A Delightful Surprise!

Even though I didn't have much time to visit many of the One World One Heart blog participants I did make sure that I visited the blog's of everyone who had left a comment on my giveaway.

So I was indeed surprised and very delighted to find out that I was a winner!!

Linda sent me this very beautiful and gentle print of a fawn and her rabbit companion lying on a bed of wild plum blossom . She knows about my deep love for rabbits, hares and deer!
It was accompanied by a gorgeous pink badge of a lop rabbit in a Peter Rabbit tea cup! Hmmm, my young nieces will be eyeing that for sure!

Thank you so much Linda!! I have been looking for a suitable frame for it and soon it shall be on my wall.

Linda has a very informative blog - The Briar Rose Gate, that I have been following for some time. I love her posts which show her deep understanding of animals and her caring attitude towards them.

Her painting above is of a fox cub at the Briar Rose Gate portal waiting for his mother before they take a trip into a magical world!
Everything about this painting exudes gentleness, hope and wonderment for life.
I have found these qualities in all of Linda's works and they can be seen in more detail in her etsy shop ArtWolf.

and befitting an artist who paints animals with such grace is Linda's own furry companion Prince!

Here he is wearing a flower necklace and playing ball!

Prince has his own blog called Poppy's "It's a Dogs Life" and he has taken over the editorial, publishing, writing and researching from Poppy, who is no longer here in body.

He's doing an excellent job and what could be more fun than seeing him playing in the snow or with his toys! though he also does very serious posts about important issues affecting animals.

Arabella is pleased to hear that as she was wondering whether Wesley and her were the only two spokesfurs out there!

I met Linda last year on etsy as she is in the Etsy For Animals team with me.

Back then I had done a post about battery hens being rescued and rehomed and the call for warm jackets to be made for them, similar to the ones above.

Linda made masses of amazing fleece jackets covered in hearts for these featherless girls and sent them off to Little Hen Rescue in England.
I was very impressed! considering my jackets are still in the fleece in one piece stage!

Linda is also a highly accomplished realistic portrait artist as shown so beautifully in this painting of an Arabian Horse called Shaheen (White Falcon).

She has painted more horses and dogs in this same style. The use of light is very skilled.

To me, owning a piece of art is not just about the aesthetics of the work itself but of the artist who created it.

It means so much more to me every time I look at my deer and fawn knowing that Linda cares and loves all animals deeply.

As an artist myself I hope to aspire to that postion with my own work.

Art in everyday places is very welcome! Especially on a handy tote!

Such a tiny fawn amongst the snowdrops.

Linda also makes sculptures and this one inparticular caught my eye. A beautiful Snowshoe Hare in winter coat!

I love the tassles and the black ear tips!

I'm still smiling every time I look at my print! because not only do I see a gentle fawn and rabbit but I see a talented and caring lady who creates from the heart!

Thank you Linda!!

and ofcourse how could I not have another picture of Prince with his flower necklace.