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Fueled by a passion for color and her love for animals, San Diego based artist Sinclair Stratton paints spectacular, up close and personal portraits of furry creatures, domestic and wild. Her exquisite watercolor paintings are an electric, psychedelic dance of contrasts that reveal the soul and personality of the animals she portrays. Some are alive, some have left this world, and others run wild in Stratton’s dreams. Her brushstrokes transform an ordinary tabby cat into a larger than life fantasy feline with red, purple, and lemon yellow stripes.

Stratton’s animals are portrayed in a spectrum as broad and brilliant as tropical fish. Growing up in San Diego, Sinclair Stratton always knew she would become an artist. From the first reaction to her art from an elementary school teacher who told her “purple and red don’t mix” to the international recognition she received as an adult, Stratton has spent decades developing her unique personal style.

Artists whom she most admires include whimsical pop culture painter, SHAG (aka Josh Agle) for his use of color, and Michael Parkes for his fantasy paintings. “I’m fascinated when an artist does a series and they’re all different but look great as group,” Stratton says. “I would much rather see my paintings as one body of work, rather than one painting so distinctly separate from another.”

Stratton’s body of work is a collectors dream. Each series is comprised of animals that vary in size, shape and color yet pair seamlessly with the next. Any species could be the subject of her work; however cats and felines are her favorite. Their mystique and poise has been object of Stratton’s fascination in several of her limited collections. Today, Stratton enjoys working on her wildlife series and is currently painting meercats.

“I feel like I’m connecting with the animal’s energy somehow,” the artist says, describing her watercolor process. With a round sable brush, she methodically paints from light to dark, capturing the essence of the animals she loves.

In addition to devoting her subject matter to animals, Stratton is dedicated to supporting animal related non-profit organizations whose mission is to help reduce animal suffering. She is active in animal philanthropy and donates to organizations that include the Helen Woodward Animal Center, and Lions Tigers and Bears, a large cat rescue.

Her upcoming show, sponsored by the San Diego Fine Art Society, will be at Studio Michelangelo July 10 from 7:00pm – 10:00pm. Studio Michelangelo is located at 1433 Market Street, San Diego, CA 92101.

Call April Game for more information: (858) 205-4354

About Sinclair Stratton: Sinclair's captivating portraits of wild and domestic life, created with watercolor in a deep saturation technique that brings an unusual intensity to the medium, brought unexpected fame to the self-taught artist when Forbes Magazine named her "Best Emerging Artist" in a 2002 article on the world's leading animal artists. For more about Sinclair Stratton please visit: www.sinclairstratton.com [2].

About Studio Michelangelo: Studio Michelangelo is a school for sculpting in downtown San Diego. Ruth Seeger and Randy Perkins, the proprietors, met studying marble carving near Pietrasanta, Italy and fell in love with eachother and the idea of operating their own school here in San Diego. To learn more about Studio Michelangelo and to register for classes, visit: www.studio-michelangelo.com [3]