Former Olympian turn wildlife artist Danielle Tomlinson shares her great return to painting

Danielle Tomlinson is a British contemporary wildlife artist. Before beginning a full-time career in fine art, made the finals at the nations most high profile and prestigious national competitions: the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth, and the World Trials.

Image courtesy of Danielle Tomlinson
© Danielle Tomlinson

Growing up, Danielle enjoyed sport and embarked on a swimming career whilst studying sports science at Loughborough University.  However, during the Covid 19 lockdown, graduating in the middle of a global pandemic, job opportunities were sparse so, Tomlinson decided to indulge her passion for painting – which had remained latent since childhood due to her sporting success – creating huge pieces of striking animal art, which have attracted admirers from across the world.

Danielle Tomlinson
Image courtesy of Danielle Tomlinson
© Danielle Tomlinson

I take a modern, urban approach to some very traditional subjects. Life is fun and full of excitement. I want all my paintings to stop people in their tracks and take a moment away from their screens to appreciate the wonderful world that surrounds us

In a very short space of time this journey has led to her work being flown to collectors all over the world, including the USA, Australia, France, Canada, and many countries throughout Europe. This transition from competitive swimmer to successful full-time artist Tomlinson says could be down to the determination and drive which comes with competitive sports.

The artist invested in a marketing course and within two months, she was making a full-time salary she revealed.  “You literally have the world at your fingertips”, she said…Although Tomlinson has been approached by eight different galleries, she has decided to keep control of her own marketing and representation, running her business solely through the power of social media.

Image courtesy of Danielle Tomlinson
© Danielle Tomlinson

Passionate about wildlife, Tomlinson believes that as a society we have lost touch with the natural world. This stems from her love for her childhood pets, which developed with experience as she travelled and discovered more exotic species.

Tomlinson’s intuitive paintings feature layered washes and a variety of dynamic brush strokes, creating movement, energy and life through bold acrylic and oil-based pigments. Danielle pairs a modern and contemporary approach to reflect her city upbringing into some very stereotypically traditional subjects.

©2023 Danielle Tomlinson