Hello,my name is Fiona van Wezel and I am a trained Fine Artist working out of my studio in Surrey, England. Animals have, and always will be, my most beloved subject matter, which is why the bulk of my work consists of pet portrait and wildlife commissions. Much of my wildlife work is fuelled by my regular English countryside walks with my husband, daughter and Cocker spaniel, however I am also continually and forever inspired by the majestic wildlife of my native country South Africa.

The feel of pencil on paper has always provided a hypnotic feel for me and it is for this reason that I work solely in this medium, both in colour and graphite. I go to great lengths to capture not just a true likeness of my subjects, but more importantly, the very essence of the animal. The nature of my work is highly detailed and I take great care in rendering each tiny hair or feather as well as attempting to capture the heart of my subject through their eyes. This means that a single drawing can take me up to a month to complete.

Animals and drawing have always been 2 of my greatest passions and as a little girl I was regularly found either rescuing wildlife or drawing it. Due to this, it was no great surprise to my parents, that after completing my school education, I went on to attain a degree in Fine Art and Print Making at Rhodes University. When I moved to England my girlhood compulsion to rehabilitate animals led to me gaining a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing, and was a field in which I enjoyed an extremely rewarding 15 year career. After becoming a mum, I felt the familiar compulsion to pick up my pencils again and it was in 2019 that I began to market my drawings.

My aim as an artist is to continue to portray and do justice to the exceptional creatures our Earth has to offer, and in doing so, raise continued awareness of the importance of respecting and conserving them for generations to come.