Calling the Flock 24 x 24

This is an oil painting on cradled Birch panel, framed in a natural Doug Fir wood floater frame.

The panel measures 24x24” and the outer edge of the frame extends approximately half an inch beyond the panel on each side.

You can expect your painting to ship from my studio in the mountains within 5-7 days of your purchase!

The idea for the Alps series was born during my time spent hiking and hut-hopping through the Swiss and Austrian Alps. What I love about painting landscapes is capturing the feeling a certain place first evoked - freedom, gratitude, presence, WONDER. My hope for these paintings is that they serve as invitations into that sense of wonder and awe. That they would be little windows to a state of mind where you can breathe deeply and for a moment feel a bit more alive. 

We had just come off the main stretch of the hike back along the Karwendel Trail, and finally were surrounded by grassy hills instead of loose rocks. Sheep were dotting the hillside in front of us and within moments a man about my age, wearing a hat with a feather in it and carrying a tall staff, rounded the hilltop and started calling to the flock. The sheep immediately turned and trotted toward him. He counted them, gave them a few pats, quickly checked a couple ewes who looked pregnant, and left them to graze... and mingle with the handful of hikers in the valley, which was obviously met with great enthusiasm and subsequent scheming on how to smuggle one or all back to the US - still working on it btw.
I know rationally that was probably a very normal, routine task, but it felt like we were witnessing something sacred and special (and if you’ve read John 10, it made that feel extra alive). It was also my first time petting sheep *not* in a petting zoo, and hopefully not my last?? This painting is from the top of that peak where the shepherd started calling his flock.