A HEREFORDSHIRE artist has presented a work of art to the farm whose animals are his inspiration

Painter David Cope's teenage love of art was rekindled when he picked up his paintbrushes after a 15-year hiatus as he recovered from an illness he suffered in 2011.

Mr Cope, who formerly worked in insurance, has now forged himself a successful career as an artist, looking to Herefordshire's farm animals for his inspiration.

"I had dabbled in painting in the past, but I began seriously painting as a form of therapy after my illness," Mr Cope said.

"My first painting was of rally driver Andrew Burton's legendary Peugeot-Cosworth car, which I sold prints of to raise money for the Richard Burns Foundation."

Since then, Mr Cope has carefully honed and fine-tuned his style, and found a particular passion for painting farm animals.

Working largely in acrylics and using fingers, brushes and palette knives, Mr Cope uses magnificently layered "collisions of colour" to bring his creations to life.

And it was a chance sighting that began his relationship with the source of his artistic inspiration.

"My connection with Quarry Farm in Luston began when I saw a published photograph of one of their beautiful Highland cows in the Hereford Times a few years ago.

"I like to take all of my own photographs to work from and the picture gave me the idea to contact the farm and the two brothers who work there, Richard and Lewis.

"With their kind help, I was able to take pictures of the animals at Quarry Farm to work from, and the connection just went on from there."

The specially commissioned painting, featuring one of Quarry Farm's home-reared Highlands, has now been given pride of place on permanent display at Quarry Farm shop, which specialises in traditionally home-reared and produced meat and locally sourced produce.

Self-taught artist Mr Cope, who now works from his base in north Herefordshire, will also be exhibiting some of his art with H.Art at Kingsland Church from September 7 to 15.

To see more of his art, visit https://www.facebook.com/DavidCopeArt/