I first began painting as a hobby; it turned into something more when I realised I could use my work to raise funds for animal charities. Whilst conservation of a species is enormously important, I have always also felt a strong desire to help the individual animal. When you hear that every twenty six minutes an African elephant is poached for its tusks, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that each one of those deaths is the loss of a magnificent animal.
I think this is what has influenced my style of painting. So rather than see a distant herd of zebra on the plains, I want the viewer to connect with individual animals; to get a sense of their character and soul; a portrait of those animals.
Whether it’s the intricate patterns of a leopard’s spots, or the folds of an elephant’s skin, these details are there for a reason of survival, so I strive to recreate them accurately. But I also love a certain style of abstract painting, and this influence can be seen in my backgrounds, where the oil paint is applied with a knife in a more expressive style, complementing the subject.
When one of my paintings hangs on someone’s wall, I want them to have the feeling that the animal is there in the room with them and to really connect with the individual and experience just a little of the beauty of nature, along with the enduring beauty of fine art.
‘No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.’ David Attenborough
2011 - Exhibited with Marwell International Wildlife Art Society 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Selected for the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art annual exhibition, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016
2012 - Finalist BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year
Exhibted at the DSWF TigerTime Campaign, David Shepherd gallery, Shalford.
2013 – Finalist BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year
Exhibited at TAAG gallery, Teignmouth in aid of Shaldon Wildlife Trust
Illustration for 'Not Near Normal: The Paranormal, Half Human Monsters and other Fiends' by Ruth Owen. Bearport publishing New York
2014 - Exhibited at House of Commons event and Getty Images Gallery, London raising funds for Orangutan Appeal UK
Solo exhibition ‘Beauty of the Beasts’ David Shepherd Gallery, Shalford, Surrey including demonstration day
Exhibited and demonstrated at the Devon County Show, Dorset County Show and New Forest and Hampshire Show
2015 – Resident artist at Edwards & Parr Gallery, Lyme Regis 2015 – 2019
Invited to exhibit alongside David Shepherd at The Wey Gallery, Surrey
2016 –Produced portrait of Paul O'Grady with 'Archie' an orangutan orphan at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, to commemorate Paul becoming Patron of Orangutan Appeal UK
Artwork featured in Dorset Magazine raising funds for Save the Elephants
Original work auctioned at Secret World Wildlife Rescue annual ball to raise funds
Artwork auctioned at Battersea Dog’s and Cat’s Home event ‘Collars and Coats’, at Evolution, London
Invited to become an ambassador for Orangutan Appeal UK
Original work auctioned at Cheetah Conservation Fund event at Mayfair Hotel, London with Jonathan Scott, BBC Big Cat diaries
2017 – Artwork auctioned at Born Free event ‘Beyond the Bars' at Royal Horticultural Halls, London
Invited by David Shepherd Foundation to exhibit at The Mall Galleries, London
Explorers Against Extinction event ' Sketch for Survival'
Invitational artist 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Exhibiting at The Crypt, Norwich - The Geographical Society, London – gallery@oxo, London – The Explorer’s Club, New York – Salmagundi Club, New York –
Wildlife and Safari show, Harrogate
Work auctioned to raise funds for Wildlife SOS India Bidding for Good 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
2018 – Invited to join Artists for Conservation
Work selected for annual exhibition 2018, 2019, 2020 Exhibiting at Van Dosen Botanical Garden, Vancouver - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Invited to exhibit at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre, in aid of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Exhibited as part of the Silent Skies mural mosaic, at 27th Ornithological Congress, Vancouver - exhibit currently on world tour
Donated work to ‘Remembering Great Apes’ kickstarter
2019 – Artwork auctioned at Born Free event ‘The Winds of Change’, at Landmark Hotel, London
AFC Conservation Artist of the month February 2019
2020 – Finalist in David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year
Volunteered at 'Bles' elephant sanctuary, Thailand and painted 'Wassanna' to raise funds
Produced portrait of Pauline Kidner, Founder of Secret World Wildlife Rescue to hang in the foyer of new animal hospital opening 2021
2021- Finalist in David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year, received Highly Commended Award
Selected for the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art annual exhibition, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016
2012 - Finalist BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year
Exhibted at the DSWF TigerTime Campaign, David Shepherd gallery, Shalford.
