The underpainting is done!

Bonnie is hard at work on the new Foster Mothers of the Human Race painting, and we are excited to share this video message from Bonnie about the underpainting — the monochrome framework of the finished piece.

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Painting cows unique as their personalities

A cow is not just a cow to Bonnie Mohr. She is currently laboring over each breed to give them all the most realistic look as possible. In this video message from Bonnie (sketch pencil in hand), she discusses her keen attention to each of the breed's unique qualities and to the structure of every cow. We'd like to thank Bonnie's daughter, Taylor, for helping film this video post. And, if you saw this video and were excited to see an early preview of the entire sketch of the painting, think again. We've altered the video just enough so you can't see the entire image. Don't worry. It's not your screen; the video looks "dreamy" on purpose.

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Your first peek

Here is your very first peek of what we have in store for this updated Foster Mothers of the Human Race painting: Bonnie's first pencil sketch. We'll be showing you this same portion of the painting from time to time as the project progresses. What do you think so far? Check back often for updates!

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Behind the canvas

With her feet planted deep in the soil of rural Minnesota, Bonnie Mohr doesn't just paint life in rural America — she lives it every day. Her's comes complete with a husband, five kids all actively involved in the dairy industry, a herd of Holsteins and Jerseys, and a dog named Stella. Also, we'd like to extend our congratulations to Bonnie for recently becoming the mother of Minnesota's Jersey Queen. Learn more about Bonnie and her upbringing as a reader of Hoard's Dairyman in this video below.

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Foster Mothers Prints

Click on the slide show to see the four versions of the Foster Mothers of the Human Race, displayed in chronological order. The initial painting was done in 1957, with all of the cows sporting horns. The 1963 view is a pasture scene with no horned cattle. In 1991, a drawing lined up the six breeds, and in 1993 the pasture scene had all breeds standing. All of these versions were done by former Hoard's Dairyman Art Director, James Baird. View the slide show and then vote for your favorite on the right hand side of the page!

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Painting the Foster Mothers

While 2010 marks the beginning of a new decade, it also marks a momentous occasion for Hoard's Dairyman. On January 23, 1885, William Dempster Hoard launched the first edition of Hoard's Dairyman. This year, our 125th anniversary, we've asked world-renowned dairy artist Bonnie Mohr of Glencoe, Minn., to help us create an updated Foster Mothers of the Human Race painting. With a century and a quarter under our belts, we know this fresh look on the famous Foster Mothers print will be a great launching point for future years of service to the dairy industry. The original Foster Mothers print was created in 1957 followed by updates in 1963, 1991, and 1993 — all of which were painted by former Hoard's Dairyman Art Director James Baird.

You'll find this all-new painting on the June 2010 cover of Hoard's Dairyman. This celebratory issue will highlight landmarks of the dairy industry and Hoard's Dairyman in the past 125 years. Luckily, you won't have to wait until June to get a sneak peak of the painting. We'll be catching up with Bonnie throughout the painting process. Recently, we sat down with Bonnie to visit with her about her excitement for this project.

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