“Forest Whispers” — The Endangered Pine Marten
Original Oil Pastel by Ms Bella St John.
With its soulful eyes and delicate presence, the pine marten is one of Britain’s most elusive and endangered creatures. Once widespread, it is now found in only the most remote woodlands – particularly in Scotland – its numbers dwindled by centuries of habitat loss and persecution.
This oil pastel portrait captures a rare moment of stillness, as if the pine marten has paused to meet our gaze and remind us of the fragile beauty that still lingers in the wild. The gentle layering of strokes gives life to the animal’s soft fur and expressive face, surrounded by the muted greens of its woodland home.
“Forest Whispers” is more than a painting – it is a quiet call to awareness, a tribute to the wild things that need our voice and our vigilance if they are to remain part of Britain’s living heritage.