2013 – Finalist BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year
Exhibited at TAAG gallery, Teignmouth in aid of Shaldon Wildlife Trust
Illustration for 'Not Near Normal: The Paranormal, Half Human Monsters and other Fiends' by Ruth Owen. Bearport publishing New York
2014 - Exhibited at House of Commons event and Getty Images Gallery, London raising funds for Orangutan Appeal UK
Solo exhibition ‘Beauty of the Beasts’ David Shepherd Gallery, Shalford, Surrey including demonstration day
Exhibited and demonstrated at the Devon County Show, Dorset County Show and New Forest and Hampshire Show
2015 – Resident artist at Edwards & Parr Gallery, Lyme Regis 2015 – 2019
Invited to exhibit alongside David Shepherd at The Wey Gallery, Surrey
2016 –Produced portrait of Paul O'Grady with 'Archie' an orangutan orphan at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, to commemorate Paul becoming Patron of Orangutan Appeal UK
Artwork featured in Dorset Magazine raising funds for Save the Elephants
Original work auctioned at Secret World Wildlife Rescue annual ball to raise funds
Artwork auctioned at Battersea Dog’s and Cat’s Home event ‘Collars and Coats’, at Evolution, London
Invited to become an ambassador for Orangutan Appeal UK
Original work auctioned at Cheetah Conservation Fund event at Mayfair Hotel, London with Jonathan Scott, BBC Big Cat diaries
2017 – Artwork auctioned at Born Free event ‘Beyond the Bars' at Royal Horticultural Halls, London
Invited by David Shepherd Foundation to exhibit at The Mall Galleries, London
Explorers Against Extinction event ' Sketch for Survival'
Invitational artist 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Exhibiting at The Crypt, Norwich - The Geographical Society, London – gallery@oxo, London – The Explorer’s Club, New York – Salmagundi Club, New York –
Wildlife and Safari show, Harrogate
Work auctioned to raise funds for Wildlife SOS India Bidding for Good 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
2018 – Invited to join Artists for Conservation
Work selected for annual exhibition 2018, 2019, 2020 Exhibiting at Van Dosen Botanical Garden, Vancouver - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Invited to exhibit at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre, in aid of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Exhibited as part of the Silent Skies mural mosaic, at 27th Ornithological Congress, Vancouver - exhibit currently on world tour
Donated work to ‘Remembering Great Apes’ kickstarter
2019 – Artwork auctioned at Born Free event ‘The Winds of Change’, at Landmark Hotel, London
AFC Conservation Artist of the month February 2019
2020 – Finalist in David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year
Volunteered at 'Bles' elephant sanctuary, Thailand and painted 'Wassanna' to raise funds
Produced portrait of Pauline Kidner, Founder of Secret World Wildlife Rescue to hang in the foyer of new animal hospital opening 2021
2021- Finalist in David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year, received Highly Commended Award
Volunteering at 'Bles' elephant sanctuary, Thailand feeding 'Lotus'
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Preparing and feeding rice medicine balls for the elderly 'Pang Fai'
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Volunteering at Secret World Wildlife Rescue, meeting 'Polly' the red deer
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Orphan badgers at Secret World Wildlife Rescue
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Taking time out from my exhibition at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre to meet the 'residents'!
Raising funds for Battersea
Dog's and Cat's Home 'My beauties ! Itchy and Scratchy have been perfectly captured - I can almost hear them panting ! Emma has done a fantastic job of immortalising my two best friends ever and for such a great cause' Chris Packham |
Paul O'Grady with my painting of him with 'Archie'
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With David Shepherd at my solo exhibition at the David Shepherd Gallery, Shalford
Raising funds for Born Free Foundation “This wonderful painting of little King is so true to life he almost steps off the page! I’m thrilled that Born Free will benefit from the sale of this very special painting of the King of the Jungle.” Virginia Mckenna OBE |
Saba Douglas-Hamilton with my painting to raise funds for
Save the Elephants |