This winter’s exhibition at The Scottish Ornithologists Club in Aberlady, East Lothian, features Darren Woodhead‘s new watercolours, inspired by the abundant wildlife around his East Lothian home, and on short ventures away. Working in watercolour, outside and from direct observation, Darren has become familiar with his environment and his craft for nearly 30 years, producing a distillation of his knowledge as artist and naturalist.

Born in West Yorkshire in 1971, and a graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, Darren settled in Scotland in 1996, since when he has worked as a freelance artist, and passionate about his medium of watercolour and the urgent need for conservation. He has appeared on BBCtv’s Springwatch, demonstrating his painting technique, and was ‘artist in residence’ in subsequent Autumnwatch and Winterwatch programmes, as well as appearing in BBC Scotland’s Landward. He leads the Seabird Drawing Course, based in East Lothian – a unique development course for artists specialising in wildlife art, founded by the late John Busby.

*The SOC is a charity promoting the study, protection and enjoyment of wild birds in Scotland.