With tortoise sculptures set to appear at various locations across Jersey this summer as part of the Durrell Tortoise Takeover initiative, the artist responsible for designing the Suntera Global-sponsored tortoise, Erin Brown, gave us an insight into her approach to art and how she approached designing this unique piece of public art…

Q: How long have you been an artist? 
Erin Brown (EB): I’ve always loved drawing and after school I studied painting and drawing at university before then moving on to focus on illustration. I’ve now been working as a children’s book illustrator for the past seven years.

Q: What type of art do you make? 
EB: For my illustration work, I’m really fortunate to be able to work with wonderful authors to create illustrations for their stories and help bring them to life. I hand draw everything and then scan into my computer where I add colour. In my free time, I love working in black and white and spending hours on intricate pencil drawings. I also love coming up with my own stories for books, when I have the time.

Q: What do you most enjoy about drawing? 
EB: Anything involving animals and nature really! Trees are one of my favourite things to draw - you can get lost drawing all of the hundreds of branches and leaves, and little creatures hiding within. I think my artwork represents a playful and warm look at the natural world. I try to highlight the tiny details of things that we might miss and also the beauty of nature.

Q: Who are your biggest artistic influences? 
EB: Books that I read as a kid will always be a huge inspiration. Artists like Quentin Blake and E. H. Shepard were always my favourite. E. H. Shepard illustrated the original Winnie the Pooh books and he always had a really strong natural focus in his illustrations.

Q: What was your inspiration behind the Suntera tortoise sculpture, ‘Home, for even the smallest’? 
EB: Although it might not be entirely accurate, the very sweet notion that tortoises carry their homes on their back was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the brief. Then I began to think more about “home” as an idea. I happened to see a piece about Durrell’s conservation efforts to repopulate the Agile Frog population in Jersey. Having moved to Jersey and finding my own home here, the idea of people working hard to create a home for such tiny creatures really resonated. With the design I then tried to place the viewer inside a pond, rather than looking down into it, like we normally do. I wanted to create a cosy, safe atmosphere with lots of tiny details and charm.

Q: What were the most challenging and fun aspects of painting it? 
EB: Definitely working on such a big sculpture was the trickiest part. There was lots of stretching and crouching involved and even some painting upside down! The most fun part, though, was being in a creative space with other artists - I’m used to working on my own in my studio so it was really fun to be around other artists (and to see their amazing designs come to life too).

Q: How important is the natural world in your art?
EB: I think it’s one of the most important aspects. I find drawing the natural world really relaxing, especially when I’m drawing tiny organic details, like plants and undergrowth.

Q: What can art and wildlife learn from each other?
EB: I think that wildlife and the natural world can teach us to be less caught up in our busy day-to-day lives and be more present in the moment. Instead of worrying about all the things we have or haven’t done, it can be really beneficial to slow down a bit, like our lovely tortoises.

Q: How does Jersey’s natural landscape inspire you?
EB: Jersey is a beautiful place to live, it has such a range of landscapes in such a condensed little area. I think it would be hard not to feel inspired when walking around the island. My favourite spot is the walk from Rozel along to Bouley Bay, there are some really beautiful big oak trees along the path. 

Q: What’s your biggest artistic influence from the natural world?
EB: I think what influences me most from the natural world is how light shines through things like leaves and through water especially, it can create such a magical glow. This was something I really tried to show in my tortoise design and I’m so excited for everyone to see it!

You can go and see Erin’s work ‘Home, for even the smallest’ out in the open this summer – keep an eye on Durrell’s social media channels as the takeover unfolds!

For more information on our involvement in Tortoise Takeover, click here.

Watch Erin's Q&A Video

Visit Erin's website to view more of her beautiful artwork: https://erinbrownillo.uk/