Observation Drawing

I was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where I currently live and gained a degree in Design from the University of Ulster in 1994. As a child, art was always a central part of life at home as my Father was a graphic designer and artist. I took a great interest in what he did and was always learning from him throughout my life. The main inspiration for my artwork is the natural world and animals in particular. I think detail is a key element of my work - trying to observe and accurately capture the subject matter and light, whether it is an animal, landscape or a still life. The works of artists such as Audubon and Maria Sibylla Merian who depicted and recorded the natural world before the advent of the camera are a source of great inspiration. This kind of recording is no longer necessary but I really enjoy studying and learning about the subject matter and the natural world is something people never tire of. I work mainly in dry media such as pastels, colour pencils and especially enjoy graphite pencil but sometimes also combine these media with watercolour. Over the years I have done many private commissions of animals and other subject matter but in recent years have concentrated more on subjects I choose myself - mostly wildlife art. Opportunities to photograph wildlife subjects for reference material are something I really enjoy. In the last few years I have also started exploring a love of still life drawing and have had several of these selected for the annual Royal Ulster Academy exhibitions. One important aspect of my work is that the artwork I produce should be lightfast and permanent and as a result all the materials I use are of high, archival quality.