MOUNTAIN —Seventeen-year-old Holly Somerville recently rendered her appreciation of all things Angus in pencil. Now her reproduced handiwork is drawing attention from others involved with the beef breed.
Somerville had occasion to depict various aspects of bringing those animals into the show ring during an art competition coinciding with last month’s 2012 National Junior Angus Association Showdown in Lindsay. (She and her identical twin sister, Kelly, are both avid Angus show participants, leading the black bovines in front of discerning judges at various fairs and venues over the last four years.)
Created as one of the elective activities offered at the four-day annual event, her realistic pencil illustration on white paper shows a heifer going through various stages of show preparation — from cattle trailer, to show barn, to winner’s circle.
"I was considering doing a single picture of an animal, but I realized there is so much more to showing than just the animal," explained the Mountain resident, who will enter her final year at St. Michael Catholic High School in Kemptville this fall.
Her work — recognized as reserve champion in the intermediate class — is being copied into a limited series of 50 prints.
That idea came about after the artist generously donated the original to the Association’s banquet auction, where a youthful duo – 11 and 12 years old – bought it for $550. Russell’s Kevin MacIntyre (XCEL Livestock), father of one of the youngsters, thought of having prints made and offered the first couple on the block. Number one and number two fetched an additional $500 apiece for the Association, courtesy of MacIntyre himself and another print purchaser, Jodee Bolton (Polestar Angus) of Lansdowne (mother of the other pre-teen).
Other copies will be auctioned at various events throughout the Ottawa Valley, including the Metcalfe Fair. Another will go on display at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, then put up for auction at the conclusion of the beef show.
Once all auctions are complete, organizers are looking to sell any remaining prints, with all proceeds going back to the Association to further promote the young people involved with the breed.
The Association’s Regina, Saskatchewan-based headquarters is also slated to receive a donated print that will grace its lobby.
The Somerville sisters lead cattle owned by Barry Stewart (Hawthorne Farm) of Inkerman Station. They and a pair of his Black Anguses recently placed in the top two at the Chesterville Fair.
Holly Somerville said she loves working with Black Angus cattle and has enjoyed her years showing the breed. "I really like breaking them. And I really love the people we’ve met."
In keeping with her recent success in Lindsay, she presumes she will pursue "something" in the field of arts after high school. "I do enjoy art."
News
August, 2012
Vol. 36, No. 8
NEWS
