Bonny in her studio

Told she’d never be an artist, Bonny Snowdon reignited her creative spark with a Christmas colouring book, and rose from corporate burnout to become a leading pet portrait artist and mentor.

I’m Bonny Snowdon, a single mum from Yorkshire. I was told at seventeen that I wasn’t good enough to be an artist. All I’d ever wanted was to draw, but when someone in authority says you’re not talented enough, you believe them. So I packed that dream away and got on with life.

For the next thirty years, I worked full-time in the corporate world. On the outside, everything looked fine - good job, busy life - but inside, I was exhausted. I was stuck in an unhappy marriage, juggling work and family, constantly rushing, constantly proving. I’d forgotten who I was.

Then one Christmas, my daughter asked what I wanted as a gift. I didn’t know what to say. After a moment, I asked for a colouring book. I’d read about colouring for mindfulness and thought it might help with the stress. On Christmas morning, I opened her present - a little colouring book and a tin of twelve pencils from WHSmith.

After the chaos of the morning had died down, I sat at the kitchen table, opened the book, and began to colour. I couldn’t wait. It was clumsy and uneven, but I remember exactly how it felt - quiet, calm, peaceful. For the first time in years, the noise in my head stopped. It sounds dramatic, but that small, ordinary moment changed my whole world.

Community project - Zebra

From colouring to creating

Colouring quickly turned into drawing. I wanted to see if I could do more - to really draw. I started with animals because I’ve always loved them. Their eyes, their softness, the challenge of capturing their personalities - it became a gentle obsession.

I wasn’t very good at first - some of those early drawings still make me laugh - but I couldn’t stop. Every time I picked up my pencils, I felt grounded. It became my way of breathing again.

Eventually, I started sharing my drawings online. To my surprise, people were kind. They encouraged me. They asked questions. That’s when I realised there were thousands of people just like me - people who’d been told they weren’t good at art, who’d lost their confidence, and who just needed someone to remind them that creativity isn’t about perfection. It’s about connection - to the pencils, to the process, and to yourself.

Taking a leap of faith

In 2017, I took a leap of faith. I quit my corporate job and became a full-time commissioned artist. I had no idea if I could make a living from it, but I believed in myself. I’d learned a lot about marketing from my time in the corporate world, and I figured if I combined that with my determination, I could make it work.

It was scary - exhilarating, really - but it felt like the right thing to do. And it was. I began getting commissions from people all over the world. Pet portraits, mostly - each one filled with emotion and story. Ten years on, I’m still being commissioned, and I still feel that same excitement every time I start a new piece.

Rivervalley Flash Jack commission

The power of community

Towards the end of 2018, I began teaching others how to draw animals in coloured pencil. What started with a few YouTube tutorials quickly grew into a worldwide community of artists - people who draw alongside me, support one another, and celebrate every tiny success together.

Watching that community flourish has changed me as much as it’s changed them. Through this work, I’ve travelled to places I’d never dreamed of visiting, met incredible people, and built friendships that feel like family.

In 2021, I launched my online membership, Ignite, so I could teach more people than ever before. But beyond the tutorials and lessons, what makes me proudest is the transformation I see in people - that moment when they look at their drawing and realise, “I did that.”

If you're new to drawing, don't stop here! Explore our other beginner-friendly guides to learn all you need to progress and develop your drawing skills.

Fox Red Lab commission - Lovely Storm

An invitation to begin

Art gave me my life back. It helped me rediscover who I am and what really matters.

You don’t need experience. You don’t need to be “good at art.” All you need are your pencils, some paper, and a bit of curiosity. Because creativity doesn’t disappear - it just waits patiently for you to come back.

Find out more about Bonny by visiting her website. 

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