Next I am delighted to be taking you all to virtually visit Communidad Inti Wara Yassi, a trio of animal sanctuaries in the Bolivian rainforest – where I spent a month in 2019 on an artist residency, drawing and caring for a variety of cats, primates and birds. CIWY rescues animals that have been victims of the illegal trade in wildlife, which is sadly still rife in South America. Unable to be released back into the wild, the sanctuaries give these animals as natural a life as possible in their native habitat. The non-profit organisation relies fully on volunteers and is not open to the general public. CIWY receives no government funding, but is the primary receiver of the illegal ex-pets, ex-circus and mistreated zoo cases in all of Bolivia. During my trip there I met beautiful big cats, charismatic monkeys, sassy parrots and one of my all-time favourite animals – a tapir named Titus.

We will be drawing majestic Kusiy the Jaguar and Kishwara the kindest Spider Monkey from beautiful reference images and videos taken by CIWY photographers and collaborators. To welcome us all to the call, we’ll have one of the coordinators at Parque Machia broadcasting live and direct from the Spider Monkey area. And whilst we draw we will be hearing from other CIWY team members (in Bolivia and in the UK) about the history of the sanctuaries, the animal rescue missions and the experience of volunteering. I can confirm, it’s amazing.

A downloadable Reference Image Pack will be supplied with the Zoom link. The class will begin with an introduction from WLD founder and artist Jennie Webber, who will take you through sketching jaguars and spider monkeys in a simple, step-by-step format each in turn. There will be a drawing demonstration of the shapes, proportions and anatomical features to identify – and Jennie will be on hand to give feedback or creative advice throughout the whole session.

The basic materials you need to take part are paper, a pencil, eraser and sharpener, but of course you are more than welcome to work in whatever materials you enjoy or have to hand. Please get in touch if you need advice on materials, we’re happy to help! You will be emailed the media pack, instructions and the Zoom link to join 48 hours before the event is due to start, or in good time if you booked last minute. If you haven’t received the email, do check your junk mail first and then get in touch and we’ll make sure you have it before the event is due to take place. You just need one ticket per device, not per person.

50% of your ticket price will be donated to CIWY.

For the first in our series of Animal Behaviours focussed classes, we’re taking a deep dive into the world of Bonobos. Now you may think that bonobos are just like chimpanzees, but you’d be wrong! Bonobos are slightly smaller, darker in colouration and lead largely peaceful lives within matriarchal societies – a stark comparison with chimpanzee communities which are lead by dominant males and have been known to fight violently, kill infants and even wage war on neighbouring communities. Bonobo females form coalitions to curtail male aggression within groups and are known to meet other groups for harmonious gatherings of feeding, grooming and sex – sometimes these gatherings last for weeks, even months. As we draw these peaceful primates from reference images and footage, we’ll be learning all about their behaviour and examining their similarities and differences to us, with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

The class will begin with an introduction to bonobos with Dr Kirsty Graham (PhD Research Fellow at the University of St Andrews) and Laura Lewis (5th Year PhD candidate at Harvard University) whose research focuses on how bonobos communicate using gestures, and eye tracking research respectively. Then WLD founder and artist Jennie Webber will take you through the basics of drawing bonobos with a demonstration of the shapes, proportions and anatomical features to identify as well as being on hand to feedback or dish out creative advice throughout the whole session.

A downloadable Reference Media Pack containing images and footage of bonobos in the wild will be supplied with the Zoom link. The basic materials you need to take part are paper, a pencil, eraser and sharpener, but of course you are more than welcome to work in whatever materials you enjoy or have to hand. Please get in touch if you need advice on materials, we’re happy to help! You will be emailed the media pack, instructions and the Zoom link to join 48 hours before the event is due to start, or in good time if you booked last minute. If you haven’t received the email, do check your junk mail first and then get in touch and we’ll make sure you have it before the event is due to take place. You just need one ticket per device, not per person.

50% of your ticket price will be donated to the Animal Behaviour Collective – an organisation that provides mentorship and microgrants for students in Animal Behaviour Research.

