It was an honor and privilege to paint this commission piece for Ray & Cyndy Larson. We have visited over the past several years about doing some form of a painting of their farm or something related to the farm. Then Ray & Cyndy emailed me and asked if I had ever painted cows– and this painting came to be! They sent me lots of photographs and we tossed around lots of ideas. It developed into a legacy painting; Alfie observing the life he had built feeding cattle and farming land in and around the area. The shadow represents those family members who are helping and following in his footsteps. The area to Alfie’s left portrays the James River which is a memorable part of the landscape around the Larson farm. One of my goals in painting this was, as Cyndy stated to me, “I know it will only grow more precious to us as the years pass.”