About
I’m a coloured pencil artist working in Norfolk, UK.
As a child, I absolutely loved to draw, to paint, to craft. Specifically, I loved to sketch from still life compositions. Today, I’d say I had an affinity for realism. Back then, I’d probably have been quite dismissive and say that I loved to ‘copy’ :)
After a break from art for more than twenty years, to pursue a career as an academic, I stumbled across a tutorial for drawing a cat’s eye in coloured pencil on social media. Within weeks, I was hooked and drawing my own pets; after a few months, I started taking pet portrait commissions, entering competitions and considering a career change.
Today, I work from reference photos, using hundreds of coloured pencils to slowly build layers of light and dark, colour and detail. A single artwork typically takes between 20 and 50 hours to create. I find it a very mindful process and often lose myself with a project while listening to music or podcasts. I love every pencil stroke.
I have benefited from tuition under Bonny Snowdon Academy and Helen Carter Artist and I participate in a range of creative events to further my skills. I am currently focusing on building a portfolio around feline artwork and artwork inspired by family life (see my originals gallery).
I’m a member of the International Guild of Realism, UK Coloured Pencil Society, Colored Pencil Society of America, Association of Animal Artists and an Associate Member of the Society of Feline Artists (S.O.F.A).
I live with my husband, two children and two cats in Norwich, UK. I now work part-time as a university lecturer and part-time as a professional artist. In my free time, I love being outside and visiting new places with my family.
“Her drawing skills are quite frankly out of this world, and I’m incredibly excited to see how she progresses.”
— Bonny Snowdon, Award-winning coloured pencil artist and entrepreneur
[Source: Member of the Month accolade, Bonny Snowdon Academy]
Features and exhibitions
March 2023 Artwork “Indigo in a Cupboard” features in the Pencil Box blog.
April 2023 Article “From Art Hobby to Art Career” published in Ann Kullberg’s Color magazine
May 2023 Artworks “Stuck Inside” and “Indigo in the Sunshine” selected for The Artist and Leisure Painter Exhibition at Patchings, Notts UK. A third artwork, “Indigo” selected for online exhibition.
May 2023 Artwork “Monty in the Winter Sun” appears in Bonny Snowdon Academy’s second Virtual Exhibition.
June 2023 Artwork “Five Minutes” shortlisted for SAA’s Artists of the Year under Beginner Portrait category.
July 2023 “Stuck Inside” wins the West Design (Faber Castell UK) Award at TALP 2023.
September 2023 “Swallowtail” is featured in Colored Pencil Magazine’s ‘Latest and Greatest’
September 2023 Juried into the esteemed International Guild of Realism for work of ‘very high quality with regards to carftmanship, composition and creativity’.
September 2023 “Early morning on the beach” is featured in UKCPS’s Talking Point
October 2023 Artwork '“Five Minutes” is featured in Ann Kullberg’s Colored Pencil Treasures 9
November 2023 Article “Replicating reflections” is published in Coloured Pencil Magazine
November 2023 Artworks “I wonder…” and “Monty in the Winter Sun” feature as part of the Association of Animal Artists’ Autumn Exhibition, Yorks. UK.
December 2023 Artist profile featured in Art & Color 365
December 2023 Artworks “Five minutes”, “I wonder…” and “Monty in the Winter Sun” feature in the UKCPS ‘Inside the Lines’ exhibition (online).
December 2023 Artwork “I wonder…” wins the People’s Choice award from the UKCPS
January 2024 Article “From Art Hobby to Art Career - part II” published in Ann Kullberg’s Color magazine
February 2024 Artwork “Early morning on the beach” is featured in Coloured Pencil Magazine (Spring 2024 Ed)
“Five minutes” on Pastelmat board. Exhibited at SAA Artists of the Year, London, October 2023.
“Swallowtail” on Pastelmat. As featured in the September 2023 issue of Colored Pencil Magazine.
Other original artworks can be found in my gallery.