About Melanie Phillips – Pet Portrait Artist
Welcome to my about me page. As you probably know from looking around our website, my name is Melanie and I am a pet portrait artist.
I met Nicholas at art college over 28 years ago, and after spending a few years doing a variety of illustration jobs with London-based publishers, we decided to set up on our own....and here we are today.
Melanie and Lily
Every business is unique, and we don’t know of another husband-and-wife artist team quite like us! It’s taken years of dedication, practice, and perseverance to build a successful pet portrait business, and we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved.
The photo here shows me with our Tibetan Terrier, Lily, in our little Welsh cottage.
A Country Childhood
I grew up on a smallholding in Wales, surrounded by animals - chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, geese, a goat, pigs, piglets, cows, calves, sheep, and lambs. They all had names, they were my best pals, and I was in my element. With 15 acres to roam, I spent my days building camps and damming the stream to make ponds for the ducks. It was a fantastic childhood!
We still live in Wales, not far from where I grew up. Our garden is a slice of heaven, and we try to improve it every year. The sunflower in the photo was a gift from our neighbor, and it grew absolutely enormous!
Our Little Welsh Cottage
Nicholas and I live in a little Welsh cottage in the heart of the countryside, and we absolutely love it here. The photo was taken in our living room at Christmas 2021 — warm, peaceful, and full of character.
We have renovated the cottage to bring back its natural charm, and we enjoy every minute of life in this special place.
Working with the London Art College
This photo was taken in our living room, tucked into the little alcove. If you look closely, you can see the beams and woodwork reflected in the mirror behind me. I’d set up the shot for an art challenge I was running for our students at the London Art College.
I’ve worked with the college for many years — writing, teaching, and now helping with the website and blog. Although our own business keeps me busy, I still love being part of the team and connecting with the students. It's a real privilege.
Favorite Walks – Bosherston Lakes
One of our favorite places to visit is Bosherston Lakes in Pembrokeshire. It’s about an hour’s drive from home, but it’s always worth the trip, especially in the summer. The photo below was taken on one of the little footpaths winding around the ponds, with Lily in tow as always!
It’s a peaceful, beautiful spot, perfect for recharging and enjoying nature — something we never take for granted.
Boardwalk Adventures at Tregaron
Another favorite place we visit often is the Tregaron wildlife boardwalk. It’s a lovely, peaceful walk with a bird hide partway along, though Lily doesn’t have much patience for birdwatching, so we rarely stay inside for long!
It’s a beautiful spot to stretch our legs and enjoy the Welsh countryside together.
Beach Walks and Sea Air
Like most dogs, Lily absolutely loves the beach, and we are lucky to have some of the most beautiful stretches of coastline right here in West Wales. There are countless walks, trails, and stunning views to enjoy all year round.
This photo was taken on a fairly sunny day mid-winter and out of season — hence the woolly hat!
Life Close to Home
We love to get out and about with Lily, and this photo was taken on a little walk up our lane near home. We are lucky to have a fairly large garden too; it’s my haven, especially in the warmer months.
Take a look at our studio and garden page to see more of where we work and relax.
Running and the Great Outdoors
One of my favorite hobbies is running. When I can, I head out with friends for local runs along the lanes and roads, and I also love getting out into the countryside with Nicholas. The photo below shows Lily and me on the coast near Stackpole in Pembrokeshire — one of our favorite spots to explore.
It’s the perfect way to clear the mind and take in the beauty of the Welsh landscape.
Trail Running with Lily
I really enjoy running, and when I can, I head out for trail runs too. This photo was taken a few years ago on a woodland path here in West Wales. Lily loves the trails; she gets absolutely filthy, splashing through puddles and streams with a huge grin on her face.
I don’t take her running these days as she’s getting older and prefers to sniff everything in sight! Instead, we enjoy our daily walks up the lane, which suits us both just fine.
An Unexpected Evening Moment
The evening sky is often absolutely stunning, and I happened to step outside just in time to catch it. It was a total fluke; I hadn’t expected it to be nearly that good. Sometimes the best shots are the ones you don’t plan for.
That’s one of the things I love about life here; you are always just a few steps away from something beautiful.
The Beauty of Morning Light
You can’t beat early morning light for photography. It brings out warmer, richer tones and a brighter kind of sunrise. That soft glow is hard to replicate. In winter, we tend to get more of the vivid red skies, which are dramatic in a different way.
Both have their magic; it just depends on the season and how early you are willing to get out of bed!
Capturing the Landscape
I thought I’d include a couple of landscape photos, as I really enjoy photography when I’m out and about. I use either my iPhone 13 Pro Max or our Canon EOS RP camera that we normally use for photographing our artwork. It’s nice to grab a few shots just for the joy of it.
There’s so much beauty in the everyday, especially when you take the time to really look.
Skies, Clouds, and the Unexpected
Some of my favorite things to photograph are skies and clouds, and I’m drawn to macro shots of plants and foliage too. These two photos were taken early one morning when the light and clouds were just right. The rainbow appeared completely by chance along our lane; we were in exactly the right place at the right time.
It’s moments like these that remind me why I always carry a camera.
Clouds and Calm
This is one of my favorite cloud photos. The light was just right, soft, layered, and peaceful. I never quite know what I’ll capture when I step outside with my camera, but mornings like this are always worth it. There’s something calming about watching the sky change, even if just for a few minutes.
A reminder to pause, breathe, and appreciate the quiet moments.
Thank You for Visiting
I hope you have enjoyed seeing a few of my photos and reading a little about me, Lily, and my life here in Wales. If you would like me to draw a portrait for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch — I’d love to hear from you and learn all about your pet.
Feel free to email me any time — I’m always happy to chat.
