Cows are everywhere in the part of Georgia that Chris calls home. Madison, GA, and its surrounding counties have depended on beef and dairy farming for many years as a means of income, identity, and self preservation. Eatonton, GA (the dairy capital of GA) once boasted more cows than people. Farming has long lain at the core of what makes this part of the south unique and special.

I like that, in this painting, the viewer is able to catch a glimpse of several of the aspects of “farm life” that Madisonians and the likes have come to know, love, and embrace through the years. If one were to take a drive outside of the city limits in any direction, it wouldn’t take long before they’d be able to “spot” the familiar sight of black and white Holstein cows and calves in pastures, grazing between milkings. Long red barns with tin roofs, rolling green pastures, dusty gravel roads, and the gentle “hint” of methane in the air are all landmark sights, sounds, and smells that help to distinguish this part of the country from others.

Chris does a really good job of simply capturing a momentary thought regarding farming in GA, but one that nevertheless echoes volumes about the way of life for so many down here in these parts.

Chris Cook is a premier southern artist and owner of Madison Studios, a web design, maintenance, and e-commerce and marketing company. For his artist biography, contact information, or to view more of his work, click HERE