🎨 Reverie of the Bengal
Oil on hardboard | 12x12 (15x15 framed) | 2025 | $450 | Original, one of a kind | Ready to hang
In Reverie of the Bengal, Hope Blakely captures a rare and tender glimpse of wild playfulness — a Bengal tiger rolling lazily onto his back beneath the Colorado sun, his soft underbelly and whiskered face bathed in tranquil light. The reference for this piece came from Hope’s own photograph taken at The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Broomfield, Colorado, a world-renowned nonprofit devoted to rescuing and caring for lions, tigers, bears, and other large carnivores who have been mistreated or displaced. The sanctuary’s vast open habitats allow its residents to live with peace, dignity, and the freedom to simply be — a feeling Hope sought to capture on canvas.
Working in her signature glazing technique, Hope spent more than three months building layer upon layer of translucent oil color, coaxing depth, glow, and movement into every strand of fur and shift of shadow. The result is a mesmerizing portrait that balances realism and emotion — where wild majesty rests in absolute serenity.
Though not professionally framed, this piece is beautifully presented and ready to hang, offering collectors a work of exceptional warmth, craftsmanship, and storytelling. A celebration of patience, compassion, and the quiet grace of nature, Reverie of the Bengal is both a technical triumph and a heartfelt tribute to one of Earth’s most extraordinary creatures.
🌿 Glazing-style oil painting – depth and radiance built over months of layered work
🐅 Inspired by Hope’s own wildlife photograph – taken at The Wild Animal Sanctuary, Broomfield CO
🖼️ Framed and ready to hang – one-of-a-kind original, $450