A journey into quiet nature and illustration

I've been a volunteer with a cat rescue for over 20 years. Working in a rescue wakes you up to just how much animals can suffer at the hands of humans — whether intentional, born from ignorance, a desire for perfection, or sometimes simply a lack of education.

But my connection to animals has never stopped at the rescue centre door. My garden has been a sanctuary for the wildlife that passes through it — hedgehogs, foxes, bees, butterflies. I don't just leave the gate open for them; I've always tried to maintain an environment where nature can do its own quiet thing.

Over the years that's meant more than just planting some flowers, providing shelters and putting food and water out. I've overwintered a young hedgehog who was too small to survive hibernation. I've treated one for lungworm, facilitated others in going into specialist rescue spaces, and done the same for foxes who've found their way to my door in need of help. These aren't distant animals to me — they're neighbours who I willingly share my garden with, and view it as much their space as it is mine.

Having cameras set up it's fascinating to see how much goes on outside our windows at night when we are sleep. It's like a whole secret world, which we can choose to be part of. It's given me an understanding of how much our native wildlife has to struggle alongside us every single day just to survive. We've taken over their territories and are slowly stripping those spaces of everything they rely on.

Through my designs and website I aim to quietly educate — showing how through small, simple changes we can improve the lives of those seeking shelter in our gardens and those who move quietly in our shadows.

My designs are based on delicate imperfect lines, fine ink flicks, and soft washes that capture the spirit of the outdoors. I believe every illustration invites calm contemplation and a closer connection to the nature that surrounds us, if only we stop to look.