Studio Journal Summer 2026
- Vicky Tucker
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Wildlife Artist Updates, Charity Success & Exciting Exhibition News.
Welcome to my Summer 2026 Studio Journal.
A s a North Yorkshire wildlife and pet portrait artist, I love sharing what happens behind the scenes here in the studio. From new commissions and conservation projects to studio life and exciting plans for the future, it's a chance to reflect on the past few months and thank you for being part of the journey.
I am pleased to say, after a very quiet start to the year, the studio has been wonderfully busy. Paintings have found new homes, commissions have been completed, exhibitions are taking shape and there always seems to be another exciting project on the easel. It has been one of those seasons that reminds me just how grateful I am to do what I love every single day.
Nora & Nelly - The Studio Chicks Have Flown.
Many of you have enjoyed following the adventures of my two little orphaned chicks, Nora and Nelly, who unexpectedly became honorary assistants earlier this year.
I'm delighted to say they have now flown the nest, quite literally! They are living their very best lives with a lovely neighbour who already keeps rescued chickens. They now spend their days free-ranging in a little paddock with 4 other rescue hens before settling down each evening in their cosy Eggloo house. And thankfully, they are both girls - phew.
It really is the perfect outcome. I simply didn't have the setup they deserved, but now they have everything they need to thrive. Best of all, they're only a couple of doors away so I still get to pop and say hello most days, they still love a hand-full of mealworms as a treat!
Unbridled Hope
Without doubt, one of the highlights of the past few months has been the incredible success of the Unbridled Hope auction.
Watching the support build throughout the auction was both humbling and emotional, and thanks to your generosity the painting raised an amazing £1850.00 for the Riding for the Disabled Unicorn Centre.
From the very beginning, this painting represented everything I believe in, using art with purpose to make a genuine difference. Thank you to everyone who bid, shared the auction, offered their support, have bought prints or simply spread the word. Together we achieved something very special.
The painting has gone to its forever home, but is in hiding for now, it was bought as a surprise gift for the winners partner. I can't wait to hear about the reaction from the recipient when they are gifted it later in the year.
Prints of Unbridled Hope continue to be available, with a percentage from every sale providing ongoing support for the wonderful work of the Unicorn Centre.
Paddington From Peru
Another painting that holds a very special place in my heart is Paddington From Peru.
It was wonderful to see the original painting safely arrive at its forever home with Mirelle and Paddy, a fitting celebration of an incredible rescue story that touched so many hearts.
An Ambassador Print has also been sent to the lucky winner of Mirelle's pre-order book launch competition (I bought the book and absolutely love it!), helping to spread Paddington's story even further.
Prints of Paddington From Peru continue to be available, with a percentage from every sale supporting Colitas Con Canas, the Peruvian rescue organisation that helped to give Paddy a second chance. I had a wonderful facetime with Emily, who runs the centre. I had a tour and saw some of the dogs that call it their home. Together we talked about other ideas we could put in place to raise funds for the centre. I hope to work on these in the future. Despite no print sales of Paddington's painting, I am hopeful that I can continue to raise awareness and support for the wonderful work Emily does at Colitas Con Canas.
Recent Commissions
As both a wildlife artist and pet portrait artist, every commission tells its own story.
The lovely Dixie was commissioned as a surprise birthday gift to remember a very special day. Capturing this beautiful girl, wearing her delicate floral wedding corsage, was an absolute joy. It is always so fulfilling knowing the finished painting would become such a meaningful keepsake.
Another memorable commission was Koa, the handsome beagle enjoying a day at the beach. Painted as a surprise wedding gift, Koa's portrait has now travelled to its forever home all the way to Australia.
I also had the pleasure of painting Pepper, a much-loved family dog whose portrait was also commissioned as a wedding gift. It is always such a privilege to be asked to create artwork that celebrates not only our pets, but the special place they hold within our families and life's biggest milestones.
Finally there was the the wonderfully cheeky Charlie, the Jack Russell who won the Alice House Hospice Online Dog Show portrait prize. It was such a pleasure to meet Charlie and his owner Paul when I handed over the finished painting in person. Moments like that are incredibly rewarding.
Out and About
This year has seen me attending several local craft fairs and community events. They are always a wonderful way to meet people, chat about my work and hear the stories behind the animals that inspire me so much.
