The Farmstead by Gregory Dalton (Original Painting)

‘The Farmstead’ brings people and animals together on a precarious structure of stone and timber. Stone upon stone, body upon body, animal and human are arranged into a living architecture that holds without fully settling. What should be stable remains provisional; what should be pastoral carries weight.

The figures recline among broken masonry, while animals perch above them or settle into gaps. There is an element of folk horror in this gathering: an isolated rural place, familiar creatures in unexpected positions, and the suggestion of customs whose meaning has been lost. The scene is quiet, but it is difficult to tell whether its occupants are resting, keeping watch, or taking part in a ritual.

Working between drawing and painting, I used line to describe the fractured stones, bare branches, and contours of the bodies. Passages of color give the masonry weight and soften the sky around it. Building up these details meant paying attention to how each form rests against another, where the structure seems supported, and where it threatens to give way. The openings beneath the arches leave the surrounding landscape visible.

A snake winds among the figures and stones, connecting different parts of the composition. Its presence suggests something recurring, woven into the life of the place. I wanted the farmstead to feel inhabited through persistence, with people and animals finding room in what remains.

Additional close up detail images are available upon request.