a whippet dances - elle j wilson

image copyright and by kindest permission of the artist

London artist Elle J Wilson uses watercolor and pen to create her images, whether it's a direct pet portrait or something more richly layered in meaning, as she has done here with this piece called "The Last Dance at Sunset."  "Last Dance" is larger than her normal work at 40x30", and it holds much.  I'll let Elle's own words tell you. . .

Based on my own Whippet Indie Bindie Boos. The painting began its life almost 4 years ago, and I have been working on it on and off over these years. It is quite a symbolic painting to me, and I do hope people can "feel" what I put into my artwork. As a rather shy person I wish I were able to listen to people's comments on this piece. There is so much more than just a brightly coloured, exaggerated painting. My main subject of course is my beloved first Whippet. A hint of a worried look in her eye, springing around the meadow before darkness envelopes the colours of the day. Two magpies in the Oak tree in the background. Two magpies to symbolise the joy of life. I see magpies all the time whilst out walking, such beady eyed intelligent birds. The Oak tree is for my friend Genvieve who was taken too young, and one of her wishes was to have some of her ashes sprinkled near an Oak Tree close to her family home. As sad as it is to be without her, I am always filled with the joy of the time I was lucky to have spent with her, so with these memories in this painting she will always be close to my heart. A single, delicate butterfly, such wonderful design of the insect world and creatures that live such a short span life, to remind of how fragile and delicate and beautiful life can be.

I find this a moving example of how the presence of your pet becomes an enmeshed part of the deepest levels of your life and feelings.  Please go have a look at some other works by Elle at her Etsy shop, AlmostAnAngel66.