Nicolas Dillon Drawn to the Wild

Nicolas Dillon Drawn to the Wild showcases the work of Nicolas Dillon, one of New Zealand's leading wildlife painters. Over the past 30 years, Dillon has built a reputation for his masterful portraits of wildlife, particularly birds. His evocative, moody paintings are deeply considered observations of nature and the environment.

At the heart of his practice is drawing in the field. Using a high-powered spotting scope, Dillon works quickly to capture the living character of the birds he observes. This book beautifully illustrates his working process by combining many drawings and watercolour sketches created directly from life, with finished paintings completed in his studio.

Nicolas Dillon is motivated by a deep yearning to connect with something beyond what he sees. As he states, "It's about an intimacy or a closeness, a feeling for nature that I am trying to put across in the paintings."

With drawings, sketches, and paintings of most of New Zealand's bird species, as well as text from the author capturing his experience of painting these birds, Nicolas Dillon Drawn to the Wild is a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to New Zealand's birdlife.