Disclaimer: This article was published in 2022. Some information may no longer be current.
British artist Julie Rhodes paints massive canvases that feature larger-than-life-size wild cats that are so realistic, the majestic beasts seem to be transported right into the room.
Through her ferocious feline paintings, Rhodes hopes to instill “the feeling of being stood in the presence of a lion or a tiger for a moment in time,” she told The Epoch Times. “I also hope they act as a reminder that we share our planet with them.”
It is through the use of scale that her work derives much of its impact and conveys an emotion or atmosphere to the viewer.
“With every painting I try to capture a little bit of ‘big cat energy,’” the 45-year-old creative says, going on to explain her focus on lions and tigers:
“I’ve always been an avid lover of animals and wildlife so it’s only natural that I paint what I’m passionate about.”
Rhodes lives in the coastal region of Cornwall with her family, dog, and three cats, balancing parenthood with being a full-time artist. They enjoy the famous Cornish beaches and an outdoorsy lifestyle, spending summers surfing, snorkeling, and paddle boarding.
“The North Cornish Coast is also known for its beautiful light for painting,” Rhodes, who was practically born with a paintbrush in her hand, says.
“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t paint,” she said. “My mum always painted landscapes and encouraged me, and my late grandad would tell me stories of how he designed stained glass windows before the second world war. He loved to paint and was still painting well into his 80th year. I spent many happy hours painting at his kitchen table.”
When she was around 20, she began increasing the level of detail in her work and honing a realistic style. She took a course in art and graphic design, and began by drawing predominately in graphite pencil.
“Not many people know this but I drew the wild turkey that’s on the Wild Turkey Whiskey bottles,” she says. “Years of drawing really helped me with incorporating the same level of detail into my paintings. I still hold my brush like a pencil when I paint!”
After many years of drawing, she switched to acrylic painting.
Combining strong draughtsmanship with her brushwork allowed Rhodes to create such pieces as her close-up lioness work “Wisdom,” which expresses a sense of contemplation and closeness for people to connect with, and “Hush,” which depicts a sleeping tiger.
“I planned it during one of the pandemic lockdowns,” Rhodes said. “I think I wanted to create peace when the world was in turmoil.”
Around nine or ten such works are produced each year in the artist’s studio. A single piece can take anywhere from 50 to 300 hours to complete. Working life-size and larger-than-life means Rhodes is able to incorporate a startling amount of detail. The completed paintings are exhibited in galleries and bought by collectors.
On rare occasions, due to the level of precision, some online viewers contest whether they are really paintings. In these cases, Rhodes directs their attention to her social media accounts that show the progression of her hand-painted works from start to finish.
Overall, she feels enormously blessed to do what she does.
“I feel so lucky to be able to combine my love of animals with my passion for art and I’m very honored to have collectors all over the world,” she says. “I paint from my heart and soul, and I hope some of that passion comes across in my artwork.”
