Western Morning News  Picture of the Week Thursday 26th January Woodcock in Winter This winter visitor to the Westcountry is more often seen in flight when disturbed in some way, usually by dogs, either deliberately when rough shooting, or just by accident on woodland dog walk. The woodcock has many special attributes including very large eyes which have a greater field of vision behind the head than the front, providing an early warning of danger when feeding. It also has the highly sensitive and flexible bill tip which many waders possess, which enables it to grasp its prey underground without the problem of opening the entire beak. Their main food source is earthworms and insect larvae that are to be found in damp areas of our woodland floors and hedgerow bottoms. This portrait is a watercolour and pencil and was quite a difficult subject to portray accuracy, as its plumage is made up of intricate blends of browns, greys and black. This subtle colouring also makes them extremely difficult to spot when on the ground amongst the winter woodland foliage.

This website has been created exclusively so that  Wildlife and Countryside Artist Dick Twinney can share his passion for the natural history, coast and countryside of his part of the world through his art.

To also make available here online the purchase of limited edition prints that have appeared each Thursday in  his Western Morning News feature 'The Art of Dick Twinney'

    Welcome, 'Browse at your leisure'

Dick Twinney has loved the Westcountry's wildlife and countryside for as long as he can remember. Originally from Devon, he has now lived and worked in Cornwall for over 38 years. Although his paintings, prints, giftware and books have spread world-wide he still thinks of himself as a local artist   passionate about the Westcountry, especially Cornwall and Devon.

The magnificent scenery and the rich and varied wildlife from the high tors of  Dartmoor to the tip of Lands End all provide a constant source of inspiration and never ending material for Dick's highly detailed traditional artwork.

A real countryman, Dick always spends several hours each day in the 'field' walking with the family dogs over the moors, along the coast or in the local woods, observing wildlife in it's natural habitat, constantly on the look-out for that 'special' chance encounter that can be recreated onto canvas.