Join us to meet, draw and fall in love with piglets on Saturday 17th July, via live video link from their new home at Vauxhall City Farm. These piglets are the natural Kune-Kune breed (native to New Zealand but now fairly widespread) and they have the classic floppy ears and that cute upturned snout. We’ll be taking this opportunity to dispel some piggy myths – they’re not actually smelly, fat or pink! There will also be discussion around pig welfare in the industrial farming industries and how we can use our voices and purchase power to make a difference. Expect much cuteness, probably a bit of chaos but also some calm moments for drawing too!

The class will begin with an introduction from WLD founder and artist Jennie Webber, who will take you through the basics of drawing pigs from life, with a focus on anatomy. There will be a drawing demonstration of the shapes and proportions to identify and some handy hints for capturing the snout and trotters. We will then switch screens to be introduced to the animals and we’ll be chatting with Chris the Education Manager to find out all about these piggies and their lives on the farm. We’ll spend around 75 minutes drawing, and there will be plenty of creative guidance and demonstrations along the way to help you with your artworks.

The basic materials you need to take part are paper, a pencil, eraser and sharpener, but of course you are more than welcome to work in whatever materials you enjoy or have to hand. Please get in touch if you need advice on materials, we’re happy to help! You will be emailed the media pack, instructions and the Zoom link to join 48 hours before the event is due to start, or in good time if you booked last minute. If you haven’t received the email, do check your junk mail first and then get in touch and we’ll make sure you have it before the event is due to take place. You just need one ticket per device, not per person.

50% of your ticket price will be donated to Vauxhall City Farm.

Join us to celebrate a VERY belated Valentine’s Day the Wild Life Drawing way, by exploring monogamy and mating rituals in the natural world. We will be meeting and drawing three different birds of prey that partner for life, practice interesting mating rituals and courtship dances to entice their mates. We’ll hear about bird partnership, parenting and marvel at the evolutionary wonders of eggs. Join us for a day of beautiful birds and mind-blowing biology!

All materials – including drawing boards – are provided and creative support and guidance will be available throughout the class from WLD founder, artist Jennie Webber.

The drawing class is open to all, from beginners to advanced. All drawing materials are supplied, including paper, but please feel free to bring colours or any other specific media you might like to use. Drawing tips and guidance will be provided throughout the session. The aim of these drawing classes is to inspire a sense of appreciation and understanding for the animals and their conservation in the wider world.

Very excited to be bringing Wild Life Drawing to Bermonds Locke, a beautiful new hotel near London Bridge. Their interiors are inspired by the desert – think warm tones, cacti and low hanging suns. We’re running with this theme and hosting two in-person Wild Life Drawing classes in their open air courtyard across the summer.

The first is Desert Birds, and we’ll be meeting and sketching three avian species that make their home in the desert, with the ability to hunt, breed and survive in the extreme temperatures. Harris Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks and Great Horned Owls will be our feathered models for the day, accompanied by the expert and dedicated team at Sky Birds of Prey. We’ll be discussing hunting techniques, bird conservation across the world and the welfare issues in the sport of falcon racing.

The drawing class is open to all, from beginners to advanced. All drawing materials are supplied, including paper, but please feel free to bring colours or any other specific media you might like to use. Children aged 8 and above are more than welcome as long as they are accompanied by an adult also taking part in the class. The aim is to inspire a sense of appreciation and understanding for the animals and their conservation in the wider world.

This is an outdoor class and we will still be restricting the numbers at the drawing classes for the foreseeable future for peace of mind.

Very excited to be bringing Wild Life Drawing to Bermonds Locke, a beautiful new hotel near London Bridge. Their interiors are inspired by the desert – think warm tones, cacti and low hanging suns. We’re running with this theme and hosting two in-person Wild Life Drawing classes in their open air courtyard across the summer.

The first is Desert Birds, and we’ll be meeting and sketching three avian species that make their home in the desert, with the ability to hunt, breed and survive in the extreme temperatures. Harris Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks and Great Horned Owls will be our feathered models for the day, accompanied by the expert and dedicated team at Sky Birds of Prey. We’ll be discussing hunting techniques, bird conservation across the world and the welfare issues in the sport of falcon racing.

