Pet Portraits - The Pets and Landscape Artist's Home Town

	1980s Oil Painting - The Old Cottage on Banner Lane.			1984 Photo - A corner of my garden pond in July.
	1986 Photo - My garden and pond in June			1989 Photo - August - Another small corner of my garden, by my back gate.
	1989 Oil Painting - The Bell Inn, Tile Hill Village - This public house is just down on the left of the butcher shop in the following picture - I cannot find a photo at the moment so this is one of my oil paintings.			1990 Photo - 1 February - Tile Hill Village Shops and Garage
	1990 Photo - February - Another view from Tile Hill Village Shops up Tile Hill Lane, which leads to Coventry City Centre.			1989 Photo - 9 February - The back garden of the old derelict cottage above, showing the old water pump which the cottagers used.
	1990 Photo - 11 October - Looking across from Tile Hill Village Shops. In the distance is the Old Cottage in Banner Lane which is to the centre left of this picture, over the hedgerow. Now covered with houses.			1990 Photo - 11 October - The ancient drovers path - photo - This runs along the side of Banner lane, past the gate of the old cottage which is now the Banner's Brook housing estate
	1990 Photo - 18 March - The Scouts Wood, Rough Close. Winter scene viewed from Wickman's Field.			1990 Photo - 7 May - Rough Close Woods, Tile Hill, Coventry, next to the fields where I walk my dogs. A beautiful, peaceful oasis, home to rabbits, foxes, squirrels, Muntjacs deer, and many other creatures including a great variety of birds such as woodcocks, pheasants, thrushes, blackbirds, Bluetits, great-tits, wrens, pigeons,
	1990 Photo - 8 December - After the snow storm. No buses or cars could use the roads and it was very difficult trudging through the snow. People started hoarding bread and suchlike, although within a week this snow had almost gone. It is a long time since we had snow this deep.			1990 Photo - 9 December - Toby, my Jack Russell Terrier, in the Snow - Although almost buried in the deep snow, Toby nevertheless was one soul who thoroughly enjoyed it. We just had to keep an eye on him and help him out when necessary.
	1990 Photo - 9 December - Bus Stuck in Snowdrift. The bus can be seen on the left of the picture. The local shops ran out of bread as deliveries could not get through. We have not had such heavy snow for a number of years now.			1991 Photo - April - My Local Butchers, Richard Sergeant in Tile Hill Village.
	1992 Photo - July - The pond in Conway's field. This is the pond on the other side of Middle Meadow. This is home to many creatures, moorhens, ducks, frogs, toads, smooth newts, crested newts, various species of dragonflies and beetles, and numerous other species. Another pond has now been created next to this one.			1995 Photo - July - A small field we used to call our Secret Garden. There were so many butterflies here, especially small blues, it was unbelievable. We used to see hares, rabbits, Muntjacs Deers, foxes, pheasants, grouse, kestrels, and many other creatures. This field has also, now been built over so these creatures are gone from this area for ever.
