Biography
Pollyanna Pickering is widely recognized as Europe's foremost
wildlife artist, and is the most published fine artist working
in Britain today. In 2008 she recieved an honorary
degree from the University of Derby
in recognition of her acheivements.
Pollyanna holds the post of
honorary patron of The Wildlife Art Society International.
She is also a signature member
of the Artists for Conservation Foundation and
the Society of Feline Artists and the Association of
Animal Artists and a full juried member of the New
York based Society of Animal Artists.
A familiar face on TV, the most recent documentary
about her work Made
in England was brodcast recently.
Pollyanna was born in Yorkshire,
and is pictured left making an early start on her career! She
began her real art training at Rotherham Art School,
where, in her first year she won the award for most
promising student - and met her future husband, Ken Pickering,
an industrial designer. She went on to study for a further three
years at the London Central School of Art, graduating
with distinction.
Pollyanna's original work has been exhibited
in top galleries internationally, including the Royal
Academy. Her paintings hang in private and corporate
collections world-wide from Siberia to Australia, and celebrity
collectors of her work include John Hurt, Virginia
Mckenna and David Bowie, while Sheik
Mohammed has a specially commissioned series of paintings
of his ascot winners. Her work has been presented to Princess
Anne, and she has even been commissioned to paint
Her Majesty the Queens' favourite racing pigeon!
Her paintings will be familiar to most people
from her extensive ranges of fine art prints and cards, many
commissioned by charities including the WWF, Guide Dogs for
the Blind and the RSPB. Her limited edition and fine art prints,
books, ranges of greeting and Christmas cards and gift ware
are sold throughout the UK and exported into over eighty countries
world-wide.
Pollyanna designs exclusive
gift ware for Harrods, and has painted postage
stamps for African Countries, and first
day covers for the Royal Mail.
For fifteen years Pollyanna ran a registered
hospital for birds of prey from her home. Caring mainly for
injured and orphaned raptors, she also rehabilitated foxes,
hedgehogs, squirrels and other mammals, all of which feature
in her work. This close contact with the creatures in her care
is reflected in the realism and vitality of her work.
Pollyanna's determination to paint only animals
which she has observed in their natural habitats has lead her
into a remarkable and unique series of expeditions
into some of the most inhospitable areas of the globe. In
2007, Pollyanna was granted a fellowship from Canada based society
Artists for Conservation Foundation in support of the expedition
into Bhutan.She is accompanied
on her journeys by her daughter and business partner Anna-Louise
who also writes the text and contributes the photography
to the books. Click
here for further information about the expeditions.
The Pollyanna Pickering
Foundation raises funds for world-wide conservation,
animal welfare and disaster relief. Pollyanna continues in her
support of other charities. She acts as patron of several organisations
including The Badger Trust, Raptor Rescue, Naturewatch,
the ABC Animal Sanctuary, the Gamelea Countryside Training Trust,
Cats in Need and FABLE who raise funds
for epilepsy sufferers. Pollyanna is a trustee of the Irish
African/Asian Conservation Trust, and also
holds the post of International Vice President of Bill
Jordan's Wildlife Defence Fund. Within her local community
she acted as Honorary president of the North Derbyshire
RSPCA for many years, and is Honorary President of
the Chesterfield Art Society. She is a member
of the Court of the University of Derby.
Pollyanna continues to receive awards and accolades
for her paintings, including the Silver Palette Trophy
and the Millennium Trophy bestowed
by the Wildlife Art Society International who
have also awarded her two Gold Medals. In 2004
she was awarded a coveted first prize in the Wildlife
Artist of the Year Awards, and in 2007 won the first
Wildscape Masterclass Challenge.
In 2006 the Artists for Conservation Foundation
honoured her with their prestigeousConservation
Artist Award. In 2009 she was named Professional
Wildlife Artist of the Year’ in the Society for
All Artists Artist of the Year Awards
However in recent years she has also been recognised
for her remarkable accomplishments in both business and conservation.
She was a finalist in the 2000 Business Woman of the
Year Awards, and has been awarded the Freedom
of Bolsover and District in recognition of her charitable
work in the area. In 2003 her name appeared in a list of the
ten Greatest East Midlanders as
voted for by the public, the same year in which she received
a commendation for her work in Arts and Media at the European
Women of Achievment Awards. In 2004 she was the winner
of the Hera award
at at the prestigious NatWest
everywoman Awards which celebrate the achievements
of women in business. In 2006 she was awarded the Department
of Trade and Investment's Women in Business Achievement Award.
In 2007 she was one of the first recipients of an Excellence
in the Community award from Derbyshire County
Council, in recognition of her ‘outstanding personal
achievement’ which has helped to put Derbyshire on the
map. In 2009 she was one of the three shortlisted finalists
for the Women in Public Life Awards.
and was named Entrepreneur of the Year
in the inaugural The Derbyshire Times Business
Awards
In 2005 The International Fund for Animal
Welfare named her Animal Conservation
Fund-raiser of the Year, honouring her with an award
at a special presentation at the House of Lords.
In 2008 she recieved an honorary degree
from the University of Derby in recognition
of her acheivements.
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