Chester Zoo

Zoos can be a bit controversial, so when I was first approached to take over as the full-time artist at Chester Zoo I did have one or two reservations. These were quickly allayed however when I made my first visit. It had changed out of all recognition from previous visits as a child and I was soon swapping my familiar native species for all manner of exotic creatures that I had to get to know and paint.
Most of the artwork was for the educational and informational signage that was displayed throughout the zoo. As well as depicting the animals and plants, I enjoyed researching themed patterns and colours that would accompany the pictures.

I have many great memories of working at the zoo. These include the day spent over at the Lemur Island and being welcomed by a large and friendly bunch of Ring-tailed Lemurs. They were climbing all over my head and my shoulders while I tried to
draw them.

I also remember working in the Giraffe House on one particularly cold day in the middle of Winter. Because of the cold temperature, all the Giraffes were being kept inside and the heating was switched up. I was there sketching the weighing machine that is built into the floor at the back of the building.

The smell in the Giraffe House was magnified by the heat and to describe the atmosphere as 'pungent' was an understatement. On the bright-side, I at least had a double seat to myself on the train home. I had a brief wrestle with the Green Basilisk lizard, and I learned to walk at least ten yards behind the zoo staff when walking past the Chimpanzees as they would often throw sods, fruit and faeces at the keepers.

As well as working on the zoo artwork, I also enjoyed being involved with the zoo's Outreach Projects. One in particular involved the Black Rhinos in the Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania. We produced identification notes on all the regular rhinos within the reserve so that the rangers can keep records of movements, breeding success and general wellbeing. I also painted a life-size sculpture of a rhino as an educational tool for the local communities who, up until this time, were unable to visit the park and had never seen a rhino before.

Another memorable Outreach Project was that for the Chimpanzees of the Gashaka Gumti National Park in Nigeria. I worked on many brilliant projects. One of my final ones was the re-branding of all the identification signs found throughout the zoo. This required pencil line-and -wash drawings of every species found in the zoo, which at the time was well over four hundred.