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 left.<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 depicts a tall rock in the Brecon Beacons of South Wales, which looks down on the town of Crickhowell. The rock is called The Lonely Shepherd and is the subject of a local legend. <br> <br> It is said that a shepherd spent his days on the mountains of Llangattock, looking after his sheep. He married, and his wife looked after his home and cooked his meals, but he was not grateful and he treated her badly. One day, his wife could take no more and threw herself into the River Usk, where she drowned. The shepherd searched endlessly for his wife and regretted his cruel ways. The local people found him high on the mountain, where he had been turned into a pillar of rock, standing like a silent sentinel looking down on the valley where his wife had vanished. The people named the rock Y Bugail Unig, which translates to The Lonely Shepherd. Legend has it that each Midsummer’s Eve, in the light of the moon, the rock returns to human form and the lonely shepherd once more roams the land, calling for his lost wife.<br> <br> This painting is the artist’s tribute to the legend of the lonely shepherd and the wild beauty of the mountains of Llangattock.