NIKI SAUNDERS WILDLIFE & FINE ARTIST

Niki is self-taught and has made the CROSSHATCH technique her speciality applying ink on paper, canvas and canvas board using the Rapidograph technical pen working with a variety of cone sizes ranging from 0.18mm – 0.50mm.

She was born and brought up in Zimbabwe where she spent the greater part of her childhood on the shores of Lake Kariba in the then very wild Ume River region.

Close encounters with elephants on land and water (whilst exploring and fishing off-shore), were a daily occurence.

After a keen interest in art from childhood, she was particularly influenced by the early sketchings of the 14th century grand Masters whilst visiting museums in the United Kingdom and Italy during her late teens.  These sketchings laid the foundation for her chosen medium, and with her great technical ability and natural perception of tonal value and contrast, she has been able to perfect her own unique style for creating realism, often finished with a 3D effect.

Niki’s wildlife art has been exhibited in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Zimbabwe.  She has completed commissions for Germany and the USA and there are private collections of her work worldwide.

She works full time from her Cape Town studio.