Young Wigan artist's portrait business booming over lockdown

The Bolton University fine art student has spent the last three months drawing individual, family and pet portraits for people split up from their relations by lockdown and as presents for occasions such as birthdays and Father’s Day.

Thanks to her boyfriend’s job in engineering she has also been busy creating detailed artistic recreations of steam and traction engines on paper.

Hannah has been doing pictures for people on an occasional basis for a couple of years but since March HJW Personalised Portraits has grown rapidly.

Hannah, 20, said: “When lockdown started I had a lot of spare time once I had got my uni classes on video and work out of the way.

“I began posting my work on Facebook and in social media group and I started getting a lot of commissions coming in every day.

“It has really taken off in lockdown, that was when it started properly. Before that I had done a bit. My mum runs a dog boarding business and I drew some of the dogs and framed the pictures for when the owners got back.

“When lockdown started my boyfriend was working in the Lake District on traction and steam engines and it was his boss’ 40th birthday. He couldn’t go out to the shops to buy anything so asked if I would draw an engine.

“His boss put it up in a frame in his house and started telling people about it. All these commisions for more traction and steam engine pictures started coming in.

“I also started getting people asking for family portraits. Some people wanted ones made of more than one picture so it looked like they were together, or of a relative they haven’t been able to see. I can’t get over how it’s taken off.”

The business already has an international reach, with Hannah taking picture requests from as far afield as Canada and New Zealand.

Hannah, who will embark on her third year of university study in September, says one of the best things about doing the commissioned portraits is seeing the emotional impact the finished pieces have, especially at a time like the coronavirus crisis.

She said: “Some people have been crying and overwhelmed when they have collected the pictures. There have been so many negative feelings with people getting ill and passing away so seeing my work have that much impact is a nice feeling.

“People have said the steam engine pictures are giving them the joy they are missing in life. Their engines are their pride and joy but some of them are in faraway garages and they can’t go to rallies. It bring the engines to life again in lockdown for them.”

Former St John Fisher Catholic High School and St John Rigby College student Hannah showed an early passion for art, starting to draw when she was just two years old.

She continued to develop her talents all through school and college, encouraged by her teachers, and hopes to inspire following generations by becoming an art tutor herself after her degree is finished.

However, she says she is also keen to keep her portrait business going.

She said: “This is just the beginning. When the steam rallies start up again I want to have a little stall there to promote my work.

“I’ve been doing more art in lockdown han ever. I’m really enjoying it.

“I’ve always wanted to make art into my job. Some people run or go to the gym for stress relief, but for me it’s art.”

To find out more about Hannah’s portraits go to www.hjwpersonalisedportraits.co.uk/