When I was a child, I was wary of dogs. I would keep my distance, never feeling a connection; something that stayed with me as I grew into an adult.

Meeting my partner Jon changed all that. He had a natural rapport with dogs and encouraged me to let them come to me. I slowly gained confidence and began to see what I had been missing for so long. When I moved to rural North Wales with Jon and started my full-time career as an artist, I found myself drawn to painting working sheepdogs, especially Border Collies.

One day, a farmer came into my gallery. Our conversation about my sheepdog paintings led to an invitation to her farm. The visit transformed my understanding and appreciation of the sheepdog. Watching those dogs at work, I was captivated by their agility, grace, intelligence, and the gentle care they showed the sheep.

Each dog had its own character, I remember one who was the matriarch to the other dogs, and another who patiently hid under a trailer watching the farmer assist a ewe giving birth. Their gentleness around the new lambs was touching, and the young dogs’ training sessions were a source of endless fascination.

The farmer’s care for her dogs was obvious and you could feel the bond between them, a bond of loyalty, trust, and companionship. It was a relationship that worked both ways, each dog devoted to their handler and vice versa. It inspired me to capture these moments.

Using oils, I painted in a loose style, focusing on the dogs by leaving empty space around them. I wanted viewers to see the dogs through my eyes, to appreciate their character, whether at work or rest, and feel as if they were there, in the field with me.

Through this collection, I want customers to experience the different aspects of the lives of these remarkable animals.