Textured Dog – Oil on Canvas by Cornelie Wolff

Textured Dog – Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 36 cm x 46 cm x 4 cm

Medium: Oil

Celebrate the spirited charm and undeniable loyalty of a beloved companion. This expressive oil on canvas work stands out as a vibrant, masterful animal portrait, utilising bold, palpable strokes to capture the very essence of a soulful Spaniel-type dog.

The title, ‘Textured Dog,’ is a direct nod to Wolff’s highly visible and dynamic brushwork. Rich layers of warm umber, crisp white, and deep sienna are applied with striking confidence, allowing the paint itself to convey the shaggy, windswept energy of the animal’s coat and ears. The texture is so pronounced that you can almost feel the softness of the floppy ears and the tousled hair crowning its head.

It’s a portrait that captures not just the physical likeness, but the personality—the intelligent curiosity and devoted heart of a cherished friend.

Oil on Canvas

Cornelie Wolff Approaching Art from a Different Angle

This Johannesburg-based artist started as a pharmacist.  After completing her Honours Degree in Psychology, she joined Helios to further her skills in Art Therapy.   During this time, she fell in love with art, the process and the emotional power it yields.

While raising her family, which consisted of three young children, she took part-time classes with Rika de Klerk and Willie Jacobs.  She also attended workshops led by Koos Bronkhorst, Niel Moss, Willie Jacobs, Rentia Coetzee, Ruth Walters, Elize Bezuidenhout, Douw van Heerden, Charla Maarschalk, and Jennifer McChristian.

Today, she practices what she preaches by creating her work under the motto: “With every painting I complete, I grow as a person and an artist.”

My art is created from a place of wonder – it is my dream for every human to never completely lose the child inside them, because it is our ability to see wonder and magic in things.  I use bold brushstrokes, contrast and an impressionistic approach to entice the viewer to create their own interpretation of the subject and become part of my world.