British Wildlife Artist Writer Illustrator

A book about a Honey Bee. With the new year came a new project - to illustrate an idea by bee expert and publisher, Valerie Rhenius, for a children's educational book about a honey bee's foraging adventures out from its hive around the local English countryside. A book about a honey bee - illustration by Claire Murthy A Honey Bee Book Educational Nature Book for Children Introducing  Izzie Lizzie Busy Bee  - the heroine in this beautifully illustrated children's educational nature book about a honey bee and the subject of this painting of a honey bee by Claire Murthy. For the past few months I have been discovering much more about bees, working with bee expert and publisher, Valerie Rhenius, on an exciting project creating a children's book about a honey bee's adventures across the countryside in search of food - a special book with traditional watercolour illustrations in celebration of the National Honey Shows' Centenary 2023. Further details about this deligh...

Art Competition Kent - submissions by 19th October. Wildlife and Nature. ‘Capturing Cranbrook’ Art Competition in Kent 2022, Cranbrook. I'm so pleased to be included as one of judges in the Wildlife and Nature Art Competition 'Capturing Cranbrook' by Berkeley Group and can't wait to go through the fabulous entries!  Art Competition Kent Berkeley Group Submissions can still be accepted until 19th October via  Berkeley's dedicated website for 'Capturing Cranbrook'   so do get your pencils and paints out if you'd like the chance to feature in Cranbrook pop-up exhibition and/or win  countryside and nature art prizes to be up to £150 of professional artist materials for each category. For my top 5 tips in creating successful wildlife and nature art, check out the article in the Times of Tunbridge Wells' sister publication SO Magazine  A rt Competition Kent - Berkeley Group - Times of Tunbridge Wells Magazine . ***There are also a few past posts in my side...

Dinosaur Art Workshops. Reflections on being asked to run some art workshops and my first reactions. Wildlife art can cover such a broad range of subjects in all mediums - birds, beasts, bugs and wildflowers...in pastels, coloured pencils, oil, acrylic, watercolour, even mixed media. So, when I was asked earlier in the year to run some children's art workshops for Berkeley Group at a school activity camp in the middle of the Weald of Kent countryside, Cranbrook, I didn't hesitate to jump at the chance - I'm happy to draw, paint and teach virtually any wildlife and nature subjects, in different mediums, and didn't expect any surprises... I wondered what wildlife they might want to draw or paint...a bird, hare or squirrel? Maybe smaller creatures, such as butterflies or bees, and how about wildflowers? Perhaps we would glimpse a fox whilst exploring the beautiful grounds of the school in search of inspiration...even a deer might be possible given the abundance of wildlife...

Wildlife Art in Kent. Local Wildlife Art Competition - closes 19th October 2022. Cranbrook, in the beautiful Weald of Kent, is the focus of a wildlife and nature art competition courtesy of Berkeley Group.  Times of Tunbridge Wells SO Magazine Advertisement Feature by Berkeley Group Capturing Cranbrook New and experienced wildlife artists are invited to photograph, paint and/or sketch the beauty of the local nature and wildlife in Cranbrook and the surrounding countryside, as part of their exciting community Capturing Cranbrook community initiative. Earlier in the year, just as spring was appearing, I was asked by Berkeley Homes Group to run some wildlife art workshops.  I was delighted, also, to be asked to judge for their Cranbrook wildlife and nature art competition in the autumn!  Some hints and tips for drawing and painting wildlife coming soon...

Daily Christmas Illustration After a long time, I am back in the world of making art, completing a small Christmas illustration each day or so, usually done last thing at night or first thing in the morning before I start my daily work. Penguin Christmas : Claire Murthy Studio This the the last in the current Christmas penguin-themed card designs for the time-being - I wanted to really capture the playful spirit of the penguin and introduced a seal as a companion. I'm painting these little Christmas designs quite quickly to keep the momentum going. I'm posting these designs on social media - Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - but will adda few here too. My social media account is @clairemurthy - quite easy to find, so do come and follow my work there for the up to date activities. Next on my list are polar bears - another traditional Christmas favourite, which (like penguins) isn't British wildlife either -  but I'm pleased to include them in my Christmas collection as t...

