Some friends were setting up camel treks at Monarto Zoo and invited us along to act as dummy tourists. (It was fun when the rhinos charged their stockade as we plodded past!) I took a multitude of photos and found this one of Luke, waiting for everyone else. I am sure I shall use it again.

As the composition shaped up in my mind I could see the 3 camels up there on the canvas, on a flat, dry plain with a strong diagonal across it so I chose this fence.

As will have become obvious by now, we live in the middle of flat barley paddocks with the hills rising behind. Because sheep graze the barley stubble the paddocks are fenced, and some of the original posts of sawn-down mallee gumtrees remain. This fenceline is round Eichlers' shearing sheds. I originally took the photos for Hills Wreck and Dog.

Once I had my diagonal I still had a great lump of bare canvas, the soft shoulder of an unseen road. I painted it as heavily textured asphalt, both for its strength and also so I could nail it into place with that white line.

The crow was inevitable, as was the sheep's skull, which had been lying on a shelf for years. Then I painted the first strand of wire and suddenly it was finished. Such a relief.

** There are more notes on the fence on the 'Compare Fences' Page.