Olivia Willoughby Artist

Artist Bio: Olivia Willoughby

"I am a self taught artist, working predominantly in oils and soft pastels. Beauty is and always has been very important to me. My inspiration comes from an ever increasing awe for the wonders of the natural world and love for the beauty of the animal kingdom. I love to share this passion through my art. Animals to me embody some of the best and more rare qualities of being; freedom, power, grace, wisdom, courage, mystery, beauty, purity. I hope to capture some of these powerful and universal ideals in my art."

"I do believe art is a spiritual distillation of life. I hope to create something that can be a source of joy but also perhaps have an element of mystery. Those things that go beyond words and which art manages to communicate."

Olivia has undertaken many commissions for clients all over the world, and now has collectors in Japan, USA, Australia, Belgium, France, Spain and Kurdistan. Her distinctive paintings have caught the eye of the press and have been featured widely in publications ranging from the highly regarded American Art Collector, newspapers to glossy magazines such as Artit Art and Design Magazine and the Art Edition of House and Garden Magazine.

Olivia lives and works from her home in rural Dorset, along with her son Isaac, two Blue Merle Collie dogs, Leo and Blue, her cat Willow and four happy hens. She has always had a strong relationship with animals and feels blessed to combine her love of animals and art in her work.

With a style rooted in both traditional tenets and contemporary interpretation, Olivia is often described as a realist, demonstrating a close attention to detail. She harnesses those magical qualities unique to her medium of oils which bestow a luminous and living quality on each piece. There is always atmosphere, a strong sense of three dimensional space, and an expressive vitality to each painting; these elements combine to create a sense of a whole living and breathing world in one canvas.

Music legend Lee 'Scratch' Perry (musical producer for Bob Marley, singer songwriter and inventor of dub music ) described her as a "super talented artist. Nothing can dim the light that shines from inside a woman of great overstanding and of generous heart!"

Angie Everhart (90s supermodel and actress) :

"I think your work is truly inspiring! I'm such a fan of your work - it's absolutely gorgeous."

Robert Lipscombe, multi published novelist, including The Salamander Tree, playwright and commentator:

"She sees the soul of an animal and shows it to us."

Her painting, 'Lionheart', was used as the cover for 'A Covenant Vessel', book four of the Vessels Series by the author Gina Renee Freitag.

Olivia's work has been featured in the May 2023 edition of American Art Collector magazine. In the Collectors focus on animal portraiture through the ages. A highlight of her career so far.

'Son of Thunder', oil painting of a Jaguar, won the People's Choice award in 2022, whilst being exhibited in the art gallery, Art Unlimited, in Bridport, Dorset.

'Emerald', oil painting of a Leopard, won the People's Choice Award in 2023, whilst being exhibited in Sherborne Art Exhibition, Dorset, with over 400 paintings exhibited.

She is passionate about Big Cat conservation and uses her art to oppose trophy hunting and to increase awareness of the fragility of the world's endangered species. She works with Invicta, a non profit conservation charity supporting Wildlife in South Africa and Kenya. As one of the artists contributing their artwork to Invicta's Africa Wildlife Art, so far she has donated over £1000 through the sale of her artwork. Invicta supports vital projects, including the Tsavo Trust, Local Ocean Conservation and The Wildlife ACT.