Fine Art Pastel Portraits by Claire Jones

I live in Gloucestershire, UK and have been working as a portrait artist for 6 years, with clients based in countries all over the world including Dubai, France, Spain, America, South Africa and Australia. Animals have always been a large part of my life, from my first pet at the age of 4, a guinea pig called Sally to my two beautiful Old English Sheepdogs Oakley and Mayli who I share my life with now.

After graduating from the University of Gloucestershire in 2002 with a degree in Graphic Design being a portrait artist has enabled me to translate my love of animals into my work. I always aim to capture the true personality of the subject, it is very satisfying to see the pleasure that my portraits bring to people. All my portraits are taken from photographs and done in pastel and pastel pencil, this is a lovely soft medium that allows me to put a lot of detail into my work, it is great for achieving the texture in animals coats.

I have recently started taking commissions of buildings which I am really enjoying, it is very different to animals but just as rewarding.

When I am not drawing I am busy at dog shows, I have shown Old English Sheepdogs under the Amityoak Affix for 10 years being lucky enough to make my first dog Oakley (Ch. Starjanda It Must Be Love for Amityoak) a Champion in 2001, he also won the Limit dog class at Crufts in 2001 the same year that Chloe (Starjanda Just One More Love for Amityoak) came into our lives, a real character who loved life, we sadly lost Chloe in 2008 at the age of just 7.

Oakley now 10 is enjoying life at home and leaves the showing to his best friend Mayli (Amblehay Strawberry Fields at Amityoak ) who is doing well at the shows and is such a beautiful girl.

I am also on the committee of the Gloucester and District Canine Society and have judged at several shows, recently being asked to judge at the Old English Sheepdog Club in 2010, a great honour as this club was established over 100 years ago.

CeejayDesigns in the news