The drawing class is open to all, from beginners to advanced. All drawing materials are supplied, including paper, but please feel free to bring colours or any other specific media you might like to use. Children aged 8 and above are more than welcome as long as they are accompanied by an adult also taking part in the class. The aim is to inspire a sense of appreciation and understanding for the animals and their conservation in the wider world.

This is an outdoor class and we will still be restricting the numbers at the drawing classes for the foreseeable future for peace of mind.

Delighted to announce another special drawing class in collaboration with Wild at Heart Foundation to raise money and awareness for their worthy canine causes. We’ll be drawing WAHF rescue dogs of all different sizes, breeds and colours; and all of them have happy rehoming stories to tell. We will hear about some of the abuse suffered by dogs in countries where the laws protecting animals are not reinforced, and learn about some of the success stories, where special dogs have been able to have specialist surgery funded by donations and how we can get involved to help!

All materials – including drawing boards – are provided and creative support and guidance will be available throughout the class from WLD founder, artist Jennie Webber.

£10 from the price of each ticket will be donated to Wild at Heart Foundation – and we’ll be joined by members of their team (along with their rescue dogs) to tell us all in person about some of the neutering projects they run overseas and how they’re working to combat the brutal mistreatment suffered by strays, plus advice on ways we can get involved to help. This charity works to compassionately reduce the world’s 600 million stray dog population by organising rescue projects, neutering programmes and education initiatives.

Very excited to be bringing Wild Life Drawing to Bermonds Locke, a beautiful new hotel near London Bridge. Their interiors are inspired by the desert – think warm tones, cacti and low hanging suns. We’re running with this theme and hosting two in-person Wild Life Drawing classes in their open air courtyard across the summer.

The second is Desert Reptiles, and we’ll be welcoming a whole variety of tortoises, lizards and snakes that have all evolved unique ways of maintaining their body temperatures and adapt to the sandy terrain. Leopard Geckos, Sand Boas and Sulcata Tortoises (plus many more) will be our scaly models for the day accompanied by the expert and dedicated team at Snakes Alive, a reptile rescue centre that rehomes unwanted pets or cruelty cases. We’ll be discussing the unique ways these animals thrive in the desert, as well as responsible pet ownership in the reptile world.

The drawing class is open to all, from beginners to advanced. All drawing materials are supplied, including paper, but please feel free to bring colours or any other specific media you might like to use. Children aged 8 and above are more than welcome as long as they are accompanied by an adult also taking part in the class. The aim is to inspire a sense of appreciation and understanding for the animals and their conservation in the wider world.

This is an outdoor class and we will still be restricting the numbers at the drawing classes for the foreseeable future for peace of mind.

Very excited to be bringing Wild Life Drawing to Bermonds Locke, a beautiful new hotel near London Bridge. Their interiors are inspired by the desert – think warm tones, cacti and low hanging suns. We’re running with this theme and hosting two in-person Wild Life Drawing classes in their open air courtyard across the summer.

The second is Desert Reptiles, and we’ll be welcoming a whole variety of tortoises, lizards and snakes that have all evolved unique ways of maintaining their body temperatures and adapt to the sandy terrain. Leopard Geckos, Sand Boas and Sulcata Tortoises (plus many more) will be our scaly models for the day accompanied by the expert and dedicated team at Snakes Alive, a reptile rescue centre that rehomes unwanted pets or cruelty cases. We’ll be discussing the unique ways these animals thrive in the desert, as well as responsible pet ownership in the reptile world.

The drawing class is open to all, from beginners to advanced. All drawing materials are supplied, including paper, but please feel free to bring colours or any other specific media you might like to use. Children aged 8 and above are more than welcome as long as they are accompanied by an adult also taking part in the class. The aim is to inspire a sense of appreciation and understanding for the animals and their conservation in the wider world.

This is an outdoor class and we will still be restricting the numbers at the drawing classes for the foreseeable future for peace of mind.