Original oil painting on canvas 
'Sirica's Crown' 
100 x 127 x 4 cm 
 
This painting is an idealised portrait of one of many cows in rural Zimbabwe that my mum feeds on a weekly basis. In 2024 feeding the local cattle turned from a hobby of hers into a full-scale feeding scheme where hundreds of mulnourished cattle, dogs, donkeys (and the young herders they belonged to) would come to the river outside our house every day. She had to create a schedule, giant trucks would come loaded with hay every week, and eventually include the local village heads for help. 
 
Sirica is one of the previously heavily mulnourished cattle that my mom would allow into the yard for extra food called 'concentrate'. She is what my mum refers to as a 'coat hanger cow' as her hips and ribs were so visible. I spent days watching Sirica and some of the others grazing peacefully, and was so struck by their different personalities and character quirks. These animals have an unfathomable endurance. There are so many themes of perserverance, gentleness, care and of course service and provision that I wanted (needed) to express. This is a very idealised version of Sirica, it is how I see her in my minds eye.