	1995 Photo - November - Toby in Scouts Wood - November 1995 - Photo. My little Jack Russell Terrier Toby in the far distance on this lovely autumn afternoon.			1996 Photo - July - My son Paul in the Dog Daisy Field, Wickman's site. In the summer, this field was a sea of white dog daisies. There were also wild pansies, and many other plants. This land has, sadly, now been built over
	2006 Photo - 17 August - Painted Lady Butterfly on Buddleia in my garden.			2007 Photo - December - Rainbows over Wickman's Field, Tile Hill, Coventry, England
	2008 Photo - 16 May - Fish and Toad in my garden pond, Coventry			2008 Photo - 28 May - After the rain. Entrance to Wickman's Field
	2008 Photo - 31 May - Wasp Beetle in my garden.			2009 Photo - 8 August - Roesels Cricket in Wickman's Field,
	2008 Photo - August - Geese flying over Middle Meadow, Tile Hill Village, Coventry, England.			2008 Photo - 25 September - Morning mist over Floyds Field, Coventry.
	2008 Photo - 30 September - First hints of Autumn colour in Floyds Field, Coventry.			.2008 Photo - 3 May - Baby Robins in my garden hedge.
	2008 Photo - June - A White Tailed Bumble Bee seeking nectar from a Foxglove plant in the nearby Tile Hill Woods. This wood is along the old Drovers' Path, in Banner Lane, Tile Hill Village. See near top right.			2008 Photo - 16 June - Some kind of Beetle
	2008 Photo - August - Emperor Dragonfly, Wickman's Field, Tile Hill, Coventry			2009 Photo - 1 May - Speckled Wood Butterfly in my front garden.
	2009 Photo - 19 July - A Gatekeeper Butterfly on one of my garden flowers.			2010 Photo - 18 June - Sammi climbing up Reg.
	2010 Photo - 3 July - Jackdaw in the grounds of Kenilworth Castle, which is just a 10 minute drive from my home.			2010 Photo - 22 July - Gatekeeper & Peacock Butterflies in Tile Hill, Coventry
	2010 Photo - 16 Brimstone Butterfly.			2009 Photo - 31 July - Comma Butterfly in my garden
	.2009 Photo - 31 July - Large White Butterfly on Knapweed in Middle Meadow.			2010 Photo - 6 June - Silver-ground Carpet moth in Middle Meadow, Tile Hill, Coventry.
	2010 Photo - 9 June - Sammi on dresser.			2010 Photo - 16 June - 2 Skipper Butterflies on Bramble flower by Wickman's Pond.
	2010 Photo - 15 June - Sammi having her neck and ears rubbed. She demands this now and again.			2010 Photo - 16 June - Honey Bee on Cow Parsley in Wickman's Field.
	2010 Photo - 30 June - Carmine Moths on Birds Foot Trefoil in Middle Meadow.			2010 Photo - 10 July - Ringlet Butterfly just emerged and now stretching its wings in the sun.
	2010 Photo - 21 July - Red Admiral Butterfly on Brambles, Wickman's Field.			2010 Photo - 22 July - Ringlet Butterfly.
	2010 Photo - 26 July - Female Small Blue Butterfly in Middle Meadow.			2010 - Photo - 26 July - Comma Butterfly on Buddleia in my garden.
	2010 - Photo - 26 July - Gatekeeper Butterfly in Middle Meadow.			2010 - Photo - 26 July Spider's Nest This might be Textrix Denticulata
	2010 Photo - 26 July - Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly on Buddleia in my garden.			2010 - Photo - 30 July - Grasshopper in Wickman's Field.
	2010 - Photo - 31 July - Froghopper.			2010 - Photo - 1 August - Male Small Blue Butterfly in my garden.
	2010 - Photo 10 July Green Orb Web Spider			2006 - Photo 5th June Broad Bodied Chaser Dragonfly
	2010 - Photo 22 July - Sammi Grey Squirrel			2010 Photo - 19th January Sammi or Squig