Traditional Christmas Penguin Card Design. There's nothing quite like penguins wearing woolly hats to bring in some festive spirit. This is another from my penguin-themed designs for Christmas.  Penguins in Woolly Hats Although they are not British wildlife to be found naturally living in Britain, there are millions of penguins living around the world on land associated with our past and present connections with British overseas territories, which has helped raise awareness of them, as well as fondness for them. They are part of the traditional fabric of British Christmas culture to such an extent that to receive a Christmas card with a penguin on it feels entirely fitting alongside a few of our own British wildlife characters. It's sometimes hard not to think of them in a humorous context, such as wearing woolly hats, for they appear such jolly characters!

Why are penguins so cute? I don’t know any penguins to help me imagine how they might see the world – are they friendly or territorial, do they think a lot or daydream? They look pretty stoic, standing out there in the cold weather, and their waddles suggest cheerful characters who enjoy a having fun. I think I will have to pay a little more attention next time I meet one! Christmas Penguin Watercolour and Ink

Barn Owl Painting For centuries, British wildlife has featured in Children's literature, especially owls. The barn owl has a particularly ethereal air about it that evokes a sense of mystery and make-believe about its existence when in its own environment, without the intrusion from human observation. I’m always surprised to hear the call of an owl, as I do sometimes, but it shouldn’t be so, as there are fields nearby and I can see the tops of the trees that belong to the ancient woods along the road - they make beautiful silhouettes against dawn and dusk skies. Sometimes I have spotted a bat at dusk but they flit about so quickly that there is always an element of doubt as to quite what was spotted. Partly due to the elusive natures of some of our British wildlife, I imagine the whole woodland area comes to life overnight with the abundance of nocturnal woodland animals and birds it provides shelter and food for - foxes, dormice, badgers, owls, bats and hedgehogs!  Our local villa...

National Honey Show - Mixed Media Art Workshop. Thanks to my mixed media workshop participants the other day at the National Honey Show – a lovely group who produced some fantastic pieces that were amongst the most imaginative that I’ve seen from a workshop that I’ve run. It can be tricky creating a masterpiece out of nothing but the imagination – I hope my resources and open techniques will give the attendees the knowledge and new skills they need to feel happy experimenting and to create their own wonderful mixture of mixed media bee art! Here's a piece I created a while ago. I was happy with the honey colours but wondered how it would look with another colour – I find mixed media art can be an ongoing process! I changed the background colour in patches and quite like the broken effect seen here - when I return to mixed media at some point I will know roughly what effect I will be after! Mixed media is great fun and a relaxing way to spend some art time – if only there ever was ‘...

Back at Sandown Park Race Course for the National Honey Show brings memories of a wonderful past with horses I'm looking forward to painting bees and horses next year! It was lovely to be back at Sandown Park the other day, for the National Honey Show; it brings past memories of riding barely broken-in ponies from the grand age of 5 years old – who would do that to a child!  It’s where a loved family member raced many moons ago – can’t name him as too famous (him, not me!) but a race takes place in his honour at Sandown Park Race Course (and other places each year). We had a family tradition of putting on a small bet each spring – 50p – I never realised its significance in my early days, just thought it was a treat! Sunset and Sandown Perhaps it was in my genes – I also enjoyed racing, as such… taking the saddle off and pretending to be a jockey – often to my detriment as it was usually too much temptation for my highly-strung pony with an extreme attitude.  He saw it as red ‘...

Bumblebee Sleeping on a Flower Drawing in Coloured Pencils. This bumblebee seems to have fallen asleep on a flower; they can sleep for several hours a day, so what better place than a silky petal for a little comfort. Such magical worlds these bees must live - when all is flowers, even their beds. I initially sketched this bee before drawing it carefully using a graphite pencil and then finishing it using professional grade coloured pencils for the soft, velvety appearance. 

Wings and Wild Things  This brown hare was drawn using coloured pencils - the pink background was added later to give it the fresher, more contemporary look that I was after. A few of my favourite birds, bees, beauties, beasties and fairy-world beloveds will soon be available on my portfolio that has been 'coming soon' and will, at some point, arrive! I will include this hare, some bees and one or two other pieces to start - to make the most of the summer - and more paintings and limited edition prints will be added towards the end of October.  Brown Hare Drawing 'Pink Alert' by Claire Murthy

Lavender Bees I - Dilly When I saw this giant bumblebee, bombus terrestris  (buff-tailed bumblebee), she was so big that I knew she had to be queen of the lavender, if not the Queen.  She was the perfect bumblebee. *** This small painting is part of the 'Wings and Wild Things' collection over on my portfolio.  Lavender Bees i - Dilly Claire Murthy

Wings and Wild Things - 'Into the Light'  Painted during the first spring lockdown, 2020. As I was following one of the bees along its journey across the flower-tops, I noticed something amongst the shaded greens of the alkanet; a bright budding dandelion was a simple and lovely thing to see rising up against the darkness, reaching into the light of the sun. It inspired me to paint. I will add more about this painting, along with the 'study' piece and several other selected pieces, over on my portfolio blog 'Wings and Wild Things' soon. 

