“I have always loved animals for as long as I have ever known. Being brought up as a Catholic my main question was why is God more important to love than my cat…? I came to the satisfying conclusion that I could love them both equally. Beings are born in a multitude of various body shapes, no one being greater or lesser for it, only capable of different abilities.

When I was 8 years old my cat, Black Beauty, brought in from the alleyway a flattened, dead sparrow. My mum allowed me to dig a grave and bury the sparrow in the garden. I was so upset by this. I consoled myself by drawing a picture of the sparrow and at that moment I felt calm, I carefully placed the drawing under my clothes in a drawer and felt the sparrow was safe, no longer alone and would be remembered. I believe I have the same empathy towards the animals I have drawn ever since.

Even though some people may find it uncomfortable realising that these animals are now dead, I find that spending time with them as I am drawing them is precious. I think about them as individuals, about their life, why they died and how sad that is and yet I have this opportunity to honour their life through drawing. Each one has a story about that last part of their life - crossing over into this human alien world with me and for me, how alien their world is to mine.

This cross-over time is where I can then share this moment with other humans through drawing. I hope people can experience a moment with a being that is of our world and yet separate from it. Giving us a chance to appreciate how wonderful these beings are. The memory of the dead bird captured in my drawing can remind us how fortunate we are to share a planet with these great beings and how we should take time to consider their needs as much as we do ours.”