Growing up at an animal rescue, Leah Gardner was surrounded by all kinds of furry and feathered friends. From cats and dogs to horses and donkeys, she learned to love and care for them, and also to draw them. Her mother encouraged her artistic talent by playing with clay and moulding animals with her.

In her teens, she moved to Arizona, where she discovered the wonders of the desert wildlife. She volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation centre, where she got to know the playful personalities of raccoons and skunks. Drawing was her way of relaxing and expressing her thoughts and ideas.

Years later, when the covid pandemic hit, she lost her job as a dog agility trainer. She turned to drawing as a way of coping with her worries and finding a new focus. She researched papers, pencils, and techniques, and improved her skills and style.

Her personal work features urban wildlife, often with words that have a strong meaning for her. She uses realistic colours and textures to capture the beauty and character of her subjects.

In just three years, she has achieved remarkable success as an artist winning Pet Portrait Artists of the year in 2021. She was a finalist in the Sketch for Survival Wildlife competition, organized by Explorers Against Extinction and donated her original artwork ‘Down but not out’ for the Sketch for Survival auction winning the ‘People’s Choice Award’. This is a colourful portrait of an African Wild Dog, one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Despite facing many threats, such as habitat loss, disease, and poaching, these amazing animals are just not giving up.

She says she is loving the journey her art is taking her on, and she is grateful to the thousands of animals that have inspired her along the way.