Press and awards

Charity and conservation

A huge part of my art business is donating a portion of my wildlife art sales to charity. This goes towards adopting endangered animals and conservation projects worldwide.

Tree plant pledge
During March 2025 I entered a new partnership with Atlas Project, whereby I’ve pledged to plant 1 tree per original artwork that I sell. You can see a live count of trees planted and their location by clicking the tree logo below. I’m very excited about this collaboration as I’m always looking for ways I can increase the positive impact my business has on the environment. You can read more about my other sustainability efforts by clicking here.

Logo of a tree with green leaves and a twisted brown trunk, with a person at the base, emphasizing growth and nature.

Pangolin adoption
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (November 2024 - present).

Certificate of adoption for a pangolin from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. The certificate is issued to Jennifer Staines Art for adopting a marimba pangolin for one year, dated November 16, 2022. The certificate features a circular image of a pangolin and green leaves in the background.

Orangutan adoption
World Wildlife Fund
(2023 - present).

Certificate of appreciation from WWF featuring an image of a mother orangutan with her baby, thanking Jennifer Starnes Art for supporting orangutan conservation.

Oak tree planted
Colour Pencil Shop/ The Future Forest Company collaboration (November 2024).

Certificate awarded to Jennifer Starnes Art from The Colour Pail Shop, recognizing her contribution to rewilding a part of the UK in Stirling, Scotland, featuring a photo of a small sapling planted in the wild.

Press

BBC Radio Berkshire
Live interview with Kirsten O’Brien (16th April 2025, 10:12 am).

I join Kirsten O’Brien live on BBC Radio to discuss the drawing that inspired my pet portrait business, the weirdest animal I’ve drawn and to do a live drawing demo of Kirsten’s bearded dragon!

Two women sitting in a radio station studio with professional broadcasting equipment, computers, and microphones. One woman in a pink sweater is smiling behind a microphone, and the other woman in a pink plaid shirt is smiling at the camera. A framed artwork of a dog's face is on the desk.

Reading Today
Article feature (April 2025).

Excerpt:

Reading-based artist Jennifer Starnes shortlisted for regional start-up business award

“A READING-BASED artist has been shortlisted for the regional final of an award series which champions start-up businesses.

Visual artist Jennifer Starnes creates visual art and specialises in hand-produced portraits of animals…”

Young woman standing inside a room with a large lion painting on the wall behind her, wearing a purple plaid shirt and black pants.

UK News Group
Article feature (January 2025).

Excerpt:

Award winning artist captures the essence of pets and wildlife in stunning portraits

“Berkshire-based artist Jennifer Starnes is celebrating three years of being a full-time artist…”

An artist sitting at her desk in a cozy art studio, working on a realistic pencil drawing of a fluffy dog. Behind her are colorful paintings of wild cats and dogs on easels, along with shelves displaying art supplies, framed certificates, and an award for her artwork.

ART ETC.
Magazine interview (October 2024).

Excerpt:

Animal life in Paint: Jennifer Starnes' Pet Portraits and Wildlife Art

“Growing up in Reading, Jennifer was often told by her art teacher that she had a natural artistic flair. The city of London itself also, though rather surprisingly given the nature themes within her works, continues to be an inspiration for her art...”

Young woman with long brown hair sitting and smiling, holding open a magazine featuring a painted lion picture and an interview article. Shelves behind her contain various paintbrushes, certificates, and framed awards.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a black and blue checkered shirt holding a magazine titled 'ART ETC.' featuring a painting of a large monkey holding a smaller monkey. The magazine cover includes smaller images and text about technology and art topics.

UK News Group
Article feature (March 2024).

Excerpt:

Award winning young artist raises money to save endangered animals

“Berkshire-based artist Jennifer Starnes uses her awe-inspiring artwork to raise money for endangered animals.”

Two women painting realistic portraits of gorillas in an art studio. The left woman holds a completed painting of a gorilla's face, and the right woman is painting a gorilla with a baby. A sign on the wall promotes the 'Explorers Against Extinction' art exhibition collection in 2022.

Honey’s
‘The Alternative Dog’ magazine (Autumn 2023).

Excerpt:

New artist on the block

“Looking for someone to draw or paint your cat or dog? We are happy to recommend Jennifer Starnes, a young artist who has been recommended to us by several Honey’s customers.”

Close-up of a dog holding a flyer advertising new artists for pet illustrations, with detailed drawings of a cat and a dog.
My Dog Star reading the magazine article

Awards

Regional finalist for South East Startup Awards 2025
(March 2025)

I’m proud to have been shortlisted to represent South-East England for Creative StartUp of the Year Award 2025’.

Award certificate for Jennifer Starnes Art, recognizing her as a 2025 South East StartUp Awards Shortlist for Creative StartUp of the Year, with colorful graphic design and event branding elements.

King’s Trust supported business
(August 2024)

I’m happy to announce that I’m officially a supported business of The King’s Trust after graduating from the Enterprise program.

Text reading 'Started with support from THE KING'S TRUST' on a white background with gray feather-like design.

Explorers against extinction
‘Sketch for Survival’

2023 - semi finalist
2022 - finalist

I’m honoured to support the ‘Sketch for Survival’ initiative for two consecutive years, being awarded a semi finalist and finalist out of 4,000+ global entries.

The initiative aims to raise awareness for endangered animals by auctioning artwork with the proceeds going to support conservation projects worldwide.

Logo for 'Explorers Against Extinction' supporting frontline conservation, featuring three elephants, one black, one gray, and one red, with the text 'Sketch for Survival 2023'.
Poster for Explorers Against Extinction, Finalist, Sketch for Survival 2022 Exhibition Collection, art supporting frontline conservation, features the silhouettes of three elephants, one in red next to two in black.
Colored pencil drawing of a gorilla with detailed fur, face, and expressive eyes, against a background of green and orange hues.
A woman with long brown hair holding a painting of a mother and baby monkey against a pink flowering bush and blue sky.

Exhibition
2022: ’Sketch for Survival’, London, UK.

My orangutan drawing ‘Hope’ was a finalist in the ‘sketch for survival’ collection and was on display throughout an exhibition tour across the UK.

The original drawing was then auctioned online, raising £380 for charity.

A detailed digital painting of an ape, possibly a gorilla, with a realistic texture and expressive eyes. The artwork emphasizes the ape's facial features and fur, with a focus on the face and upper head.
A woman standing in front of a wall with framed wildlife and nature artwork, including illustrations of a cheetah, a lynx, a tiger, a snake skeleton, a bird in a nest, a gorilla, and a horse.

Theo Paphitis ‘Small Business Sunday’
2023 - winner

My art business was awarded as a ‘Small Business Sunday’ winner.

It was inspiring to meet Theo and receive my certificate at an event in Birmingham in February 2023.

A young woman holding a certificate standing next to an older man in a suit at an award event, with a backdrop featuring logos of multiple sponsors and organizations.

BA Art and Psychology degree
University of Reading
(2020)