Back in December last year, a mere 2 weeks before Christmas, I was approached by Derwent Art with a very exciting project. A project that I’d always wanted to be part of but never thought it would happen.

Since I was young, I’ve always gone into art shops and admired the array of colourful pencil tins. Each one shouting for attention in their own beautiful way with the most gorgeous artworks on them drawn by artists around the globe and dream that one day I would produce art good enough to be on such a pencil tin. As my family holidayed in the Lake District every year, we’d frequently go to the Derwent Pencil Museum… yes there is a pencil museum and it’s much more interesting that it sounds! My favourite part of the museum was always the shop as I’d love to look at and be inspired by all the artwork on the pencil tins (as well as have a good mooch through the bargain bucket!). It’s from this very shop that I spent a grand total of £40 on the Derwent pencils that would help launch my career as an artist!

Fast forward to now, I am a Derwent artist ambassador AND can now say that I have produced a piece of artwork which features on the new Derwent Academy Pastel Colour Pencils tin released this week!

It was important to Derwent that each pencil in the 12 tin set was used to create the artwork and as this is a beginner range of pencils, it needed to be achievable for all stages of artists.

I’m well known for my fur but fur can be HARD to draw until used to it so I opted for a smooth-surfaced animal. That’s when my multi-coloured dream whale was born! He now sits proudly accompanied by my name on art shop shelves across the country, hopefully inspiring other budding artists to dream big. So if you see him about, give him a wave and maybe send me a piccy 🙂