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So apparently this endangered feline sounds like a cross between my cat coughing up a fur ball and a growling dog. It’s a good job it has good looks (and I mean stunning looks!) to go with that noise.

The conservation effort taken to prevent the Iberian Lynx’s extinction has paid out, and from a shrinking population of less than 100 individuals in 2002, now 404 cats live in the Mediterranean forests of the Iberian Peninsula. A new ambitious conservation project, LIFE Iberlince, is recovering some of the lynx’s lost territories in Spain and Portugal. Although its population has increased, it’s still listed as an Endangered animal.

As a couple that we know are moving to Portugal at the end of the month, I thought it best to paint them this so that they know to watch out when they see one coming! Even though the original is not for sale, A4 and A3 mounted prints can be ordered. I hope you like it!

So, i’ve finally managed to paint my new addition to my Endangered Species range and it’s bold, feathery and colourful. It will certainly brighten up anyone’s home without the hassle of having to feed it! If you like abit of birdy goodness on your wall, the original is for sale, or you are more than welcome to purchase either an A4 or A3 print (mounted). PM me for prices. I hope you like it!

Sorry it’s been a while since my last post but things have been pretty hectic in my house. Since my amazing trip to The Maldives, my little baby girl has popped (sorry, exploded!) into the world 2 weeks earlier than planned and life adjusting to motherhood has been an all-consuming learning curve to say the least. However, since my precious bundle of joy has been kind to me and has been sleeping through the night for 12hours solid since she was 9 weeks old (yes I know some mums reading this might be cursing me, I am just very lucky, I know), i’ve had some time to take up a new hobby. Painting!

I thoroughly enjoyed my watercolour painting last year so thought i’d give it another go, a real good go. So I decided to try and paint a Sea Turtle after being inspired by a trip to the Oceanarium with my little lady (I think I enjoyed it more than she did, she took a while to really show her emotions!). It took a good 12hours to sketch and paint (I am an amateur at this by the way so don’t judge me too harshly please) but I really enjoyed doing it. What do you think?

Since my Sea Turtle was pretty well received by friends on Facebook (yes I know Facebook isn’t the best guide for anything but it certainly helps to boost ones ego!), it gave me a kick up the backside to try and make a go of this painting malarky. I decided (well a very close friend of mine suggested) to paint an Endangered Species range of animals and then donate a percentage of the sale of the originals to charities relating to that particular animal. Fantastic idea! Helps me have direction and helps the animals too. Perfect! So I got straight onto it…

Endangered Species: The Amur Leopard.

The Amur Leopard is one of the eight subspecies of leopard. It is only found in the Russian Far East and North East China and there are fewer than 40 left in the wild. This makes it one of the world’s most endangered big cats and for this reason it is listed as Critically Endangered. 10% of the sale of the original painting will go to Alta Conservation. The Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) is a coalition of 15 international and Russian NGOs who are all working to conserve the Amur leopard and tiger. Some raise funds and awareness and some implement projects in the Russian Far East and China.

The next Endangered Species on my list to paint was…

Endangered Species: The Javan Rhino.

Javan Rhinos are the most threatened of the five rhino species, with 60 individuals surviving in Indonesia. This has grown since 2011 when there were only 35 in the world. These animals are poached for their horns for use in medicines so i’ve tried to convey the animals vulnerability by the placement of my colour. 10% of the sale of the original will go to Save the Rhino. Save the Rhino collaborate with partners to support endangered rhinos in Africa and Asia.

Now, if you’re abit of a birdie lover and always fancied yourself a parrot to talk to you at home, stay tuned for my next piece. He may not be able to talk to you BUT he will brighten up your walls, kinder to the animal and be nice to look at! Coming soon… Endangered Species: The Blue-throated Macaw.

So, then I thought, maybe I should try and make a proper go at this and try to earn some extra money in the process (since I am now a fully-fledged freelancer, eek!). A friend of mine suggested I try and sell them at the Pine Walk exhibition (the outdoor exhibition in the Bournemouth Lower Gardens by the Aviary) and what better weekend to try this than the Bournemouth Air Show weekend on the 20th and 21st August. So, it’s on! I will be there on the Saturday and Sunday 9-5pm with my originals and also prints to sell to the general public (I am petrified by the way, in a good way!). Prints are already made up, bring it on…

I am also taking commissions if any of you lovely lot fancy a bright and colourful animal on your wall (or even a pencil animal drawing, I can do both), just email me at staceygrovecreative@gmail.com if you want to discuss. Prints can be ordered too. Prices are £20 for an A4 mounted print and £30 for an A3 mounted print.

Wish me luck!

What better way is there to immerse in luxury and relax in the deep rays of the sun than a 10 day vacation in The Maldives? A place where the sands are as white as the smiles of the locals and tropical fish, painted in more colours than in my paint box, swim happily around your legs in the warm crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean. And what better place is there to watch the minutes melt into hours and the hours into days and doing it on your own time? This was my moment of luxury before a screaming baby explodes (I used the word ‘pops’ recently but my very dear friend corrected me!) out to greet us in 4 and a half months time!

Whilst relaxing on my sunbed, gazing out at the sea of bare backs floating amongst the deep indigo patches of the ocean, I noticed a sand crab hard at work on the shoreline. Two beady eyes would pop out of a tiny hole to assess the area, before scurrying out with a pincer of the white stuff and dumping it at his nearest fly-tipping site before darting back into his hole like a criminal in the night. Inspired by his stealthy personality and amusing character, I decided to paint him on my return home.

The Maldives harbor an array of interesting creatures just waiting to entertain and dazzle us tourists with their colourful displays and charming characters. Vibrant chameleons would revel in a game of hide and seek around a tree whilst alternating between the colours of the tropical rainbow. Giant fruit bats would flap overhead looking for young coconuts whilst I showered under a coconut tree in our private open bathroom. Geckos darted up walls in front of me dancing in all directions and chirping for company, steady as a rock if being ‘caught in the act’ on ones doorstep (see picture).

These little wrigglers moved me to dance the most ridiculous jitter like I had no upper arms but incredibly quick jazz hands everytime I saw one scurry past (which meant a lot of dancing and confused passers by!). The amazing ability of the gecko and its quirky quickstep moved me to paint it.

I would recommend anyone discover the dreaminess of The Maldives, it truly is paradise.

Our holiday of a lifetime (whilst we could still afford it!).

The Maldives, May 2015.