I’ve been passionate about art since my primary school days! I remember spending countless hours at home playing around with watercolors, experimenting and practicing. That love for painting led me to create a life-size owl soaring across my bedroom wall in oils, and I couldn’t resist adding a magnificent herd of impala to another wall! I sold my first piece of artwork at just 15, By 20, I was busy creating small oil paintings that a man with a market stall in Warrington would sell for me. They were often still a bit wet when I handed them over, but he insisted they were a hit! During the early 90s, while raising my older children, I took on painting portraits for local clients and also sold landscapes through some local gift shops.
Its not an exaggeration to say that money was really tight, and the money from selling my paintings made a huge difference—it meant we didn’t have to survive on beans all week!
I began my artistic journey creating all sorts of commissions, from formal portraits of children and families to some fun and unique pieces, like a racing motorbike and stock car rally champions! However, over the past 20 years, my passion has shifted toward painting dog and horse portraits, and as my reputation grew, they became my specialty.
I’m now known and respected for my life-like and highly detailed paintings and drawings of dogs and horses. If you’re thinking of commissioning a portrait please get in touch and I look forward to hearing from you.
Personal info
Pippa was born in Oxford in 1968 and brought up in Appleton, Cheshire. After living and working in Berkshire for several years she settled in the pleasant market town of Horncastle, Lincolnshire where she raised her five children and built her business and reputation in horse and dog portraiture. Pippa now lives in the village of Bramley, South Yorkshire with her two youngest children and runs the the Horse & Hound Gallery and studio.
Professional Info
Pippa is a professional artist working in the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire areas since 1997 specialising in dog portraits, horse portraits and other portraiture. She now paints artwork for clients all around the world as well as within the UK.
Her portraits are commissioned by institutions including private schools and hunts as well as private clients. Her portraits hang in private collections throughout the UK, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada.
As a qualified tutor her services include teaching private and local authority art classes, demonstrations to art groups and leading workshops in schools and residential homes.
She worked as a freelance stonemason’s artist for a Monumental Mason in Lincolnshire for 18 years until moving to South Yorkshire in 2015. This involved the design and etching of unique, personal artwork for headstones and memorials.
Her work has been exhibited in galleries and exhibitions in Boston, Horncastle and Rotherham and she is a member of Lincolnshire Professional Artists and ROAR (Rotherham Art Renaissance).
While living in Horncastle Lincolnshire, Pippa also painted the set and backdrops for The Red Lion Theatre. This included a variety of pantomimes, musicals and plays.
In 2014 and 2016 Pippa went on air to discuss portraits for two radio stations, BBC Radio Lincolnshire and Radio Sheffield. The former, a half hour interview in the studio and the latter as part of an on air discussion regarding pet bereavement and memorials.
Further Education and Qualifications
University of Lincoln
2005 – BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Illustration
City & Guilds
2003 – NVQ 3 – Delivery of Learning
Related Professional Experience
Tutor in Adult Education
2003 – present
I’ve enjoyed teaching a variety of art classes, for beginners’ to masterclass in all mediums for Local Authority, colleges, Education Centres, private art groups and individuals. I have also presented demonstrations to large and small art groups around the Lincolnshire area as well as leading workshops in schools and Residential Homes.
Stonemason’s Artist
1998 – 2015
This rewarding work involved designing and producing unique and specific images for headstones and memorials. The artwork was created by carefully sandblasting by hand and detail could be added with a diamond tipped etching tool. The finished artwork was sometimes painted and varnished or ‘silvered’.
Graphic Design and Print
2000 – 2005
During this time I worked in two busy digital departments. My roles included photo restoration and digital imaging, graphic design, printing and lamination of large format graphics and banners and other short run design, editing and printing.
Professional Affiliations
LINCOLNSHIRE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS
ROAR – (Rotherham Art Renaissance)
Artistic Inspiration
I have two favourite Artists.
Sir Peter Blake – I love his achingly beautiful, ethereal Alice in Wonderland illustrations and Fairy portraits, Album covers, Collages and Collections.
Norman Rockwell – His illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post are truly wonderful, sometimes whimsical sometimes subtle storytelling. Beautifully detailed yet painted with such an expressive and light hand.
Favourite Quote
“You make it look so easy!”
”I haven’t slept for five days!”
Anonymous Artist
Fun Facts
I always listen to music while I’m painting: Radio 2 or jazz, folk, rock and blues and drink gallons of tea.. which has always gone cold by the time I put my paintbrush down for a break.
When I’ve been concentrating on a painting for a few hours I find it helpful to get on my exercise bike or cross trainer to get a burst of energy before carrying on again.
Because I work on each portrait for many hours, studying the reference photos deeply I often get a feeling for the character of my subject and have conversations with them in my head. When this happens I’m always sorry when the finished portrait leaves my studio. But knowing the painting will give years of pleasure and is being appreciated is a truly wonderful feeling.
Getting in Touch
Horse & Hound Gallery
95B Main Street
Bramley
Rotherham
South Yorkshire
S66 2SE
pippa@dog-portrait.co.uk
01709 927864