Govinder's striking, naïve portrayal of the feline and canine form, married with strong oriental overtones, and rich texturing and layering, won him thousands of fans across the globe.

As Glyn Washington, managing director for Washington Green Fine Art Publishing, said: "2009 would have been our tenth anniversary of working with Govinder. It was a decade in which we enjoyed the most amazing and creative art from one of the most talented, gentle and innovative artists we have ever had the pleasure of working with. Ironically we were planning a major event during 2009 to celebrate this wonderful ten year collaboration. It has been said that 'It is often the brightest star that burns for the shortest time'... never has a truer word been spoken."

In 2004 Govinder became the 'Best Selling Published Artist' in the industry's Fine Art Trade Guild Awards and he enjoyed two sell-out tours in Japan where his work was highly revered. During his prolific ten years with Washington Green his work has been collected and admired by thousands of fans from all walks of life, including many well-known collectors world-wide. Unusually Govinder possessed the vision of both artist and creative director, as he innovated and developed the ideas for his ground breaking collections.

A naturally warm and witty man of enormous integrity, Govinder's shyness made it challenging for him to articulate his thoughts verbally. "My true personality reveals itself through my paintings," he once said. His cats and dogs reached far deeper than a cute, naïve cliché of a 'four legged friend' with many of his paintings dedicated to the fight between good and evil. "I leave it to the individual to look at my paintings and choose what they would like to see, innocence or malevolence - the 'good' or the 'evil'. Above all else I am, and always will be, an eternal optimist. Optimism is one of the greatest gifts we possess and my paintings are from my soul."

Govinder often described his wife Sarah and daughter Eden as his "greatest inspiration" and his most "honest critics".

He will be sadly missed by all at Washington Green and no doubt by all who appreciated and loved his work the world over.

"My art training began in Bradford in the North of England, where I studied Graphic Design from 1980-1983. After that I then went on to study for a Higher Diploma in Graphic Design, specialising in illustration, at Lincoln Art College.

Once I completed all my formal training I decided to move to London, approaching all of the major city publishers with my portfolio. It was there that I worked on illustrations for children’s books, and after 6 months moved to Cambridge where I continued working as a freelance illustrator.

Upon moving back to my home town of Saltaire in West Yorkshire, I took up the position of designer for a greetings card company, which involved all aspects of product design and development. Following that I became a photographic art director, directing fashion shoots all over the world. I did this for the next year or so until 1993, when I decided to swap my hectic photographic job and lifestyle, for a quieter life back in Saltaire. I spent the next five years here, working freelance on card designs with major publishing companies.

It wasn’t until 1999 that I decided to enter the fine art market and approached Washington Green with my portfolio. Since joining them they have published over 40 of my designs and are currently developing some of my art into sculpture."

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