspring so beautifully.
I absolutely love this painting. I’m glad you are going to keep it for your home. It fits perfectly and the placement is perfect as well. I like “Mother’s Love”. Your talent is amazing!! And you get better with each piece you paint! Also the painting of the woman in black is exquisite!!!
Your artistry has come such a long way in what seems ( at least to me) a short time. This painting is so sweet. I’m glad you’re no parting with it. Name? How about Baby Take A Bow?
Perfect mame: Nuzzle
Love it and where you placed it! What is an under painting?
Oh, Marion. It must feel like a miracle to find that the gift for painting was in you, waiting to be uncovered. This is truly beautiful.
Love the name ‘Nuzzle’!
By far one of my favorite painting of yours! You captured the sweetness of a momma and baby beautifully (I grew up around cows so can see the resemblance here). I also love the placement on the shelves! I’ve always loved that look; reminds me of a cozy English cottage. 🙂
Beautiful painting! I love cows! Your talent is amazing! You just keep getting better and better!
I suggested this on your Instagram feed…but I would name this “Motherly Love”
“Puppy Cow”–years ago my friend couldn’t remember the word calf and ended up calling them puppy cows (we were in high school at the time) and it’s stuck. Just about every time I see a calf I think, “puppy cow!”
Such a sweet painting! I had already though of this name before reading the others and I see a similar name to the one that had come into my mind: Morning Nuzzle
Mother and Calf a favorite print on fine art America .
“Awe, Buddy!” Your painting is seriously improving.
If you sold that as a print I’d buy it!