Be inspired by wildlife

Take a look at some of the wonderful British wildlife we've found in UK collections and be inspired to create your own wildlife artwork.

Look closely at the animals, birds, fish and insects. Think about their shapes and textures. Choose materials, colours, marks and patterns to make your animal artwork come alive. You could also invent a character and story for your animal. Where will your wildlife adventures take you ...?

Use your animal artwork to join the Art Fund's The Wild Escape. The Wild Escape aims to inspire children to visit local museums and galleries and respond creatively to the threat to our natural environment by creating their own artworks inspired by British wildlife.

Artists featured in this Curation: Sally Matthews (b.1964), Alina Harrington, Michelle de Bruin (b.1967), Adolphe Thomasse (1850–1930), Edward Willis, unknown artist, Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe (1901–1979), Maureen Finn, Nuna Parr (b.1949), Joseph Wolf (1820–1899), and 18 more See all

28 artworks

Storyline Album Showcase

Fox

Sally Matthews (b.1964)

Tools, nuts, bolts, chains & metal

H 63 x W 84 x D 47 cm

Leicestershire County Council Artworks Collection

Kingfisher 2016

Alina Harrington (active c.2016)

Oil

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Beaver 2015

Michelle de Bruin (b.1967)

Limestone

Perth & Kinross Council

Photo credit: Rhian Cox / The Fan Museum

The Peacock c.1905

Adolphe Thomasse (1850–1930)

Tortoiseshell & gouache on cotton with sequins

H 27 cm

The Fan Museum

Whale Mobile 2005

Edward Willis

Painted steel

H 87 x W 216 x D 1 cm

St George's Hospital

Photo credit: Wellcome Collection

Fish

unknown artist

Pencil & watercolour on paper (?)

H 28 x W 46 cm

Wellcome Collection

Gwiwer Goch / Red Squirrel 1960–1970

Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe (1901–1979)

Pensil, inc, dyfrlliw a sialc ar bapur / pencil, ink, watercolour & chalk on paper

H 39.4 x W 55.3 cm

Oriel Môn

Flying Puffin 1995

Maureen Finn

Mixed media on paper

H 64 x W 83 cm

Art in Healthcare

Basking Seals* 1976

Nuna Parr (b.1949)

Serpentine

H 20 x W 42 x D 16.5 cm

National Museums Scotland

Photo credit: Nature in Art

Peregrines 1866

Joseph Wolf (1820–1899)

Oil on canvas

H 87.5 x W 61.3 cm

Nature in Art

Young Hedgehogs and Toadstools 1984

John Edwards (b.1940)

Oil on canvas & wood

H 45.7 x W 56 cm

Bewdley Museum

Dragonfly 2006

Liz Magee (b.1943)

Acrylic on canvas

H 50.6 x W 50.6 cm

Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The Badgers 1970

Delia Portsmouth (b.c.1916)

Oil on board

H 59.5 x W 89.7 cm

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales

Peacock Butterfly 2002

Shyama Ruffell (b.1961)

Oil on canvas

H 76 x W 92 cm

Worthing Hospital

Owl

Walter Spitzer (b.1927)

Oil on canvas

H 17.8 x W 11.5 cm

Paintings Collection

Snails

John McKenna (b.1964)

Bronze

H 3.8 x W 7 x D 3.8 cm

New Lanark Trust

Tadpoles 1970

Laetitia Yhap (b.1941)

Tempera & watercolour on paper

H 83.5 x W 92.5 cm

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum Art Collections

Photo credit: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

A Cockchafer, Beetle, Woodlice and other Insects, with a Sprig of Auricula early 1650s

Jan van Kessel the elder (1626–1679)

Oil on copper

H 8.3 x W 12.1 cm

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Deer 1930

Robert Sargent Austin (1895–1973)

Etching on paper

H 23 x W 30 cm

Rye Art Gallery

Pheasants and Bluebells 1920

John Sylvester Wheelwright (1885–1962)

Watercolour on paper

H 59 x W 75 cm

Bushey Museum and Art Gallery

Hare

Jenefer Peter (active 1960)

Polyphant stone

H 16 x W 46.5 x D 18 cm

The Box, Plymouth

Stoat in Winter 1974

Raymond C. Booth (1929–2015)

Oil on canvas

H 18.8 x W 40.1 cm

National Museums NI

Woodpecker

Jimmy Floyd (1898–1974)

Oil on hardboard

H 35.4 x W 22.8 cm

Woodhorn Museum

Monument to a Mouse 2010

Kenny Hunter (b.1962)

Bronze

H 210 x W 132 x D 135 cm

National Trust for Scotland, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

Swan

Nancy Edwards (b.1926)

Marble

H 20 x W 22 x D 40 cm

Chelmsford Museums

Ocean Theme Painting c.2001

Rachael Alexander (b.1965) and Jenny Muncaster (b.1966)

Acrylic on board

Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust

Photo credit: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Various Spiders and Caterpillars, with a Sprig of Gooseberry early 1650s

Jan van Kessel the elder (1626–1679)

Oil on copper

H 9 x W 13 cm

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Grenouille 1984

Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002)

Polyester & paint

H 13.3 x W 1.2 x D 12.1 cm

Glasgow Life Museums

View all 27

Shyama Ruffell (b.1961)
Sally Matthews (b.1964)
Adolphe Thomasse (1850–1930)
John Sylvester Wheelwright (1885–1962)
Jimmy Floyd (1898–1974)
Maureen Finn
Walter Spitzer (b.1927)
Laetitia Yhap (b.1941)
Robert Sargent Austin (1895–1973)
Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe (1901–1979)
View all 27

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Explore artists in this Curation