Elin Sian Blake

Available for sale from Big Sky Fine Art; this original oil painting by Elin Sian Blake, dating from 2018.<br> The painting is supplied in a hand painted wooden contemporary frame (which is shown in these photographs).<br> <br> This amazing original oil painting was commissioned for Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre “Eighteen – The Lost Generation” exhibition and won visitors choice at Y Galeri Caerphilly open exhibition.<br> <br> The Eighteen exhibition highlights World War 1 conscription in Britain. The call up for military service of eligible single men from the ages 18 to 41 was introduced in January 1916 to boost the flagging recruitment after an initial surge of volunteers at the beginning of the Great War. By the cessation of fighting in 1918 over five million British men had served their country. The exhibition commissioned artists aged 18-41 to create new work in response to the lost generation.<br> Lest we forget.<br> <br> Elin Sian comes originally from Pontypridd, and graduated in Graphic Design from the University of Glamorgan in 2002. Having subsequently spent several years living on the road in vintage vehicles she began painting the scenes and characters she encountered on her travels.<br> <br> She settled in Abergavenny in 2008, and became established as a professional artist, making her name in the equestrian art world as a painter of Welsh cobs. In addition to Welsh imagery and landscapes she had a very successful exhibition in 2013 painting the heroes of the Welsh rugby team past and present, The exhibition was attended by Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jamie Roberts and Max Boyce to name but a few. <br> <br> Elin’s work is held in collections across Europe, the U.S and Australia, and in private and public collections in Britain. <br> <br> Her more recent work explores her heritage of the Welsh valleys, and a historical social commentary of everyday Welsh working life.<br> <br> Elin’s work has won several national awards, the most recent being the St Ives School of Painting award at the Artist of the Year competition in the Mall Galleries 2015. She has exhibited widely both locally and in London. <br> <br> This superb original oil painting depicts a moment of peace for a young soldier and his horse in the Great War. The horse itself is a handsome black bay; his long mane is loose and his coat is shiny, as if he has been sweating. The horse is wearing full bridle and saddle and also has some rough cloths strapped to his back. The young soldier is white skinned with auburn hair. He is wearing the khaki uniform of the Allied forces, including black riding boots and gloves and a cap. He is down on one knee on a dirt track holding the reign of his horse in his right hand and looking up into the horse’s face. The scene very much suggests that the horse has found him, and the pair are reunited after an absence. In the background on the green grassy verges of the track we catch a glimpse of huge barbed wire barricades, signifying the dangers of their location and perhaps the chaos from which they have emerged.<br> <br> War Horse was a 1982 novel by Michael Morpurgo, which was adapted into a play in 2007. The screenplay, written by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis, was adapted into the 2011 war drama film War Horse, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg. The story is set before and during World War 1 and tells of the journey of Joey, a thoroughbred bay horse raised by British teenager Albert and then bought by the British Army. In the film Albert is played by Jeremy Irvine. The film, which was produced by DreamWorks and released by Touchstone Pictures, was a huge box-office success and has won many awards.<br> <br> This is a painting of real gravitas, sincerity and beauty and has a real emotional impact on the viewer.<br> <br> Merch yn wreiddiol o Bontypridd, graddiodd Elin Sian yn 2002 gyda chymhwyster Dylunio Graffeg o Goleg Morgannwg. Wedi treulio rhai blynyddoedd yn byw ar yr heol mewn carafannau a cherbydau tras dechreuodd hi i baentio’r golygfeydd a chymeriadau y cwrddodd hi a nhw ar ei chrwydrau.<br> Wedi setlo yn y Fenni yn 2008 ymsefydlodd Elin fel artist proffesiynol, yn gwneud enw iddi hi ei hun yn y byd ceffylau, yn paentio cobiau a merlod Cymraeg. Yn ogystal a thirluniau a golygfeydd, cafodd hi arddangosfa llwyddianus iawn yn 2013 pan beintiodd hi arwyr tim rygbi Cymru trwy’r cenhedlaethau. Mynychwyd ei harddangosfa gan Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jamie Roberts a Max Boyce ymhlith eraill.<br> Mae hi wedi enill dau gystadlaeaeth agored genedlaethol, ac wedi arddangos yn Llundain ac yn lleol yn Sir Fynwy.<br> <br> Mae ei gwaith diweddaraf yn archwilio ei hetifeddiaeth yn y Cymoedd, a gohebiaeth cymdeithasol o fywyd Gwaith pob dydd yng Nghymru gynt.<br> <br> Mae ei gwaith celf mewn casgliadau ar draws Ewrop, yr Unol Daleithau ac Awstralia, yn ogystal a chasgliadau preifat a chyhoeddus ym Mhrydain.<br> <br> Eisioes mae Elin yn gweithio o’i stiwdio yn y Fenni, ble mae hi hefyd yn dysgu dosbarthiadau celf i blant ac oedolion.