About Me

Wildlife, colour, character and a little bit of attitude.

I’m a self-taught Scottish artist with a lifelong fascination with animals and a love of bringing their character and personality to life through art.

I’m drawn to the details that make an animal feel alive, a look in the eyes, the tilt of a head, a flash of attitude or a moment that somehow captures their personality. My work combines this love of wildlife with bold colour, expressive mark-making and intricate detail, creating modern, contemporary pieces that celebrate the individuality of my subjects.

Acrylic and spray paint are currently my mediums of choice, allowing me to play with contrasting colours, texture and detail. I’m particularly inspired by the energy and individuality of graffiti and street artists such as ROA, DAleast, Dzia and Pipsqueak Was Here, alongside animal artists including Hua Tuan, Sara Butt, Helmut Koller and textile artist Sophie Standing. Wildlife photography is another huge source of inspiration, those fleeting, powerful and sometimes wonderfully funny moments captured in the wild often provide the spark for a new piece.

From behind the scenes to the canvas

Art has always been part of my life, although for many years I never quite followed the traditional path of becoming a full-time artist.

Instead, I built a career behind the scenes in the Events & Entertainment industry, working on major live productions and alongside an incredible mix of performers, creatives and artists. It was a world that taught me a lot about people, collaboration, problem-solving and making ambitious ideas happen, skills that now find their way into my creative practice too.

I continued creating art whenever I could, often squeezing it around a busy career. Over the last five years, however, I’ve made much more space for my own creativity and have been developing Cheryl Galbraith Art into something bigger.

Art with purpose

My love of wildlife goes beyond painting it. I’m fascinated by animal behaviour, conservation and the people working to protect the natural world, and I want that passion to become an increasingly important part of my creative journey.

Alongside my own artwork, I collaborate with other artists through Mortar Projects, an artist collective built around creativity, community and collaboration. Together, we create opportunities for artists to connect with audiences through exhibitions, workshops, murals and large-scale outdoor projects. We also run Birds Jam a community based project for women.

There’s still plenty on my artistic wish list, from exhibitions and public commissions to large-scale murals, collaborations with animal charities and projects that combine art with wildlife and conservation.

Ultimately, I want to make art that makes people stop, look twice and connect with the animal in front of them.

Wildlife has character, I just like making sure it gets noticed.