Is This Love I?

Is This Love I? is part of a series of paintings by Orlando artist Claire Wiley which depicts extinct animals flying while holding other animals, who are not yet extinct, but are themselves endangered. She paints these themes in compositions similar to Mark Chagall‘s famous works, of himself flying while holding his wife, Bella. This series explores our relationship with animals and is influenced by the book,” Unlikely Friendships,” by Jennifer S. Holland. In that book, Holland shows photos and describes close, nurturing, life-long, companion relationships between animals of different species, some of which, given different circumstances, would be predator and prey.

The painting was featured in Orange County Library System's Themers and Dreamers exhibition which featured artwork from current and former employees of Orlando's theme park attractions.