I moved to Market Harborough 16 years ago to get away from city life with my husband and daughter, and we love being here. We now have a rescue dog, Ruby, and have found lovely walks in the town, and also the surrounding countryside. In living here I have discovered an amazing variety of wildlife, such as otters, water voles, peregrine falcon, little egret, and the lovely kingfisher all within the confines of the town.
I have always had a passion for art and I paint and draw. My artwork is produced using pen and ink, and watercolour. I draw rough outlines in pencil and then go over them using a fine nib pen which contains Indian ink. I then sometimes add colour, often just a splatter with a toothbrush. The detail comes last with the ink pen, as I build up texture and shadows with individual dots, the personality of the subject slowly emerging.
My subjects have usually been animals and birds, but now I include trees and people. I like to represent the subject in a realistic, but fresh, sometimes fun, and dramatic way.
I have always loved nature and it has always been a significant element in my pictures. A walk in the countryside and spotting different birds and animals has been a favourite pastime since childhood and provides my inspiration. I get great satisfaction in capturing the character of my subjects.
See more works by Sally Struszkowski here.