Foxglove Sketch It's around this time of year when a few native pink-purple foxgloves -  digitalis purpurea - appear in the garden.  My earlier post, in which I made reference to the Flower Fairies ' illustrator Cicely Mary Barker, reminded me of these sketches that had been filed away; inspired by such charming paintings as the little Foxglove Fairy and Beatrix Potter's foxglove studies in different styles, I embarked on 'getting to know' my foxgloves. I sketched this little wildflower family repeatedly over a week or so, starting with its silhouette at first light of the day and finishing when it was bright enough for me to see what I had been looking at.  My only distractions were the morning fair-weather friends, my dog and two cats, who took to relaxing on me and against me, after their early breakfast, before they cleared off in search of some mischief. Foxglove Sketch: ink purple native foxglove with a red aqua pencil. The sketches were done with a red ...

National Honey Show Online Conference from 22nd to 24th October 2020. The show welcomes beekeepers from around the world! This year, it is free of charge and welcomes everyone the fascinating world of the honey bee. The National Honey Show will now take place as an online professional conference open to the public and free of charge for anyone and everyone who loves bees and wants to find out more about them in an enjoyable online experience! The three day event will offer a host of activities, lectures, demonstrations and a buzzing trade show, even a live Q&A 'chat' feature to ensure everyone feels part of the hive!   On the Friday evening, look out for the Bees for Development Fun Evening Quiz ! I'll be there in the virtual Trade Hall - with a live chat facility - so come and say hello! Register via the National Honey Show Website for the latest news!    

Wildlife Sketch: Sketching a Barn Owl I am sure there are many artists who meticulously plan what they intend to sketch, draw or paint but this is not that kind of owl. This little fellow started as a rough sketch, just to capture his face and a few feathers - but what owl can go without a tree or couple of trinkets? This is Wizard - a beautiful name for an owl - and there is definitely something magical about him! I hope to sketch him again over the coming weeks and perhaps I will be able to discover a little more about him. Wildlife Sketch: Sketching a Barn Owl

Watercolour Illustration of an Owl I was looking forward to holding three wildlife drawing workshops using real owls as the life models this month, at the prestigious Pallant House Gallery in Chichester. Such workshops are a fantastic opportunity to discover the characters of the birds, as well as gain the opportunity to sketch freely. The workshops are on hold, along with all other workshops in the country, so I thought I would post a few owl drawings and paintings. This owl was created a few years ago. It was one of my early 'looser' paintings and in contrast to the detailed paintings that seemed to define my artwork at the time. Somehow it felt wrong to be painting whimsical little characters and their worlds - like it wasn't the 'proper' art of traditional wildlife paintings that I usually produced. It took a while to show these to anyone, especially other artists! But there is no right or wrong way; in this case, they are an extension to the fine a...

Owl Sketch in Coloured Pencils Looking through some earlier bird sketches, I came across this tiny owl and my notes from a few years ago. This was a really small artwork - roughly a couple of inches square. Being such a small piece to work on was quite a challenge, as there wasn't much room to get the detail in. But any time spent sketching is time well-spent. Owl Sketch in Coloured Pencils ‘To begin, begin.’ (William Wordsworth) And so, I began. And what had begun as a relaxed sketch of an owl - a spur of the moment decision one evening after I had finished my other work – became incentive for a more detailed piece of art. It began as a 'better start something' project. It ended as a 'wishing I had started something off properly' project.  But such workings often serve to gaze in the mind’s eye, for more detailed paintings to be undertaken with the benefit of hindsight... a bigger piece of paper! "You never fail until you ...

Sketchbook Owl - A Wise Way to Drawing Wildlife It can be difficult to know where to start, especially if you haven't sketched a subject for a while. Here's a peep into how to draw an owl. 'The memory bank of images gets rusty. The mind's eye has forgotten what to focus on. The hand has become a wild thing drawing to its own agenda. The brain has lost its pace and order and, all the while, wonders what on earth it might have started!' So, this little owl began as two big feet. It seemed a natural place to start. Then onto its body and head. Two circles. And one big eye. No wonder attempts at drawing animals or birds can sometimes be disappointing. It wasn't that the owl had two big feet.  The owl had become two big feet. Sketchbook Owl. How to draw an owl. Feathers felt ruffled. What started out as a quick sketch to try out a new tube of paint became something of a caricature. It isn't advisable to look at your feet when walking ...

