‘Formidable Beauty’ shines in London wildlife exhibition
HAVING rediscovered her creativity, a Cheltenham mum’s portrait of a rhino is being exhibited at a national exhibition at the OXO Tower in London.
Jo Powell’s graphite sketch, Formidable Beauty, is now one of 100 finalists selected from 3000 artists worldwide aged from two to 90 in the Sketch for Survival exhibition.
The mum of two’s work is being exhibited alongside those donated by leading wildlife artists and celebrity supporters, including charity patron Sir Ranulph Fiennes, before being sold via online auction on November 20, with all proceeds supporting the charity’s projects.
Now in its sixth year, the initiative is the idea of Explorers Against Extinction, a conservation charity based in Norfolk which works to recover key species and restore ecosystems.
Despite completing her art foundation course after leaving school, Jo hadn’t picked up a pencil for 20 years until five years ago. She eventually gave up her second job as a dance fitness instructor to devote more time to her art, launching her Wildlife Collection in January 2021.
“I love wildlife, and there is so much we can learn from the beauty in nature, which is often overlooked.” said Jo. “I love the delicacy of working with graphite, and how you can achieve intricate details and depths of layers.”
Jo, who has worked in both marketing and design at University of Gloucestershire since 2008, is now creating prints and original artworks, and she also takes commissions.
“This is my third year entering this competition,” she added, “and I was highly commended for my work, Reflection, in 2021. I still can’t believe that I am part of this event, and it really means so much to me.”