Pet Portraits Dog Art - Dogs, Cats, Horses, Ponies, Wildlife and other Animals paintings in oils and watercolours

If you would like a pet portrait painting of your pet and your pet dog or cat, or indeed any animal, has sadly died so it is too late to take any clear photos I will willingly look at your photo and let you know if it is clear enough. I love my pet portrait work, but one of the saddest aspects is where an old pet has died and the owner has no clear photo to remember their friend by, or, indeed, to create a pet portrait memorial to their lost one. So take those photos now, even if you do not yet decide on a pet portrait painting of your pet.

The happiest aspect of my work is when my clients have received their pet portrait paintings and telephoned or written to let me know how delighted they are in spite of the tears over their lost friend. I have so many lovely letters telling me how the portrait painting of their pet is now taking pride of place in their home, and how they feel their pet's spirit is still with them whenever they gaze at the painting. So do not hesitate. Order your pet portrait painting today. You will be so glad you did.

Pet dogs, cats, animals or any child or adult can be painted into the scene or pet portrait, even if they were not in that particular photo. Many things are possible. If you have a special request, just ask. If it is possible it can be done.

If you are thinking of buying a present for a family member or a friend, a pet portrait of their pet dog or cat, or any pet animal, is a wonderful present for a pet lover. If their pet has died, a pet painting of their lost dog or cat makes a wonderful memorial and tribute to the deceased pet.

Remember, if you want a really unusual and special gift for a pet or animal lover for Christmas, Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Easter, Anniversaries, Retirements, Presentations or any other celebration, a pet portrait painting of a beloved pet is always a unique and very welcome gift. Whether it is a dog portrait, cat painting, horse painting, wild animal painting, bird painting, child or adult human portrait or a painting of someone's home and garden, it will bring delight and surprise to the recipient.

So, if you have no CLEAR photos, get clicking and send your favourite photo to me for that dog painting, cat painting, animal painting, or landscape painting. You will be delighted with the result.

We should all value our historical houses be they palaces, farmhouses or cottages, they are our links to our past, but sadly, many are being allowed to deteriorate beyond any repair. It would be a poorer world with no physical reminders of our ancestor’s presence. Whenever, I get the opportunity I am out painting and capturing little corners of this England onto canvas or watercolour paper.

I also believe that there should have much tougher laws against the pollution of our rivers and fields, and stricter laws to protect pressured wild animals and green spaces. Imagine a world with only one creature, the human being. What a dreadful place that would be. We must all do our best to alleviate some of the harm man has done to this world and its animal inhabitants. One way is to enforce planning controls for new human dwellings, office blocks and factories that are sympathetic to the natural environment.

The welfare of this Earth's wild creatures is something I feel very passionately about. We have done so much harm to these fellow residents of our planet, who, of course, have as much right to exist as humanity. Wild animals, including the smallest insect have no less right to live out their natural lifespan as ourselves. I still see wild Robins, Geese, Mallards, Moor Hens, Jackdaws, Buzzards, Kestrels, and many other birds, assorted Dragonflies including the large Emperor Dragonflies, assorted butterflies, Wasp Beetles, Flower Beetles, Field Voles, mice, insects, birds, newts, frogs, toads, hares, deers, foxes and many other wild animals but for how much longer if we go on building over their habitats?

We should not attempt to turn all their wild habitats into pretty parks for just our enjoyment. Nature is wild and beautiful in its wildness. Wild animals need to be wild and free and people can find enjoyment in this too.

We cannot turn this, still beautiful, Earth into a controlled, barren environment for the convenience of just one of this world's creatures, ourselves. We can help these animals in many ways, such as not mowing every piece of wild meadow near our towns. No voles, hawks or butterflies can exist on a lawn. These animals need the shelter of tall grasses to hide in and to feed from. Where there are no hiding places, there are no wild creatures. Where the grass is mown no wild flowers can flourish. However, with a little goodwill on our part it is amazing how quickly Mother Nature heals her wounds.

I remember my childhood wandering the countryside and lanes of Devon; with so much wildlife, so many birds and wild creatures and leafy field margins and sunken lanes. Too many creatures are being squeezed out of existence by our constant encroaching onto their home territories. This cannot go on or England will land up as just an offshore concrete car park of the EU.

In the evenings we saw owls gliding silently over the darkening fields. One time, while I was walking my pet dog, I passed under an old tree and looked up. Sitting silently on a branch overhanging the path I was on, was a Barn Owl. He never made a sound, just moved his head around to watch me as I went on my way. It is a long time since I saw a wild owl. The last one I saw was a Little Owl sitting on his usual perch in an old tree. The tree is no more. It was destroyed when the land was built on. Do builders or their bosses EVER consider the wild creatures whose homes they are destroying?!!

