AN artist who specialises in pet portraits has been commissioned to undertake a sold-out workshop tour of America.

Graphic design graduate Lisa Ann Watkins from Ruardean only started drawing again five years ago after a 20-year career in the costume and bridal industry.

But this year she has been selected as a finalist in the Gloucestershire Creative Woman of the Year category and is set to tour the States in September after racking up “25,000 social media followers” for her work.

Lisa, whose award-winning Hee Haw picture of a donkey hangs above the fireplace at the Miners pub in Sling, said: “I was invited by Ann Kullberg, who is basically the Godfather (or mother), of the coloured pencil world. She selects artists to work with to create books and dvds, and once a year picks an artist to tour the US.

“I couldn’t believe that of all of the hugely talented artists that she had to choose from she asked me.

“I was also really nervous that no one would sign up, but the Dallas workshop sold out within 48 hours and the Seattle and South Carolina ones in just over a week. 

“I will be teaching almost 90 artists whilst there and am already booked to return under my own steam next year.”

She said she took up her coloured pencils again in 2012 and quickly won two competitions with Colored Pencil magazine, which boosted her confidence.

She then used her artwork to raise funds for the Snow Leopard Trust, and became an Artist Partner for them.

Lisa added that she has sold out several workshops in the UK this year, and licensed images of some of her work to a cross-stitch company in Australia while also developing a line of her own merchandise featuring her images.

She has also been invited to be a brand ambassador for graphic arts supplier Faber Castell to demonstrate their products on television craft shopping channel Hoch­anda, with her first live show scheduled for August 14, she said.

“In the meantime I am busy organising live-stream webinars to teach my followers around the globe. I am hoping that perhaps a workshop tour of Australia might become a reality too now if I can attract a sponsor,” she added.

“Alongside this I have had a front page cover and features in an Australian magazine over the last two months, and the pet portrait commission diary is full for six months.

“I am exhibiting at Nature in Art [at Wallsworth Hall near Gloucester] as part of the Wildlife Art Society International exhibition and my work can be found all year round as part of the West Gloucestershire Arts Society exhibitions.

“It is all very exciting and I would never have believed this could have happened in such a short space of time. I only picked up a pencil and started drawing again in 2012 after a 20-year break.”

See Lisa’s website at www.animalartbylaw.co.uk