Wildlife Garden - January What a delight it is to be met with the dawn chorus so early in the year; when all seems dormant and dull, nature carries on with business as usual.  Dawn Chorus in January. Wildlife Garden Blog. Last year was bitterly cold and very quiet in January. This year, although still the coldest time of the year, the birds have fared slightly better as there have only been a few sprinklings of light frost, so far!  The birds are still enjoying additional food and water when it is really cold but it is surely a good sign for them to be out and about so early in the year! The birds were up singing against a gusty, dark sky and silhouetted branches this morning - and will only get louder as the days move towards Spring. To celebrate their cheerful notes, here are a couple of links to some past notes done during the 30 Days' Wild Wildlife Trusts Nature Challenge. Wake up with the Birds Wild Sounds Dawn Chorus in the Garden Wildl...

Art Events : Local Art Exhibition in Croydon The Croydon Art Society is holding its annual exhibition of members' works in Croydon at The Croydon Clocktower, Exhibition Gallery. This exhibition marks The Society's 130th Annual Exhibition. Steeped in local art history and with an ever-growing list of excellent artwork to add to its record, Croydon Art Society boasts a number of well-known past artist members and is still recognised today for its artists and artwork - locally and further afield - even as winner of The Artist and Leisure Painter Magazines Art Club of the Year 2018. Local watercolour artist Cicily Mary Barker of the Flower Fairies was a life-long past member.   Art Events : Local Art Exhibition Croydon A host of subjects will be on display, including: portraits, landscapes, still life and wildlife, plus pet portraits, boats, cars and a whole deal more for a super art display. Well-worth a visit! Artwork will include a variety of professional g...

Donkey Pet Portrait Painting in Pastel. This realistic painting of a donkey in a field was carried out using soft pastels. Painting a detailed, realistic animal portrait takes time and close-observation. Pastels are a good medium for traditional fine art as they can build depth on the page through an iterative process of application. Coloured pencil, watercolour, acrylic and oil are also used to create traditional fine art animal paintings and pet portraits. Donkey Pet Portrait Painting 2015 : Pastel This donkey has a gentle expression and kind eyes willing to connect with the human spirit - perhaps it's why donkeys appeal to all ages. They are often affectionately depicted as weight-bearing, 'package' transport and as plodding, slow-coaches giving rides on the beach - but this doesn't allow for their individuality to shine through  their hum-drum routines. Fortunately, for many, this is no longer the case, as donkeys nowadays are treated with more c...

Mixed Media Art Workshops What better way to gain an appreciation of mixed media art than to attend a mixed media art workshop!   Mixed media art gained publicity with Pablo Picasso, when the term was coined, and modern mixed media artists over the last hundred years, or so, but the art of using more than one medium, or media, has been a way of creating art for hundreds of years; illuminated manuscripts, as an example that is usually associated with traditional art, combined ink, paint and gold leaf. Mixed media art simply brings together more than one medium: watercolour, oil, gouache, ink, paper, gold leaf, materials, objects; any number of these can be used in a variety of ways and combinations to create a piece of art. It can be bold or subtle and range from almost 3d to virtually flat in design. It can be abstract, modern, traditional or a mixture of different styles. However or whatever mixed media art is – it is a fun creative way to develop ar...

Bee Art Workshop at the National Honey Show Sandown Park Come prepared to enjoy this fun, creative session making a bee painting of your choice.  You will be free to use a range of art materials and try out a few techniques along the way. Experiment with painting, drawing, stamping, stenciling, doodling and gluing in a variety of ways to create your own style of bee art.  There will be guidance on drawing a honey bee, plus a few ideas for extending your interests in bees through the joys of art.  Bee Art Workshop National Honey Show Sandown Park This mixed media workshop will provide a space where you can unwind for a couple of hours and immerse yourself in relaxing hands-on, creative activities - whether you are new to art or a seasoned painter.  The aim of the session is relaxing enjoyment and you will able to take home your contemporary bee art painting to hang to the wall or give as a special gift to someone else who loves bees!...