In 2011, Hares too, seem much more elusive than even six years before. We used to regularly watch these large rabbit-like creatures loping over the fields nearby. I know the habitat of these Hares was built over but I do not know where any of the creatures were dispersed to. It is so wrong. This planet is NOT just ours and I would not want to live in a land where no places were left untouched for wild creatures to flourish in.

Hedgehogs are another little creature, which was commonplace up until about ten years ago. Practically every child in town or countryside had seen a hedgehog. Not now. In the winter 2010-2011, I fed a young hedgehog for many weeks in my garden, trying to feed him up so he could hibernate in safety. This was the first live hedgehog I had seen for about five years. He eventually stopped coming for his evening meal of cat food and drink of water. I hope he went into hibernation.

The fields nearby were full of hedgehogs at dusk. You could see the lovely little animals dotted about all over the fields but no more. I hope there are still some left besides the one who came to my garden. I am hopeful though. As I said, I had not seen a hedgehog in my garden for about five years. Here's hoping this is the start of many more sightings of them as their numbers build up again.

Birds, which I never saw about five years ago in my area, were Buzzards. Now there are so many of them hardly a day goes by without seeing at least two. Now I often see them wheeling, gliding and stooping in the fields nearby. This must mean that there are enough small animals such as field voles, to sustain them.

There are quite a few Herons in my home area. You see them flying heavily across the skies, sometimes being mobbed by smaller birds. In fact, one Heron was spotted in my garden so I am beginning to think that my missing pet Goldfish Fred was taken from our garden pond by one of these birds.

Another creature, which is comparatively new to my area, is the Harlequin Ladybird. I first spotted one in 2008. The Harlequin Ladybirds (or Ladybugs) arrived in England from France, having spread there from Asia. They pose a real threat to all our native Ladybird species and, in fact, our Two Spotted Ladybird is in fast decline. Harlequins are bigger than our native species. Their colours are varied from red to orange and they tend to have larger spots of black on them and look brasher than our native Ladybird. Harlequins eat our native Ladybirds and other insects and there is a survey ongoing to see what their spread in the UK is so far. The Harlequin appears to spread at about 60 miles per year so there must be billions here now. Huge numbers of them have been found crammed into tiny spaces. When they feel threatened they emit an obnoxious chemical that smells rather like nail polish and marks any surface it touches, so it is not pleasant to find them inside your home.

Remember the warm days of summer as, during the cold days of winter, you gaze at your painting of your sunny garden and home.

Pet Portraits of Special Pets make Special Gifts

Isabel Clark's Pet Portraits of Special Pets make very Special Gifts

Pet Portrait Paintings - Dog Portraits, Cat Portraits, Horses and Ponies, Wildlife, Animal Paintings, People Portraits and Landscape Paintings.

Pet Prints, Dog Prints, Animal Prints, Cat Prints, Horse Prints, Wildlife and Landscape Prints from Pet Portraits or Landscape Paintings by Isabel Clark may be found at www.VillageArt.co.uk . Where you may also find A5 Glossy Greeting Cards from Pet Paintings by Isabel Clark may be found on www.VillageArt.co.uk .

Paintings of Horses and Ponies	Paintings of People	Pencil Study Portraits
Frequently Asked Questions	The Artist's Pets	GIFT VOUCHERS

Pet Portraits - The Pets and Landscape Artist's Home Town - Coventry

by Isabel Clark BA (Honours) Fine Art

A Brief Glimpse of - Tile Hill and Tile Hill Village, Coventry, England

Pet Portraits Dog Art - Dogs, Cats, Horses, Ponies, Wildlife and other Animals paintings in oils and watercolours

Pet Portraits of Special Pets make Special Gifts

Isabel Clark's Pet Portraits of Special Pets make very Special Gifts

Pet Portrait Paintings - Dog Portraits, Cat Portraits, Horses and Ponies, Wildlife, Animal Paintings, People Portraits and Landscape Paintings.