CowParade cow painting & rosemaling

Rosy gets auctioned!!!!

2006-11-12T18:35:00.000-08:00

November 10, 2006
Lot 13
Rosy was auctioned off at the gala CowParade live auction.
The high bidder was Diane, pictured on the left with Rosy and me.
Rosy earned $9,200 for her charities: the American Family Childrens Hospital, FFA & 4H.

Carol, Timothy, Laurin & Rosy

2006-08-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

This is my friend, Carol, and her grandkids, Timothy and Laurin. They visited Rosy when she was at the Pierce County Fair in Ellsworth, Wisconsin.
Carol and I sat next to each other in Turid Helle Fatland's week-long rosemaling class at Vesterheim in Decorah, Iowa this summer. We learned lots of interesting stuff.
Thanks for the photo, Carol!!!!

No Cake, drop it!

2006-08-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

Thank You Wendell Matzke!

2006-07-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

If you know Wendell you are lucky. Wendell is a "can-do" guy with a calm demeanor and a business-like approach to solving any transportation puzzle. Wendell volunteered to transport Rosy from Park Printing House to the mooternity ward barn she called home until the tour started. This was no small feat: one life-sized, painted cow and one slightly jittery artist made 2 unusual passengers in one of Wendell's transport vans. Wendell made it all seem easy.

This is Wendell driving one of his aLift vans.

And, thank you Reggie for making Wendell aware of Rosy's unusual transportation need:-)

Cow jumps over the moon!

2006-06-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Rosy stops on the moon to see the earthrise!
and the staff at Chatman Design is there to say "hi".

Spooner Wisconsin Tri County Dairy Breakfast

2006-06-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

Rosy on Tour

2006-05-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

CowParade Wisconsin 2006 "Cow Tour"
A herd of three cows sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is travelling the state during the summer and early fall stopping at fairs, dairy breakfasts, community celebrations and other public events.

Week of July 31 - August 6
Wisconsin Valley Fair – Wausau
Wisconsin State Fair Ag Oasis, Cheese and Butter Auction – West Allis

Week of August 7 - 13
Wisconsin State Fair Ag Oasis– West Allis
Pierce County Fair – Ellsworth

Week of August 14 - 20
Brown County Fair – DePere

Week of August 21 - 27
Manitowoc County Fair – Manitowoc

Week of August 28 – September 3
Walworth County Fair – Elkhorn

Week of September 4 - 10
Sept. 4 Monday Sheboygan County Fair – Plymouth

Week of September 11 - 17
Vernon County Fair – Viroqua
Green County Cheese Days – Monroe

Week of October 2 - 8
World Dairy Expo – Madison

Marilyn & Evelyn visit Rosy

2006-05-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

Before Rosy's departure to the barn she was honored by a visit from Marilyn & Evelyn.

Sam, Bailey and Molly visit Rosy

2006-04-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

Molly and Bailey posed for a quick picture with Rosy. Earlier in the year they came in one Saturday to watch while one of the landscapes was being painted.

Sam is really being held in place by his dad, Roger. Don't try this at home unless you have Photoshop - 8 month old babies do not ride cows alone.

Hat visits Rosy

2006-03-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

Hat hasn't been seen on the travel circuit since a September, 2004 trip to Norway. Apparently Hat was enticed out of retirement with a trip to Park Printing House. Now, getting hit with the travel bug again, Hat is seriously considering a trip to Africa this summer!

The painter.

The painter's son.

More pictures...

2006-03-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

Rosy was painted with a matte varnish this weekend. Two coats. I looked like someone out of a bad sci-fi moovie (ie: respirator, glasses, lab coat, vinyl gloves) while painting. I've decided to put a little shine back into the finish with another coat-- a gloss or satin. So, one last weekend of work coming up. (Hey, isn't that what I said last weekend?)

Rosy had another visitor...

2006-03-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

Ann Norsetter visited Rosy on Sunday afternoon. Her first words were "Holy cow, it's big!" Ann is grandmother to Gretchen, Meagan, Matt, Erica, Amanda, Phil, Claire, Julia, Erick, Nicholas, Taylor, Roy, and now Rosy (sorry Mom, I just couldn't resist:-)

Day Fourteen & Day Fifteen

2006-02-26T21:41:00.001-08:00

The landscape on the right side is complete. It's a view of Blue Mound from somewhere near the intersections of Dodgeville or Ridgeway and my imagination.

Rosy has her bows now. They were painted on Saturday. From the center rope hangs 4 soy beans. Nearly finished -- only the varnishing is left to do.

Rosy had a visitor...

2006-02-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

Rosy was honored with a visitor: Betsy Francouer, former Alice in Dairyland, stopped by Tuesday. Rosy was quite pleased to have her picture taken with Betsy!

Day Twelve & Day Thirteen

2006-02-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

I worked on the landscape on the right side yesterday and today. Also, added details to the scroll work. Both days were cold but bright and sunny.
This side has a Karner Blue butterfly hovering above wild lupine thanks to Sue!

Day Twelve

2006-02-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

Rosy mourns the loss of a fan, friend, mentor & boss. Farewell to JB. "The impossible takes only 15 minutes longer."

Today I painted in most of the flowers on the right side. Still have the roses and some details to do.

Day Eleven

2006-02-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

I painted flowers today. Many flowers!

Day Ten

2006-02-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

My cow is being sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. When it's finished it will go to some farm breakfasts in May, County Fairs during the summer, Madison in September and the World Dairy Expo in October.
Today I chalked in some outlines for the flowers on the left side. There's a Jack-in-the-Pulpit, strawberries, forget-me-nots, daisies, purple coneflowers, cranberries, trilium, sunflowers and roses among others.

Day Nine

2006-01-29T15:58:00.000-08:00

More scrolls today--on both sides and finished the detailing on the tail.

Day Eight

2006-01-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

Painted some scrolls on the body today.
So far, I have 35 hours into the project.
You can see the creeper I use sometimes--it comes in handy. JB loaned it to me. Thanks John!

Day Seven

2006-01-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

Day Six

2006-01-27T21:10:00.000-08:00

Rosy's face gets rosemaled.

Day Five

2006-01-27T21:05:00.000-08:00

Blue Mound and Brigham on the left side of Rosy.

Day Four

2006-01-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

Thought this would be a great place for a rosemaled sunset.

Day Three

2006-01-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

January 2nd I started to rosemal. The horns were first. They took about 3 hours.

Day Two

2006-01-27T20:38:00.000-08:00

I painted her all black, except the belly--the landscape goes there. Had to paint the eye in so she could watch the transformation.

This is just black gesso. After the gesso I applied a coat of black paint.

CowParade rosemaled cow

2006-01-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

Fetched my cow from the barn at the Expo center during a snow storm in December, 2005. It's life-size and made of fiberglass.
First thing I did was paint it black.
Did I mention it is too big to fit into my studio?
I'm painting it in the lobby of the Park Printing House.