An artist born and raised near Bridport has just completed a huge wildlife art project at London Zoo.
Jane Laurie is an artist and environmentalist specialising in conservation and wildlife art. Originally from Salway Ash, she has a passion for painting wildlife and this has led to her biggest commission yet, painting a mural on the world’s first public aquarium at London Zoo.
The mural features 19 endangered animals including a Sumatran tiger, Humboldt penguins and an electric blue gecko painted onto the building which was constructed in 1853 and nicknamed 'the fish house'.
Jane, better known by her artist name Jane Mutiny, said: "The mural at London Zoo was my biggest piece yet by far, an entire building, it was really an enormous challenge physically, emotionally and mentally.
"It was such a big, complicated project and not something the zoo has ever done before, so I was sort of the guinea pig for it."
She added: "The idea was to highlight some of the amazing species the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) are committed to saving from extinction - every species in my mural is endangered, from Sumatran Tigers and Western Lowland Gorillas to Partula Snails and Bali starlings - all are being championed by the charity."
Jane, 37, attended Beaminster School where her favourite subject was art. She then went to Falmouth College of Arts in 2007 where she graduated with a degree in illustration.
Jane's passion for endangered wildlife and conservation began in 2011 when she saw a wild tiger in India. But it was only later in 2014 that she completed her first wildlife mural of 'Burt the pheasant' at her friend Alice Blogg's studio in Nettlecombe for Dorset Art Weeks.
Since then she has completed dozens of murals across the UK and America, including two for the Dorset Wildlife Trust currently displayed at Kimmeridge Bay.
The London Zoo piece was commissioned by ZSL in 2020. The project was put on hold until this year because of Covid and was completed between June and July of this year.
Jane, who is based in London, said: "ZSL are such an amazing charity, and I was honoured to work with them, especially because of the efforts they go to conserve wildlife and their work highlighting endangerment and extinction."
You can learn more and see more of her work on her website: www.janemutiny.com
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