One particular highlight was being invited to Bedale Primary School to talk to their year 6 pupils as part of their careers week. It was a real privilege to share my journey to becoming a full-time artist, the ups, the downs and everything in between, and to hopefully show the children that creative careers really are possible with passion, perseverance and hard work. We talked about the importance of beliveing in yourself, embracing mistakes as part of the learning process, asking for support when needed and never giving up on something you truly love. All valuable skills for any young person to take forward with whatever career path they choose. The pupils asked some fantastic questions, and it was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm, curiosity and creativity, an afternoon well spent and something I would like to roll out to more schools in the future.
A great day was had at the Hunley Hall Makers and Creators Fair in May and another memorable day was being invited to the Makers & Crafters event at Crakehall Village Church. It was a lovely community event with such a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
A truly memorable day was had at the RDA Unicorn Centre to support their fundraising event. I had a stall promoting the Unbridled Hope prints form the original painting, it was such a busy day and so lovely to chat to so many people who had followed the paintings journey and auction.
The day also included a completely unexpected little adventure! On my way to set up, I spotted a little black Pug puppy sitting alone by the busy roadside. Naturally plans changed somewhat as I stopped to pick him up, he became my unexpected studio assistant for the day, enjoying plenty of cuddles while we worked to find his family.
Thankfully, later that evening Bruce was safely reunited with his very relieved owners after escaping through an unknown hole in their garden fence. I am so thankful this story had a happy ending for Bruce. Not quite so happy an ending for me as he would have made a perfect addition to the studio.
Studio Life
No studio journal would be complete without an update on Dell.
She remains as enthusiastic as ever about coming to work with me each morning, as soon as she hears me pick up the keys she is raring to go. Most days you'll find her sitting proudly in her favourite spot outside the studio, carrying out what I like to call "cow duty". From there she has perfect view across the stream to the cows grazing in the field, where they had better stay in her opinion.
Every now and then she'll wander into the studio for a fuss, lean in for a cuddle or politely remind me that it might be time for a treat.
Once the sun moves around and the garden loses shade, Dell reluctantly heads back up to the house where its much cooler in the afternoon. I have had to invest in a mini air-con unit for these much hotter days in the studio - it works a treat.
I continue to count myself incredibly lucky to work from my garden studio, provided for me with help from the North Yorkshire Council UK SPF Small business grant and my lovely family. Surrounded by nature, it provides constant inspiration, and as the day draws to a close one of my favourite sights is watching the barn owls silently hunting in the fields opposite, sometimes with a small glass of something nice in hand. Those peaceful evenings are a wonderful reminder of why I paint wildlife and why protecting special places to support nature means so much to me.
A Little Studio Update
If you've noticed I've been a bit quieter on social media lately, thank you for bearing with me.
The past few months have brought some personal health challenges, which I'm dealing with head-on. As a result, I've had to be a little more selective about where I put my time and energy.
Although I've shared less online, I have been quietly working away behind the scenes, painting, planning and developing some exciting projects for the future. Sometimes stepping back from social media allows me to step further into the creative process, and I can't wait to share what I've been working on.
Looking Ahead
Finally, I have some exciting news.
I'm absolutely delighted that my application to exhibit at The Station in Richmond as been accepted.
My exhibition, The Last Showdown, will run on the Mezzanine Gallery from 3rd - 16th June 2027.
This promises to be my most ambitious exhibition to date, featuring a collection of large-scale wildlife paintings exploring the strength, vulnerability and resilience of the natural world. It is a project that has been quietly taking shapes behind the scenes, and I'm incredibly excited to begin sharing more over the coming months.
Thank You
Before I sign off, I'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who reached out to me following my last Studio Journal and blog.
Your messages, encouragement, purchases and support have helped me continue doing what I love during what were a challenging few months. Knowing that so many of you believe in my artwork and the conservation causes behind it has been incredibly humbling and uplifting.
Whether you've purchased an original painting, a print, commissioned a portrait, visited me at an event, shared my work, bought me a coffee, or simply followed my journey, thank you. Every act of support helps me continue creating Art with Purpose, using creativity to celebrate wildlife, raise awareness and support causes that matter.
Thank you, as always, for being part of this journey.
Until next time.
Vicky & Dell
x
As always your dedication and commitment shines through all you do Vicky. Looking forward to seeing your new projects and collaborations.
Well done x