Black Sheep. 40cm X 30cm oil on canvas. Framed and white mount, total size 50cm X 40cm.
 
This is an homage to the livestock paintings of the Georgian era which were commissioned by landed gentry to show off their selective breeding programmes, 'improvement' was a high tech pastime and yield improved by 33% over the period through dubious feeding methods - oil cakes being a favourite pre slaughter fattener and selective breeding. The artists must have been encouraged or ordered to exaggerate the beasts, especially the areas that were considered to be the most desirable such as the shoulders and tackle for stud purposes, as other elements on the paintings are of a normal proportion. The paintings commissioner often appeared next to his fattened animal and the country mansion normally sneaked in an appearence too, such was the modesty of gentlemen - has anything changed?

BWMS are prolific and undemanding, hardy and self-reliant. They produce premium quality, lean meat with an excellent meat to bone ratio and a full flavour, hardiness and self-reliance are two outstanding features of the BWMS, many Black Welsh Mountain hill flocks taste no other food than short, upland grass yet they adapt well to improved, lowland management and feeding.