Herd Immunity is a painting of a herd of cows stuck outside on a drizzly day. The moisture in the air faded out the distant hills and enriched the colors of the cornfield and large shade tree. The herd of young cows (official term is heifers), stick close to the tree that now offers a bit of protection from the rain.

The title “Herd Immunity” is a play on words of current events. I painted this piece in the fall of 2021 during the pandemic as part of “Paint the Town in Fall Colors”, a plein air competition in Plymouth, WI. During this time (2020-2021), there has been a lot of talk about “herd immunity” as it relates to public health measures for humans. I thought it was time to lighten up with the term and use it in its original context–cows! The juror of the competition, James P. Neilson, appreciated the humor so much that he made up a new award just so he could give it to this piece–“Best Painting Title”. At the same event, this painting also won Artist’s Choice.