Biography

Pollyanna Pickering is widely recognized as Europe's foremost wildlife artist, and is the most published fine artist working in Britain today.

She is an honorary patron of The Wildlife Art Society International, and a signature member of the Artists for Conservation Foundation.

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 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!

Pollyanna's work will be familiar to most people through her extensive range of published work. 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.

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 journeys into some of the most inhospitable areas of the globe. Click on the expeditions button above for further information.

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 Gamelea Countryside Training Trust, and FABLE who raise funds for epilepsy sufferers. Pollyanna is a trustee of the Irish African/Asian Conservation Trust, and has recently accepted the post of International Vice President of Bill Jordan's Wildlife Defence Fund. Within her local community she is Honorary president of the North Derbyshire RSPCA and 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 National Wildscape Masterclass Challenge. In 2006 the Artists for Conservation Foundation honoured her with their prestigeous Conservation Artist Award.

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 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 is to recieve an honorary degree from the University of Derby in recognition of her acheivements.