Home Page

wpe1B.jpg (16514 bytes)

wpe5F.jpg (19677 bytes)

Scotland, Summer 2002

Artist Statement:

I have been drawing animals every since I could hold a crayon in my hands. My passion for animals began at an early age and has grown deeper with the passage of time. I decided that I could help animals the most in the field of veterinary medicine. I knew that a side benefit would be the anatomy lessons that would enable me to draw animals with greater accuracy.

My formal art training includes drawing and painting courses at Grinnell College, a Liberal Arts school in Iowa. I also spent a summer taking a course in Natural Science Illustration at the Wilderness Field Station in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. I have experimented with various color media, but watercolor allows me the most freedom to be as loose or as realistic as I want to be.

The one subject I am drawn to the most, even though it is the most difficult for me to paint, is a pet that has passed away. Whether it be my own pet or a patient of mine, the pain of loss gives me the passion to use my artistic gift to heal. I focus on the eyes in my portraits because they are the window to the soul. If I can paint the eyes realistically, then I can bring that animal back to life, even if just in memory.

Caitrine

Winter Park Veterinary Hospital

Caitrine Hellenga is a veterinarian at the Winter Park Veterinary Hospital in Winter Park Florida. The Winter Park Veterinary Hospital sees canine, feline, avian, and exotic patients. The Hospital has a strong commitment to the care of injured wildlife and works closely with local wildlife rehabilitators, including The Florida Audubon Bird of Prey Center, Mary Jane Isner, and Ann Young.