Fine Art Horse Paintings and Portraits Having spent many years caring for my own ponies from a very young age, volunteering at stables and working with the Horse Rangers during my gap year, I have a certain familiarity with them, which only comes with time and experience; from knowing their different breeds, anatomies and natures, to the stables and fields they live in; to counter-balancing their agility in the jumping ring and anticipating their twists and turns cantering across rough ground in Richmond park and along the ridges of the South Downs. I painted this black horse in a traditional, fine art portrait style using soft pastels. This striking black stallion lived up to the spectators' hopes as he danced on his hooves at a large agricultural show, aware that all eyes were on him! Fine Art Horse Portrait 2013  

Autumn Hawthorn Berries in the Kitchen Garden   It's late September and the hawthorn leaves are starting their seasonal change from the rich green fresh leaves of late Spring to the dry-looking, brown-edged, somewhat disheveled leaves that signify the early stages of Autumn. The term 'haw' is an old English term meaning hedge and hawthorn berries are an important and attractive feature of the British native hedgerow; there are certainly hawthorns in many London parks and gardens, Kent and Surrey countryside and hedgerows. Haws have a place in both the wildlife garden, as they provide good shelter and nutritious food for birds and other countryside animals, as well as the kitchen garden - for they are largely edible. Autumn : Hawthorn Berries in the Kitchen Garden From their flowers and young leaves to their berries that have a pungent zing of over-ripe apples, they are a very edible addition to kitchen garden, and as with the many other delights of this kitch...

Botanical Art Journal Sketching nature can take many forms. This watercolour and ink study of a bee and some blackberries from the garden started out as a rough sketch of the berries and the bramble leaf. Botanical Art Journal : Bees and Blackberries in Watercolour and Ink. London. Kent. The process of sketching can be relaxing as well as a means of developing observational skill and discovering more about flowers, fruits or wildlife. Most importantly, sketching is an enjoyable activity. Regular botanical and nature sketching will soon fill a botanical art journal. Once this nature sketch of the berries was done, the bee was added, then the ladybird. The pencil lines were enhanced with watercolour and ink, then text and lettering were added freehand to fill out the spaces on the paper and explore layout options. Slowly, a botanical journey was underway on a warm afternoon, a perfect moment for sketching, as the bees buzzed around some nearby flowers in the background and f...

Pond Life : Duck in Watercolour and Ink A pond is habitat to a variety of wildlife and birds in addition to the pond-life that lives in the water. Pond Life Painting : Duck in Watercolour and Ink The first alert to action around the pond is often a commotion and some splashing around in the water, usually caused by ducks, geese or swans. Observing and sketching birds can be an enjoyable way to become familiar with their anatomy, patterns and colours. Sometimes a sketch can seem to carry little information; it might be lacking detail or it doesn’t appeal in some other way. This watercolour and ink painting started as a quick sketch. A 6b blunt pencil was used, resulting in a heavy sketch without much detail. Later, it was sketched again from the original sketch and references, with watercolour and ink added for a more creative painting. Sketching at the pond or park is a great way to build resource material for more detailed or adventurous paintings and drawings. It...

Sketch Woodland Wildlife and Habitats Come along to an outdoor art workshop to sketch nature and enjoy a little time outside this summer under the canopy of native woodland in a historic country park. Workshop: Friday 30th August 2019 : 9am - 1pm Sketch Woodland Wildlife and Habitats This workshop is suitable for anyone who enjoys nature and would like to creatively record their findings in a sketchbook or nature journal. Bring your own sketchbook, nature journal or paper, a pencil and anything else, including colours, that you would like to use to seize the spirit of the outdoors. Nature Journaling, or Nature Sketching Nature sketching, or journaling – it doesn’t matter how you describe it –  helps make a note of your personal thoughts and memories of the moment. It can help discover more about the local wildlife and habitats encountered outside. It can become a reference for creative or more detailed art activities later. Get Started Upon arriving at BE...

Wildlife Garden Bees and Flowers. This garden sketching workshop will focus on the Wildlife Garden at High Elms Country Park this summer: bees, flowers, plants and fruit, birds, butterflies, bugs, pond-life and even a natural history specimen of a rabbit, in case the regular rabbit visitor doesn't make an appearance on sketching day ! Workshop: Friday 16th August 2019 : 9am - 1pm Join us to create botanical sketches and detailed observations of bees and flowers, fruit and trees, birds and pond life from the Wildlife Garden; sketches can be used as preparation for later artwork and nature compositions or as a record of your memories from the garden visit. Add notes to sketches from garden species to use as reference material for further inquiry into the wildlife and plants that grab your attention. We will be based in and around BEECHE Visitor Centre, spending time outdoors for as much of the workshop as possible. You will have the opportunity to observe, sketch and mak...