2 weeks Ago
A PET loss artist is helping people around Hampshire with the grief of losing the people or animals they love. Jesseca Tyrrell, who works near Shedfield under the professional name of Ladybug Art, has been painting and drawing for over a decade after a personal experience inspired her to take up the brush. She began painting in 2012 after "an experience that shaped me both as an artist and as an individual", saying her loss, both humans and pets was the "catalyst" for her.
One of Jesseca's paintings (Image: Jesseca Tyrrell) "As someone deeply empathetic, I found that the only art I wanted to create was pet loss - art that could honour the profound bond we share with our animals and give space for the grief that often feels too heavy to express," Jesseca said. "Fast forward over a decade, and I am humbled by the recognition my artwork has received from around the world. "Yet, while the recognition is meaningful, it’s the emotional connections my art brings that truly matter.
My work has a unique power: it stirs feelings and memories, often those we’ve kept hidden or suppressed. Grief, especially when it comes to the loss of an animal, is a difficult emotion to express in a society that often dismisses it. "These creatures aren’t just pets - they are companions who are there for you in ways that people couldn’t be.
They were there to celebrate your triumphs, comfort you in your sorrow, and love you unconditionally. So, why should we be surprised when their loss leaves a hole in our hearts that can’t be filled?" But after years of helping others deal with their grief, in 2021 Jesseca's work became even more personal after her pet dog of 13 years died. Speaking of the loss, she said: "She was my constant, my confidante, and her absence continues to shape my work.
"In every piece of artwork I create I search for the colours of her. "Three years later, I am still learning to live without her, and this personal grief has only deepened my commitment to creating art that offers others a space to grieve, to remember, and to celebrate the lives of the pets they’ve lost.".
