Walking on the wild side

We love to support and showcase emerging creative talent and that’s why we partner up with organisations such as the Society of Wildlife Artists. Our partnership lasted three years, and during that time we sponsored their annual competition and exhibition – The Natural Eye.

The inaugural award in 2019 was won by Wynona Legg for her beautiful series of drawings of shag chicks, which was part of a body of work drawn entirely in a field on a small island in the Firth of Forth. Wynona said: “I was particularly drawn to the interactions between adult and chick and also in capturing the chicks as they jostled about in the nest, all wearing a thick jacket of down and expressions of bewilderment.” Each year, this event features upwards of 300 works inspired by nature. Artists from across the globe are welcome to submit their work, producing an exhibition that celebrates and appreciates the entirety of the natural world. The work can take on many mediums, such as drawing, painting, prints or sculpture, as long as it is directly inspired by the artist’s encounter with their chosen subject.

The second winner in 2020 was Nik Pollard with his series of drawings of white-tailed bumble bees and knapweed. Studying his environment is an integral part of Nik’s creative process: “Drawing from all the senses, I investigate the rhythms and characteristics of a location and its ecology, resulting in a sense of time and place.”

The third winner in 2021 was Tinayin Wang with a beautiful series of charcoal drawings depicting a school of fish and small birds. These drawings use a unique technique that Tinayin has been developing since 2015. The technique involves using a combination of different charcoals to achieve a distinctive look, best described as motion impressionism.

Thank you to the Society of Wildlife Artists for a wonderful partnership – it has been a privilege to sponsor the awards and see the beautiful artwork produced for The Natural Eye exhibition.