Elin Sian Blake

Available for sale from Big Sky Fine Art in the English county of Dorset, this original painting is by the contemporary Welsh artist Elin Sian Blake.<br> The painting is presented and supplied in a sympathetic frame (which is shown in these photographs) and is supplied ready to hang and display.<br> The painting is signed lower right.<br> <br> Elin Siân Blake is a contemporary Brecon-based artist, originally from the South Wales valleys, whose work delves deeply into the rich tapestry of Welsh heritage. Through various mediums, she creates poignant reflections of societal and cultural issues that have shaped the Welsh identity. <br> <br> Born in 1981, Elin Siân Blake began producing commissioned artwork from an early age, focussing on the traditional Welsh ponies and landscapes of her childhood. She was particularly inspired by the agricultural and equestrian events she attended. As a teenager she spent all her spare money on art supplies. Blake graduated from the University of Glamorgan in 2002 with a degree in graphic design and illustration, but quickly realised that she wanted to create conventional paintings, rather than producing digital images. She then spent several years living on the road in vintage vehicles, painting the scenes and characters she encountered on her travels.<br> <br> Blake taught herself oil painting using library books, originally producing very detailed photo-realistic images. Her artistic style developed considerably over the years, becoming more expressive.<br> Blake’s main emphasis is always her love of images from the Welsh countryside and industry. As she explores the heritage of the Welsh valleys, she paints a social commentary on everyday Welsh working life. Her work captures the essence of Welsh tradition whilst simultaneously challenging societal norms. Bold and evocative, Blake's art invites the viewer to take a critical look at the complexities and nuances of Welsh heritage. By melding her artistic vision with a profound cultural understanding, she presents a thought-provoking examination of the past, present, and future of Wales.<br> <br> © Big Sky Fine Art<br> <br> This painting is called ‘The Hosts of Rebecca’ and was produced for an exhibition inspired by Alexander Cordell. Cordell was an Anglo-Welsh writer who adopted Wales as his home and wrote about the country and its history. The first novel of his Mortymer trilogy was ‘The Rape of the Fair County’ and was a million selling best-seller. The second novel in the trilogy was the brilliant ‘Hosts of Rebecca’, which was first published in 1960. It tells of 19th century Wales with its passion, humour and Celtic sadness, and particularly of young Jethro Mortymer, striving to keep his family alive and tortured by a guilty love for his brother’s wife. This painting illustrates that part of the novel that deals with Jethro’s decision to join the Rebecca Riots. <br> <br> The Rebecca Riots were a series of protests undertaken by local farmers and agricultural workers in response to levels of taxation. The economic turmoil and unjust taxes left the communities of south Wales in dire poverty, with many on the brink of starvation. Young men, many of them dressed as women, rode through the night, smashing and burning the symbols of their oppression. This included smashing through toll gates, as they were tangible representations of taxes and tolls. The rioters went by the name of ‘Merched Becca’ which translates directly from Welsh as Rebecca’s Daughters. The origin of the name comes from a verse in the Bible, Genesis 24:60 'And they blessed Rebekah and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them'. This verse was shouted many a time by religious townsfolk. The riots ceased prior to 1844 due to several factors, including increased troop levels, a desire by the protestors to avoid violence, and the appearance of criminal groups using the guise of the biblical character Rebecca for their own purposes. In 1844 an Act of Parliament to consolidate and amend the laws relating to turnpike trusts in Wales was passed. <br> <br> The image of this painting was used to illustrate the cover of the Audiobook ‘Hosts of Rebecca’, which is read by Matt Addis.<br> <br> This painting is of huge cultural significance and a stunning image.