Quiet wildlife and abstract art, made by hand.

Watercolour animal and bird painting with simple symbolic shapes
Watercolour Paintings

Watercolour paintings that focus on animals and birds. They’re fairly realistic, but often with simple symbolic shapes or mandala-like forms to add another layer.

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Loose expressive animal painting focused on movement and flow
Expressive Paintings & Illustrations

Looser animal paintings, which are less concerned with accuracy and more interested in movement, flow, and how the creature feels.

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About the work

I paint animals and birds in watercolour, guided by close observation and a quieter sense of story. The aim is simple, to make work that feels calm, honest, and alive.

Stephen Holder artist portrait

Rooted in Nature, Shaped by Meaning

I grew up in South Africa, where nature was always close at hand. Being around wildlife, wide landscapes, and open skies shaped the way I look at the natural world and still influences how I work today.

My paintings focus on animals and birds, mostly in watercolour. Some are based closely on what I observe, while others are more symbolic, using pattern, repetition, and simplified forms to explore mood and character rather than strict realism.

I am drawn to making work that feels calm and considered. Painting is a way for me to slow down and pay attention, letting the meaning of a piece develop naturally as I work, rather than trying to impose it from the start.