Pets are charming. The English country side is charming. Together they are

disarming, combined and in the art of Jessica Holm. Even more interesting is

that, in America, Holm is known for her quaint and pleasing images of animals

living in merrie old England, but in her home country, she is far more famous

as a television star. In fact, until recently her art had never been seen

outside her home except as illustrations on her wildlife educational television

shows.

Always the animal lover first, Holm was born in Shakespeare country—stratford

upon Avon—but grew up in London in a houseful of pets. Her devotion led to

years studying zoology at the Royal Holloway College of London University.

Little did she suspect that while working as a biotechnician at the Institute

of Terrestrial Ecology while completing her Ph.D. study on the behavior of red

squirrels, that her work would soon put her in show business. During four years

of solo fieldwork on the Isle of Wight, the venerable British Broadcasting

Company featured her squirrel studies on their popular Wildlife on One nature

program.

A star was born, helped along by her subsequent book on squirrels, as well as

many magazine articles. For years afterward, she remained a television

mainstay, hosting the BBC’s annual coverage of the Crufts Dog Show and the

national Cat Show, as well as making programs about the English countryside.

When not broadcasting, Holm has trained, worked, and shown dogs of various

breeds, including the first Italian Spinone to win gun-dog working test awards

Five Persians - Cats and Rugs by artist Jessica Holm	I Spy Summer - Jack Russell Terrier by artist Jessica Holm	Slipper Thief - Bassett Hound by artist Jessica Holm
The Sentry - Chocolate Labrador Retriever by canine aritst Jessica Holm