THE ARTIST BEHIND ART BY JAY
Wildlife, character and a box of coloured pencils.
I'm Jay, a self-taught wildlife artist based in Surrey, creating coloured-pencil artwork inspired by British wildlife and the countryside around us.
My work is about more than simply drawing an animal accurately. I want to capture the character, expression and personality that makes each one memorable.
Where it started
Art by Jay really began in 2020, when lockdown gave me the time to pick up my pencils and start drawing seriously again.
I'm entirely self-taught. What began with pencils, paper and the challenge of seeing how much detail I could capture gradually became something much bigger.
Since then, Art by Jay has grown from drawings created at home into original artwork, prints and pieces for the home, with my work exhibited at shows and finding its way into homes around the UK.
The eyes come first.
If the eyes don't feel alive, I don't move on.
Every drawing starts with the eyes.
Before I work into the feathers, fur or finer details, I want the expression to feel right. It's the point where a drawing begins to develop its own character - and until that happens, I'm not ready to move onto the rest.
From there, I build the piece gradually in layers of coloured pencil, working through the textures, markings and details that make each animal distinctive.
THE INSPIRATION
Inspired close to home
Much of my inspiration comes from the wildlife we so easily pass by — garden birds, hedgerows, woodland animals and the familiar characters of the British countryside.
Being outdoors and noticing those little moments has become a big part of the way I look at wildlife. Sometimes it's the stance of a bird, an expression, or simply a flash of personality that makes me think: I need to draw that.
That sense of character is what I try to bring into every piece.
Drawn by hand. Made to be lived with.
Every print and piece of Art by Jay homeware begins with one of my original coloured-pencil drawings.
The original artwork is at the heart of everything - whether it eventually becomes a print on the wall, a favourite mug, a set of coasters on the table or a card chosen for someone special.
It means the same character and detail I work to capture at the drawing board can become part of everyday life at home.
