To describe Fran Knowles as a wildlife artist is not entirely correct as in reality she is very much a bird artist and a very special one at that. Herself a creature of the air, currently into gliding and previously hang gliding, Fran has a strong affinity with her subject and manages to translate the essence of her subjects onto paper.
Her work is also very special in that she only works in pencil. On first seeing the works seem very grey, as indeed they are, but the use of every grade of pencil creates an astonishing grey palette that replaces the standard colour spectrum.
This site tries to give an insight into Fran's work. There is the usual biography
and a piece about technique. In addition there a number of finished works, many
of which have been sold. Complementing these are the sketches that she draws
on location, the observations of birds that provide the markers towards the finished
work.
Fran will be in Marquee
2 - Moorland on stand number 29
at
the Scottish Bird Fair and
would be delighted to see you
Click on the above image
for further details.