Sheep may not be the chosen muse for most artists, but to Ann Gadd they provide hours of artistic inspiration and, to her enthusiastic patrons, much laughter.
“Sheep in their inane conformist lifestyle have much to mirror to us about the human condition,” says Ann.
“Like sheep, we seldom stop to question our lives, our purpose, and the validity of what we do. As we struggle to achieve a stable patch for ourselves, there is always the threat of the inevitable tumble downhill and the grass appearing greener on another hill. In the repetitive conformism of our lives, sheep become icons for our own insanity,” says Gadd. “People see in Ewe/the sheep, aspects of themselves, for example, the CEO sheep balancing on its corporate ladder, relates to many top corporate players.”
About Ann Gadd
In 2004, Ann Gadd, seeking a break from her more formalized style of painting, started painting sheep – “I had painted some stylized sheep a few years before. They sold, but I didn’t feel like sheep would be popular. However, the idea sat with me. One day, whilst playing around in my garage, I experimented with using simpler sheep images. The first Ewe painting was the result. Within days, the sheep paintings were hanging in top galleries. From there, they moved quickly into conference rooms and homes, both local and international, and 226 were commissioned for a hotel overseas.
Having worked in the corporate sector, I found it amusing to combine sheep images with business jargon. After the success of these paintings, I expanded into other themes, using subjects as diverse as wine, professions, and sport. “I had to put my writing on hold,” (Ann is the author and illustrator of forty-four books), as the demand kept increasing.” The sheep’s popularity continued to grow as more people, both local and abroad, responded to her quirky sense of humour. The result made Gadd one of South Africa’s top-selling artists.
Illustrations © 2026 Dorothy Ann Gadd / Art for Ewe. All rights reserved. Used under license by Nifty Magnets.
