A Natural Flow - Growing Wildlife Art on Wood Naturally

Having my own creative business was something that was on my heart for a number of years and had become one of my dreams. Not a dream I was striving to achieve, but one that sat somewhat quietly in the background until the time came for it to come to fruition.

Wildlife Art on Wood all began from the revelation that I needed to learn to slow down and take my time more. I had started a short course in botanical painting and noticed that I really struggled to take time to observe objects before drawing them.... I just wanted to get to the end and have a finished painting. Taking my time to sit and observing a specimen before putting pencil to paper felt immensely uncomfortable at first. But instead of running from this awful feeling I realised that this is something I need to learn to do... to sit with the feeling and allow it to pass... to slow down and take my time.... not just with drawing but with life itself.

The world around us tells us that everything is about striving and self-effort but that's not what I have learnt. Rather, things have grown best in my life as I've taken my time and allowed ideas to naturally take seed and develop in my mind.

We only have to look to nature to see that plants and tress grow naturally. A rose cannot be forced to open. A butterfly cannot be forced out of its cocoon. Everything flourishes in its right time given the right conditions. And so its been with my creative business. It all began naturally with a painting of a foxglove on wood and from there I naturally began painting animals like woodpeckers that had a connection with the wood... and so it continues to grow naturally over time.

When I become frustrated that things are not moving quick enough, I take a breath and remind myself that all things, including me, including my business, take time to flourish and grow. Although its still very early days for Wildlife Art on Wood there continues to be a natural flow to its growth and I trust that as I continue to give it time and space it will continue to do so naturally.

Joining the Barn Emporium

I'm very pleased to announce that a collection of my wildlife paintings have vacated my creative space and travelled up to The Barn Emporium near Petersfield.

"Pea & Nut", my nuthatches painting, "Harriet", my hedgehog painting and "Larry", my lapwing painting are now happily settled on their shelf which is located at the top the stairs in the Barn Emporium. They sit beautifully alongside some of my other wildlife art on wood including a few of my vintage-style butterfly paintings and coastal bird artwork.

Now part of the Barn Emporium's community of crafters and artisans, I have a permanent spot to exhibit my animal artwork and there will always be a selection of my most recent creations available there for viewing and purchase.

The Barn Emporium is located on the Petersfield-Rogate part of the A272 at Durleighmarsh Farm, Hampshire.

The following paintings are now exclusively available for purchase at the Barn Emporium. We'd love to see you there sometime. Its a wonderful place to visit and explore.

Looking after the Little Things

I've really enjoyed painting my collection of British Butterfly Woodblocks. Not only do I continually grow my butterfly identification skills but I get to spend hours studying the most beautiful butterflies and the very intricate patterns on their bodies and wings. They never fail to amaze me!

This comma butterfly painting is a firm favourite of mine and is still available on my website: https://www.wildlifeartonwood.co.uk/product-page/comma-butterfly-painting-on-reclaimed-oak.

The comma butterfly is an incredible specimen. During autumn time it's able to almost totally conceal itself amongst dead leaves as it hibernates. Its beautiful autumnal colours together with the patterns on its' wings blend into the leaves on the woodland floor keeping it safe from predators.

Thankfully, and unlike some other species of butterfly, the comma butterfly is thriving. After a considerable decline in the 1900s it made an amazing comeback and today it is widespread in southern Britain and is spreading to more northern parts of the country.

Sadly however, this can't be said for all butterflies in the UK and the "State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 report has revealed the alarming news that 80% of butterflies in the UK have declined since the 1970s." (The State of the UK's Butterflies 2022 Report | Butterfly Conservation (butterfly-conservation.org).

The main reason for the decline of butterflies is habitat loss. Butterflies require woodland clearings, heathland and flower-rich grasslands in order to thrive and much of this was lost with the advent of industrialisation.

Its great to see that there is so much work going across the country in attempt to restore such habitats and to help our beautiful butterflies to thrive again.

I took on an allotment last year and have planted a section of wildflowers amongst the fruit and veg plants in order do "do my little bit" so to speak. Its my hope too that in some way my butterfly artwork, in highlighting the beauty of British wildlife, will inspire people to celebrate and look after the creatures (big and small) which are right on our doorsteps. These wonderful specimens, works of art in themselves, certainly deserve to be protected and cared for. And, if we look after the little things, the big things will take care of themselves.

In the words of Oscar Wilde, "No better way is there to learn to love Nature than to understand Art. It dignifies every flower of the field. And, the boy who sees the thing of beauty which a bird on the wing becomes when transferred to wood or canvas will probably not throw the customary stone".