CHRIS ROSE (BRITISH, B. 1959), ALBUM OF SKETCHES AT TILLYPRONIE...

Crihs Rose (British, B. 1959)
Album of sketches at Tillypronie, 1991, including sheep, dipper, oystercatcher, curlew, woodcock, ptarmigan and red grouse
Extensively inscribed and dated ‘9-15 June 1991’
Pencil and watercolor on paper,
11 sheets bound in tan leather, ‘CHRIS ROSE/ TILLYPRONIE/ JUNE 1991’
Tooled in gilt on the cover the book 8 5/8 x 11 7/8 in.

CHRIS ROSE (BRITISH, B. 1959)

“Born in Uganda in 1959, where I lived until the age of six, I soon developed what would become a life-long interest in the natural world.

This fascination joined forces with a passion for drawing and painting at an early age when I started seeing the work of great wildlife painters, such as Archibald Thorburn, in books collected by my father. Further inspired by the many fabulous paintings that used to appear on the covers of the RSPB’s Birds magazine I began painting wildlife.

On graduating from Nottingham University with a Biology degree, but unable to find work as a biologist, I was offered a one year contract as an illustrator for the Dorset Heritage Coast Project. This year convinced me that painting was the only thing I would ever want to do (apart from be a fighter pilot, obviously) and so, with a second-hand drawing board (which I still use) and a bunch of paints, I embarked on a career as a wildlife artist.

Over the last 30 years I have exhibited widely in the UK, both in group shows and solo exhibitions, and have had work shown in Paris, Singapore, Japan and the USA.

In 1984 I was elected to membership of the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA), based at the Mall Galleries in London, and I currently serve as secretary for the society. Between 2003 – 2009 I served on the board of governors of the Federation of British Artists (FBA).

In January 2010 I spent 5 weeks on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia with fellow wildlife artist John Gale on a self-funded expedition, drawing and painting the wildlife and landscapes to raise funds and awareness for the RSPB’s Save the Albatross Campaign. As an invited artist I have also participated in several international conservation projects with the Artists for Nature Foundation (ANF) in Poland, Spain, Peru and Ecuador.

As a supplement to painting I have illustrated many bird books and am currently in the final stages of a new book: Robins and Chats of the World, to be published by Christopher Helm Publishing. It will contain 64 full-colour plates illustrating nearly 150 species.” – Chris Rose, Artist