About the Artist
I have
been sketching and painting animals, birds, flowers, and even insects, for as
long as I can remember, and I have always had a great love of nature. School projects were often embellished with
extra drawings of animals and birds, sometimes to the annoyance of my
teachers. My art teacher even once
wrote in my school report “…..she tends to be rather exclusively concerned with
horses at present….” Having such a love
for animals I even thought about studying veterinary medicine, but science has
never been my strong subject. However,
that didn’t stop me from bringing home all sorts of waifs and strays (sadly,
most didn’t make it!) I think
life would be very dull without our wonderful furry and feathered friends; not only do they make the world a more beautiful place to live in, but they also add humour to our stressful lives, with their wonderful sense of fun and playfulness. What better way is there to entertain ourselves, than to study all creatures, great and small? * * * * * * * For a
number of years I worked with a small group of artists in a studio within the
grounds of an Oxfordshire manor house, producing hand-painted and intricately
decorated items for an exclusive interior design shop in Sloane Square, London.
With my ability to produce lifelike pet portraits from photographs, I
accepted the challenge of painting commissions of animals (mainly miniatures on raw silk)
for customers of the shop, and realised I had found my true vocation. I have
now set-up my own studio which enables me to concentrate on painting portraits
of animals and, more recently, people for a living. I have exhibited my work at art exhibitions, craft fairs, cat shows, and horse shows, and in December 2006 I was honoured to be amongst eighteen of the country's leading canine artists exhibiting at The Kennel Club's Christmas Art Fair in Piccadilly, London. In April 2006 a portrait of Buster (one of my raw silk paperweights) was shown on Channel 4's Paul O'Grady Show by Paul O'Grady himself. I receive most of my
commissioned work from my website, and from the recommendations of previous customers,
many of whom come back for further portraits of other pets or family members. Painting
for a living is something that I have always wanted to do, and it still gives
me such a thrill to be able to produce a piece of artwork that someone will
treasure for years to come. I have
always enjoyed drawing and painting animals for my pleasure, but the real
pleasure comes from the look of joy on someone’s face as I present them with a
newly completed pet portrait, or when I receive a letter to say that the portrait
of their pet or loved one had brought tears to their eyes. I love what I do, and I am very grateful to
my family and friends who have helped and encouraged me to achieve my goal. I live
with my wonderful husband, Leslie, who has supported me over the years with my
artwork, plus our two fabulous cats, Jake and Holly, in our house in
Oxfordshire. My other loves include
gardening, making my own clothes, and dancing – we run The Oxford Swing Dance
Society with friends, teaching weekly Lindy Hop/Swing dance classes and workshops.
I hope
you enjoy your visit to my website. If
you would like to commission a pet portrait, or if you would like to leave your
comments, then I would love to hear from you.
Please e-mail me, and if you leave your telephone number I will call you back, or you can call me on 01235 529895. © Copyright Nicky Jones, Pet and Animal Portrait Artist 1996-2008. All artwork on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be copied, downloaded or used without permission from the artist.
57 Selwyn Crescent, Radley, Oxon, UK Tel (01235) 529895 |
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