For Wilma

For Wilma, a beautiful senior Greyhound who touched my heart . In 2015 I was developing my watercolour style and my Rainbow colouring palette.  I was producing a painting for a friend in New Zealand, Tracey, who had a Greyhound called Wilma. Wilma had been rescued as a senior  and was afraid of everything, but with Tracey’s help Wilma slowly began to trust. I had just adopted Daisy so we had greyhounds in common, we were both new to Greyhound rescue and were discovering more and more about the Greyhound racing industry and these amazing dogs. 

Tracey, appalled at how Wilma had been abused,  dedicated her time to uncovering the murky truth behind the Greyhound racing industry, and found that the abuse and mistreatment, drugging and killing of greyhounds was rife throughout the industry.  

Tracey opened a Facebook page Called “Saving Wilma.  – slow, broken, old, Greyhound Racing’s dirty little secrets” and held fundraisers, raising money and awareness for Greyhound rescues. I painted portraits of Wilma for auction, and gave away portrait vouchers to raffle. The fundraisers were huge with a world wide following. 

I was following a page by Paul Croes,who is based in Belgium and has produced some amazing animal photography.    Paul Croes- Behind eyes- animal photography in  studio

He photographed sighthounds in the most exquisite poses, and I asked If I could paint one of these poses, a white Galgo, as a subject for a fundraiser. He very graciously said yes!

I started this portrait as a prize for the auction, and while painting got the awful news that Wilma had died.  This was such sad news, she was the gentlest dog and had only just begun to have her own sweet life. I decided to name the painting after Wilma, and hinted at wings in the background. 

This has been one of my most popular images, and is available as a print from Print Art NZ https://www.artcollective.co.nz/product/for-wilma/ 

I was delighted at the response from the public regarding this painting. In my heart it was for all the fallen Greyhounds, but it will always be a reminder of a sweet old girl from New Zealand called Wilma, who became a well known name in the rescue of Greyhounds, and in whos name, thousands of dollars were raised to help other rescues around the world. 

Since painting this portrait, I have donated portrait vouchers to many rescues and fundraisers, and had the delightful task of painting some amazing animals over the past years.  I hear some sad stories, stories of triumph over adversity, and hear of heartbreak as a beloved pet dies. I love painting these portraits for you, it is such an honour to be asked to create a memory, even a sad one, and  tears are the best compliment I can be given, it means I got it right.