About the Artist
Cornish wildlife artist Jon Tremaine was born in Truro, United Kingdom, and from a young age would spend time in his local woods collecting fungi, exploring streams and spotting wildlife. Jon exhibited his wildlife art for the first time in 2008 and has since become well known by nature lovers, art collectors, schools and colleges throughout the UK and Internationally.
Students study Jon’s art as part of their educational course work, he also works with local Primary schools to further their interest in art and nature. He can usually be found engrossed in his latest drawing at his working artist studio and gallery in Lelant near St Ives, Cornwall.
Jon creates his wildlife art using a Rotring pen drawing directly on to Schoellershammer art board. This pen has the finest 0.10mm nib affording him to draw with great precision. His pen and ink wildlife drawings are a labour of love, taking up to two hundred and eighty hours to create.
Jon says: “Animals are amazing; I’m in awe of how they fend for themselves and adapt to their environment.” For him, interpreting their shapes and weaving them together to create these fascinating drawings is the challenge. “A lot of thought has to go in to deciding how the fauna and flora will merge and how to add structure within the bigger picture. It takes time and cunning to consider how each component part of the drawing will relate to another in terms of shape, tone and form”. Whilst the wildlife images come from Jon’s observations, photographs and reference books, the flora detailing can sometimes be Jon’s artistic interpretation drawn from his experiences, imagination and joy gained from his walks in nature.
Jon’s work has been featured in many regional and international magazines. Closer to home he is a keen business supporter of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and RSPB. Jon’s children are both in the creative industry, Matthew a freelance designer and Jessica a fashion designer, ceramicist who also runs a social social initiative dedicated to exploring how the natural world can enrich, educate and bring together communities.
Cornish Language: Artydh kernewek Jon Tremaine a wra art pluven hag ynk kesunys marthys hag yw dres styryans. Y dhelinyansow yw kesunses a imajys, godhvewnans ha plansow keswiys ow keworra rin dhe’n eghen art teg ma.
Translation: Cornish artist Jon Tremaine creates amazing pen and ink composite art that defies definition. His drawings are an amalgam of images, wildlife and flora entwine adding intrigue to this beautiful art form.