Meet the Artists
Geoffrey Lignon
French artist Geoffrey works as an engraver at Rigby and trained for six years at the Liege School of Gunmaking in Belgium, where he specialised for four years in animals. Ever since he was a young boy he’s been drawing. He doesn’t come from an artistic family, but it’s a skill he’s developed from a childhood passion. This was inspired by the engravings on his father’s guns, after seeing them on his gunrack at eight-years old. Passionate about wildlife, especially African animals, his goal is to create realistic works of art that show the animals in their true form.
Saija Koskialho
Finnish artist Saija specialises in engraving animals and scenery at Rigby. Born and raised in Finland, Saija graduated with a B.A. in Fine Arts in 2011 before moving to Florence to study goldsmithing. It was here that she was introduced to the art of engraving jewellery and silverware. Saija returned to Finland to continue her studies learning about the various engraving techniques. She then attended the prestigious Liege School of Gunmaking in Belgium. With Saija’s varied creative background we are excited to see what pieces she’ll create for Rigby Art.
Jenna Gearing
British artist Jenna Gearing embodies traditional sculpting skills with a dynamic and modern approach. Bringing vitality and a sense of freshness to her figurative pieces, Jenna’s works are mostly created on commission. When sculpting her art, Jenna says: “I consider the three most important processes to be capturing, interpreting and representing. Working with clay allows me to convey the character and emotion of a subject and I continuously aim to ensure my pieces are instantly recognisable.”
James Hitchins
James Hitchins is a self-taught artist born in Zimbabwe and raised in Zambia, Central Africa with the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls on his doorstep. Inspired by the quiet moments on the Zambezi River as a wildlife enthusiast he uses art as an experimental presentation of providing the observer with a subject in a black and white medium bringing these pieces to unusual and unexpected life. Unlike the concept of hyperrealism where the object is often exactingly accentuated by enhancing vibrance using colour, his work delicately mediates between using a play of light with white charcoal to produce imagery that allows the mind to add its own further vibrance, whether it is in colour, light or movement, with an uncanny and surrealistic outcome.
Justin Prigmore
Award-winning artist Justin Prigmore has a Masters Degree in Ecology and as well as being a painter, he has until recently worked in nature conservation for organisations including the Cairngorms National Park Authority. Born in 1974 in Wales, Justin currently lives in the Scottish Highlands with his wife and two daughters. Justin has been drawing and painting for as long as he can remember, but it was while living in Colorado in his early 20s, that he re-discovered his love of wildlife. Travel has always been an essential element of his work. He has spent time in the US, Canada, Alaska, East Africa and all over Europe searching for inspiration and studying wildlife in its natural habitat. Justin has exhibited his work internationally in prestigious juried shows, auctions and galleries. He has gained a reputation for dramatic and powerful large-scale paintings and his work can be found is some very prominent collections worldwide.
Denise Johanson
Denise Johanson, a creative, is passionate about art and nature. Most of her paintings are focused on the realism of wildlife art because she believes wild animals have an unspoiled innate beauty and are true to their instinctual inner nature. Denise feels she is clear as to where their boundaries are and find them worthy of her trust and respect. She feels the resonance of, “what they say”, and is why she must paint them as an artist. Ever since Denise was young, she has loved art. It became a method for her to overcome the struggles that she had in life. She has a connection for art and wildlife conservation, and this has motivated her to continue sharing her craft with the world. Take a look at her unique artworks today!
