About
The Artist - Sophie Parkhill
SP Wildlife Art is nestled in Prestatyn, between the mountains and the coastline of North Wales. Sophie uses pencils and paint brushes to create hand-painted wildlife art and animal portraits, celebrating the incredible beauty of our planets creatures, big or small!
Whilst Sophie's collections feature an exciting variety of species, her heart truly beats for protecting our planet's endangered animals. In her unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation, Sophie has been actively supporting programs both in the UK and overseas by generously donating a portion of her original art sales.
By choosing to invest in an SP Wildlife Art Original, Sophie's collectors not only acquire a breath-taking piece but feel a sense of pride in contributing directly to the protection of the species depicted, making a positive impact with every purchase!
Collections
Sophie works on her original hand-painted wildlife art at her home studio in Prestatyn, North Wales. They're available on the website with a collection available all year round at the stunning Artworks2Celf Gallery in Betws-Y-Coed, North Wales as well as a small selection which is exhibited on a monthly rotating bases at Bay Gallery in Colwyn Bay.
Many of her paintings and drawings now reside in private collection across the UK, Australia and USA.
Additionally, please see the Exhibitions & Events page to find out which UK wide exhibitions you can find Sophie's work in this year, including places like Exhibition Wildlife Art, Southern Nature Art and more!
Awards and Recognitions
Despite being early in her career, Sophie already boasts over 30 awards for her artworks and has been involved in many exhibitions which feature some of the leading realistic animal paintings in the UK. Some of her awards and recognitions include:
Highly Commended in the 2025 TWASI - Nature In Art
2nd Place in the Pastel 100 Wildlife Category 2024
Inaugural Chairperson's Award 2023 from the Association of Animal Artists
Best In Show for 2022 and 2023 from the Association of Animal Artists
2nd Place in The Pastel 100, The Pastel Journal 2024
Best of 2023 from The Pastel Guild of Europe
She has exhibited at prestigious venues such as the London Mall Galleries, Gallery@Oxo Tower Wharf, Espacio Gallery, Rose Paterson Gallery, Exhibition Wildlife Art, Nature in Art, and the Manchester Art Fair, among others.
Additionally, Sophie has been featured in two books and several magazines.
Supporting the art community
Sophie dedicates a significant amount of her time to support her fellow art friends and members of the Association of Animal Artists through her role as Secretary of the AAA.
She takes great pride in being part of the core committee, contributing to the smooth operation of exhibitions and events, and assisting with any member enquiries.
Additionally, Sophie is a proud member of ARTNorthWales (ANW), The Pastel Guild of Europe (PGE) and The Wildlife Art Society International (TWASI)
Supporting Conservation
Sophie is passionate about wildlife and uses her artistic talents to contribute to conservation efforts. In 2017, she volunteered at the Wildlife Friends Foundation in Thailand, caring for rescued Asian Elephants, Macaques, Bears, Iguanas, Gibbons, and much more.
The rescue center has since expanded to include a large semi-wild facility for tigers and leopards, rescuing big cats from illegal farms and tourist traps throughout Thailand. Sophie continues to support the rescue centre, through donations from her original big cat artworks. Additionally, Sophie supports initiatives in the UK and Africa each year through the yearly AAA Charity Partnerships, Explorers against Extinctions annual Sketch For Survival, and Tusk Trust (UK base for Tsavo Trust)
Wildlife Photography
Outside of her studio, Sophie has a growing passion for wildlife photography.
Through her sales in 2024, Sophie was able to invest in an improved camera and long lens, and has been enjoying the past year being able to expand her horizons when it comes to photographing wildlife.
Many of her paintings are now based on her own reference images, which makes it all the more exciting!
In the future, Sophie is looking into offering her own reference photo packages, for beginner and amateur wildlife artists to be able to have a budget friendly option!
Sophie has worked on Pet Portrait commissions since her young teens and is always happy to accept new commissions which are spaced between her busy schedule of exhibitions. If you're looking for a realistic pet portrait in North Wales, look no further than multi-award winning Sophie Parkhill. Sophie's Pet Portrait's have won multiple awards and have been featured in several major publications including IAPS The Globe, a magazine which shares the best selection of pastel artist's worldwide.
Sophie also offers free photography sessions to those located in North Wales in order to capture the very best reference image for your Pet Portrait painting. Sophie's portraits are not just a painting of your loved one, but a true reflection of their individual character!