My name is Tamsin Ainslie and I am a visual artist. I work in illustration, painting, drawing, bookmaking, printmaking and ceramics.
I am represented by Margaret Connolly & Associates for all literary & illustration work.
I was born in the UK and grew up in Devon on a little farm and learnt to ride on our Jersey cow, Yoyo. I’d ride her from the paddock to the milking shed and she was very uncomfortable and I would often bounce off. I did eventually get a pony, and I loved her so much, she was called Araby and I used to ride her to school every morning.
Another interesting fact, is that I used to do a lot of scuba diving and was a qualified rescue diver in my 20’s, in Western Australia. I figured out how to draw underwater. I would sit for ages on the bottom of the ocean floor in my scuba gear, drawing the fish swimming around me, coral cod, wrasse, big blue groupers and the corals & nudibranchs, on perspex with a pencil.
I wasn’t really good at rescuing anyone as I was too busy drawing.
When I was little, mum would always put a pencil in my hand to draw something from life. I have vivid memories in lambing season and mum sitting me down in the straw in the stable, with a sketchbook and pencil, giving me a drawing lesson on how to draw the sheep and lamb while it was being born.
I love early morning walks on the beach, the smell of sea air, waves crashing, sunrise, my daughters, kissing horses velvety noses, coloured pyrex bowls, painting flowers, dogs, the way horses smell and watching their warm breath on cold mornings, celeriac and parsnip, honey and pistachio, chocolate, dogs in jumpers, silly dogs, jumpy dogs, naughty dogs, cuddly dogs, driftwood, cargo ships, sugar mill clouds and pink skies, sunset, the moon, star filled nights, camping in the desert, deserted beaches, finding shells, ice cream on hot days, old buildings, sheep, cows, ducks, chickens, collecting eggs, my dog, other peoples dogs, rescue dogs, working dogs, riding bareback, swimming with horses in the ocean, snails, insects, bonfires, heavy rain after a hot day, snowball fights, tiny things, road trips, reading a good book, my sister, laughing, bush walks, trees, birds, clear water, vintage book pages, drawing, circus ponies, draught horses, donkeys, gypsy caravans, coffee in the morning.
Me age four with my favourite pig Moccasadina.
