Wildlife Art by Australian Artist Peter Brown.

As a small boy growing up in north-eastern England, I had little direct contact with animals other than the family dog. My surroundings were about as far removed from the African plains I read about as could be imagined. Despite this, and for reasons long since forgotten, I developed an intense interest in wildlife and spent countless hours amusing myself with an ever-growing collection of plastic animals - the closest I could get to the real thing. As a six or seven year old, I recall scouring the toy shops with my mother during a safari to Grimsby in the hunt for new species. Perhaps not surprisingly, I was met with blank stares (by all but one shopkeeper!) when I asked whether they had any okapi in stock.

The other animal-related interest from my boyhood was in the weekly "Animals" magazine which I collected religiously up until the time I moved to Australia with my family. As evidence of how much I treasured these magazines, I still have all those I collected - including a tattered Volume 1 Number 1 from 1963. It was many years later as a young man that I took my first faltering steps in wildlife art, copying as best I could some of the impressive photographs I found within the pages of those magazines.

In the early nineties, fed up with the nine-to-five grind of an unrewarding job, I attempted to pursue art more seriously, however, I quickly became disillusioned with the art and design certificate course I began. I was fortunate to find Peter Scott, a Perth-based artist at the time who encouraged me to develop my emerging personal style - a refreshing change from the overly restrictive mindset at the night classes I'd attended. With a young family to support, however, I left art behind again for more lucrative pursuits but, years later, I still give Peter the credit for granting me permission to be myself in artistic terms.

With a lifelong love of art and animals, it's perhaps surprising that it's taken me so long to combine the two interests with any serious intent. With children now self-sufficient, and with the love and support of my partner Sandi, I find myself more focussed than ever before as I strive to create the paintings and drawings my imagination continually presents me with. My catalogue is sparse, but I'm working hard and adding to it slowly but surely. I hope you'll check back often to see how I'm progressing.

In the meantime, please visit my blog to see what I'm currently working on.

Best wishes
Pete