Artwork for Shelly Perkins
Two-witt too-woo
Superiority
Elemental
Coming home
Making Waves
Summer encounter
Aquatic encounter
Roe Rhythms
Details
Because my techniques are still quite unusual there isn't a definitive title for the prints that I produce, whilst they are in essence 'digital prints' they are not solely created on the computer but are a highbred of my pencil drawings, painting and digital collage techniques. In the same way that an etcher would have a finished 'plate' to print from, I have a file. I produce all my prints myself and they are the only tangible output for the artwork, they are not copies of an original painting but are the original from the 'master' file. I always limit the number of editions to 50 to keep them in line with traditional printing runs and so that customers are buying a very limited edition piece of art.
My work is influenced by wildlife and landscape and the inspiration for that comes from many sources. I am fortunate enough to have visited all seven continents to view wildlife in its natural habitat and its important that those travels and first hand experiences are translated into my artwork. It is important to me that I also use my work to champion the natural places I have visited and the flora and fauna that inhabit them. I have worked for many nature and wildlife organisations including the RSPB, VWT, WWF, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and The National Trust creating commissioned artwork for their conservation projects. I have also supported many more wildlife organisations through donating work, giving talks and sharing their vital work on my social media platforms. Giving back to the natural world is a very important part of my work and I hope that my art makes people feel empathy for and a connection with the natural places it depicts. In January 2017 I was fortunate enough to travel to Antarctica as Artist in Residence with the Royal Navy, this journey has been hugely influential to my career as i seek to share my stories in both written and spoken word along side my visual art.
I am a wildlife artist and travel artist. I gain inspiration from the natural world, both around my home on the Worcestershire/Hereford border as well as from my travels around the world to view wildlife in its natural environment. I create my work using a mix of traditional and digital techniques rooted in my field sketches, photographic references and observations of animal behaviour, atmosphere and light. My work starts with detailed pencil line drawings, painted textures and textiles. Those elements are scanned into the computer and bought together using a range of collage techniques. I use Adobe photoshop to enable me to layer up my hand rendered elements and create works that have great depth and texture. My finished 'originals' are computer files often comprising more than 100 layers. Once complete the files are 'flattened' and I print each image in a limited edition run of 50. My work is recognisable through my signature line work and high level of saturated colour, often using limited palettes and strong lighting and contrast.
Much of my time as an artist is spent producing my artwork for sale in galleries and at a range of exhibitions through the year. However I also run a limited amount of courses and workshops. I lead painting holidays abroad and sketching days in the UK and I also run photoshop courses teaching other creatives how the use the programme for their own work. These run over three days and are an intensive introduction to the programme. I also circulate a series of talks about my work and travels, often delivered to art or photographic groups which share my experiences of travel from an artists perspective.
My love for drawing started at a young age and carried on through my eduction up to my degree in Illustration at Bristol School of Art.
The Artists' Gallery, Ludlow - on going
Art in the Pen - Skipton
Bird Fair - Rutland water
Artist in residence - Nature in Art
Bath Art Fair
Craft in Focus - Hyde Hall
Clay Barn collective - Redhill
Blue magpie crafts
International Contemporary - Oxford
Antarctica - A creative journey - Polar Museum - Cambridge (March 2022 - August 2022)
My main stockist/outlet is my cooperative gallery in Ludlow - The Artists' Gallery. www.theartistsgalleryludlow.co.uk
We established this outlet in October 2019 and run it as an artist managed space.
I also have my work in a range of galleries throughout the UK which changes year on year:
Spotty Dog, Tenbury Wells
The Waterperry gallery, Waterperry Gardens, Oxford
The Jardine Gallery, Perth
