Earlier this Summer I bumped into the artwork of Croatian Lidija Ivanek, much of which has an animal subject.  I noticed a compelling series of paintings on horses, and a few other pieces (some of them earlier work), which Lidija happily offered to share here on the blog.  Lidija, who also goes by SiLa, wanted to pass along a brief introduction to her art as well:

Most artists my age can say, "I've been painting for 20 years now."  But that's not the case with me.  I actually worked as a veterinarian, DVM, for 13 years.  Then in 2007, the Lord told me to quit my job and begin to paint and take photographs.  I'd never done either before, ever, except in school when I was much younger.  Still, I obeyed, and this artwork is what I've come up with so far.  I never had a professional education in art, only God as my teacher.  God bless.

Lidija's art blog, SiLa Art, has at the top the words "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  That certainly sums up who Lidija is as a person, and the motivation behind her work.  I hope you can check out more of it, including her stunning black & white photography portfolio "The Field Whisper," and auction site to benefit Compassion's work with children in Uganda. 

Many thanks to Lidija for sharing her heart and her work with us (all images courtesy & copyright Lidija Ivanek).  By the way, the second photo features her dogs Kan and Casper.