“If I’m going to draw, it has to be something I’m passionate about.”
Lions and tigers and bears. Stittsville artist Rebecca Woodrow loves them all. Drawing is her passion and, about a year ago, a friend suggested she try and sell her art.
Using the name “The Creative Tiger,” Woodward started her own Etsy shop.
“I put some [drawings] on Etsy and posted it on Facebook so everyone knew what I was doing,” says Woodrow. “I sold $400 in the first month and had four commissions at the same time!”
“If I’m going to draw, it has to be something I’m passionate about,” she says.
Her passion is exotic and endangered animals, and her favourite is the lion. “Today, I’m painting a lion. They are just so beautiful, so majestic. Also, plain looking, but very beautiful.”
With her art, Woodrow wants to raise awareness that animals have emotions too. “Mainly, I show it through the eyes and face. I feel like animals have a way of looking at the world that we don’t,” she says.
Woodrow’s passion for animals extends beyond her art.
“My dream is to open up a rescue sanctuary,” she says. “The dream would be to make money off my art to support that.”
Currently, Woodrow is a full-time esthetics student at Algonquin College and works part-time at Gaia Java.
In the next few months, she will be travelling to Israel to volunteer for six weeks at a wildlife sanctuary. While there, she will have the chance to work face to face with jaguars and other big cats.
For now, inspiration comes from more local nature. “I go outside a lot in the summer,” Woodrow says. “I try to find wild animals and watch their movements. I love how simple they are.”
Other influence comes from great works of art. Spending time at the National Gallery of Canada, Woodrow especially enjoys the work of Vincent Van Gough and Canadian artist Alex Coleville.
As a self-taught artist, Woodrow works in a variety of mediums.
“I use black pens, markers and I paint only in water colour. I use pencil sometimes. Just this year I decided to experiment with painting and I really love it! I haven’t done a pencil drawing since then.”
To see Woodrow’s work, visit The Creative Tiger on Etsy.com or visit Giai Java where some of her work is on display.