Silver Back Canvas Plaque (25 x 19cm) by Anne Stokes

Anne Stokes
Anne Stokes is an artist originally from London, but now lives in Leeds, Yorkshire with her partner John and her son Leo. Her fantasy artwork features a broad range of lifelike fantasy subjects from the magical world of enchanted forests including faeries, angels and magical animals; to the darker gothic underworld featuring vampires, skulls and dark creatures.

As the popularity of Stokes's designs have grown and has become more widely acclaimed, she moved solely into licensing and expanding her own ranges of paintings. Many of these paintings and designs have been applied to a huge range of products worldwide including T-shirts, greeting cards and gift wear. She continues to produce new designs and artwork and has also produced several books.

Dragon (Western) - Power
Western dragons are seen as being distinctly different from their Eastern counterparts. Legends originating in European countries portray dragons as giant winged fire-breathing creatures that are usually feared by humans.

Many stories tell of men who battle against all obstacles to fight the scary dragons, get past them and gain access to the riches and wealth hidden in dragon dens. The epic hero, Beowulf, is just one example of someone who attempted to fight a treasure-guarding dragon - although in his case he failed and was killed.

The defining characteristic of a Western dragon symbol is that it represents power. Having an image of a Western dragon can help in expressing feelings of self-esteem, but they're also popular with dragon fans.

Please also see the meanings of the Eastern Dragon.