A READING-BASED artist has been shortlisted for the regional final of an award series which champions start-up businesses.
Visual artist Jennifer Starnes creates visual art and specialises in hand-produced portaits of animals.
Through her work, she aims to highlight the positive impact that animals have on our lives, driven, she explained, by a love of nature.
She also produces pet portraiture and raises money for conservation projects in aid of endangered animals.
The business has been shortlisted for the South East of England final of this year’s UK StartUp Awards.
The UK StartUp Awards was created in 2022 in collaboration with the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
The cohort of finalists will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures.
The winners from each region will then be invited to the first UK final taking place at Ideas Fest, the Glastonbury for Business festival in Hertfordshire on Friday, September 12.
Jennifer Starnes said: “To be pursuing my dream of using my art to save animals and to receive recognition of this is a wonderful feeling–I’m very proud to be representing South East England.
“As a full-time artist, I work 1-1 with clients worldwide, taking on custom pet portrait commissions to celebrate the joy that pets bring to the family.
“I also create wildlife artwork to raise awareness and funds for endangered animals. Sustainability is an important consideration within my art practice, having planted trees and raised money for conservation projects across the globe.
“I have also adopted an orangutan and a pangolin, with hopes to support more endangered animals soon.”
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, the creator of the UK StartUp Awards, said: “This year’s finalists embody the very best of entrepreneurial spirit–spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill, and resilience, turning them into thriving ventures that are making a tangible difference in their industries.
“More importantly, all the winners will go on to represent their region at the 2025 UK National StartUp Awards final later this year.”
More information about Jennifer Starnes Art is available via: jenniferstarnes.com
More information about the UK StartUp Awards is available via: startupawards.uk
