Growing up surrounded by the wildlife of rural Devon, Annie Drew developed an instinctive bond with the natural world long before she called herself an artist. Today, that connection sits at the heart of her work - paintings that feel both intimate and powerful, where every detail serves a greater sense of presence. Working primarily from photography but guided by intuition, she captures animals not in action, but in a fleeting pause, a moment of awareness that invites the viewer in. In this interview, she reflects on her process, the balance between artistic passion and practicality, and why realism, for her, is less about perfection and more about truth
What first drew you to painting animals, and how has that interest evolved over the course of your artistic career?
I…