ARTIST PROFILE

My apparent obsession with animals began before I could even speak, if I wasn’t annoying the family pets or sticking pony posters all over my bedroom walls I was drawing them. I loved art classes at school but at college I didn’t get on with my teacher and ditched the subject after AS level after having all the fun taken out of it for me and left with zero confidence in my abilities.

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I forgot all about drawing but stuck with the animal theme working as an equestrian groom at a local yard, then as a shop assistant at a tack shop before working with a new country clothing brand, taking our stand to all the big country and equine shows. In 2012 I went self employed as a dog walker, something I’ve not given up! I love to be outside and it’s a great life.

After years of no drawing, bar the odd doodle in margins I got the urge to draw something one evening at home in summer 2018 so I crudely drew a landscape with a half chewed pencil on the back of an unneeded print out. It wasn’t good but it sparked something, I ordered a set of graphite pencils and a sketchpad and drew my horse, Gus. It wasn’t too shabby and I stuck it on facebook and got a lot of kind comments. After a few more I treated myself to some top quality supplies and taught myself how to use coloured pencil, they suit me perfectly as I have a love for the fine details they allow me to add. It didn’t take long for friends and family to start commissioning me to draw their pets or create ones for gifts. It grew and grew until here we are now, my website up and running, a load of commissions down the line and even some wildlife prints and greetings cards for sale... I did not see that coming!

Pet portraits and animal art is now my part time career alongside my dog walking business and that makes me very happy. I spend as much time as I can striving to create beautiful artworks in my spare bedroom in my little house in Rochdale, just outside Manchester with my rescue Greyhound, Shrew and my tortoise, Sir Allan keeping me company. There’s nothing more satisfying than capturing someone’s beloved pet or creating a wildlife piece that I’m proud enough to put out in to the world.