Lynn Carlisle, a talented and well known sporting artist, was found dead in her home in Aiken, South Carolina on Wednesday, May 17, 2012. The Aiken Standard reports that police responded to a 911 call from her, and upon arriving at her home were fired upon by her ex-husband Craig Jarvis. The police returned fire, and Jarvis died in surgery.

Foxhunting Life published a profile of Lynn and her work in January this year. She showed remarkable artistic talent even as a child and was enrolled in art lessons at the age of five. By the age of nine she was attending all-day classes every Saturday at the Art Institute of Chicago.

“No one is more surprised than I,” wrote Lynn, “to see my portraits evolve on the watercolor paper. They just come up from the colors and shapes that I see.”

I have always loved her work with horses, but the dogs in her portraits really talked to me. She had an uncanny ability to capture a feeling of earnest communication between the dog and the viewer.

She was a generous and loyal friend, and I will miss her greatly. Certainly her passing will leave a great gap in the Aiken sporting community.

“Lynn was a devoted friend, a loving mother, an avid sportswoman, and a talented artist,” said Linda McLean, MFH, Aiken Hounds. “Her death is a tremendous loss for her family, the Aiken community, and the entire foxhunting community.”

The family has asked that donations in Lynne’s memory be made to the Hunt Staff Benefit Foundation of the MFHA.

Posted May 18, 2012