Jacqueline Gaylard, SOFA

Born in 1972, Jacqueline A. Gaylard spent most of her childhood in a village near Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, where her passion for drawing and painting began. Following her training as a Graphic Designer, she decided to try to convert her passion for painting into a full-time career. Having successfully exhibited her paintings it was not long before she fulfilled her ambition to become a professional artist.

Jacqueline paints a wide variety of subjects, but animals are undoubtedly one of her favourites, whether wild or domestic. She has always enjoyed painting cats, and as a member of the Society of Feline Artists (S.O.F.A), she has the opportunity to explore the joys of portraying the complex feline form. Whether painting domestic animals or wildlife, Jacqueline takes great care in her research, studying the behaviour and distinctive character of the animal in question.

Jacqueline sketches from life whenever possible, to gather and focus colour, form and composition. Although, photography also plays an important role in her creative process, as her beloved subjects never seem to remain still for long. Though she occasionally works in oil or gouache, water based acrylic paint has become her primary medium, as she favours its fast drying properties. When starting a painting, Jacqueline applies layers of acrylic washes to create form and shading. She then painstakingly builds layers of paint with smaller brushstrokes to develop depth and the intricate detail that brings her paintings to life.

Today, Jacqueline lives as successful professional artist with her family in Devon, delighting in the abundance of wildlife and spectacular scenery surrounding her studio. She is a fellow member of The Wildlife Art Society International (FWASI), and has exhibited in the National Exhibition Wildlife Art (NEWA) and with the Marwell International Wildlife Art Society (MIWAS). She has also successfully shown with the Society of Wildlife Artists and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters at the Mall Galleries, London. Jacqueline’s work has also been successfully reproduced as greeting cards and calendars by companies including Hallmark and The Medici Society.