A Lifeline in 12 Pencils
With Bonny Snowdon, self-taught coloured pencil artist, coach, entrepreneur and teacher
World-renowned coloured-pencil artist Bonny Snowdon is a celebrated educator and founder of the Bonny Snowdon Academy. However, as we find out in episode 140 of the Creativity Found podcast, her path to success was anything but linear.
A Childhood Steeped in Freedom and Art
Growing up in North Yorkshire in the 1970s, Bonny enjoyed a childhood full of outdoor adventures. Art was always her favourite subject at school, heavily influenced by her obsession with horses. However, her early aspirations for formal artistic training were thwarted. After struggling through a BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design that did not suit her detail-oriented style, a portfolio rejection at age 17 led her down a completely different path.
The Corporate Climb and the Wake-Up Call
Bonny's career took an unexpected turn into the world of advertising and graphic design. She started as a tea girl and worked her way up to typesetting and digital layout. Eventually, she secured a comfortable role at Aviva, which evolved into a management position. But a brutal 360-degree feedback review provided a sharp wake-up call. Rather than giving up, Bonny chose to take the criticism constructively. She funded her own degree in coaching and mentoring, transformed her leadership style, and eventually became an executive coach.
A Colourful Re-Awakening
The real turning point for Bonny's creativity arrived during a highly stressful period in 2015. Juggling a demanding career and a difficult marriage, she turned to mindfulness. For Christmas, she asked her daughter for a colouring book and a set of 12 pencils. That simple gift changed everything. Colouring provided an immediate mental escape. The swirling anxieties vanished the moment she put pencil to paper.
Soon, colouring evolved into drawing. Friends noticed her talent and requested pet portraits. Relying purely on observation and her lifelong knowledge of horses, Bonny transitioned from flat, two-dimensional sketches to stunning 3D realism, entirely self-taught.
Taking the Leap into Full-Time Art
Encouraged by her family, Bonny made the courageous decision to become a full-time artist in January 2017. Her business acumen, combined with her natural desire to help others, led her to teaching. In 2019, she launched a subscription channel that quickly skyrocketed, gaining nearly 3,000 students at its peak. Today, she runs her own successful membership platform, the Bonny Snowdon Academy, guiding thousands of aspiring artists.
Maintaining Wellbeing Through Journalling
Despite running a busy empire, Bonny fiercely protects her wellbeing. Alongside her coloured pencil art, she maintains a rich journalling practice. Using fountain pens and ink, she explores morning pages, oracle cards, moon diaries, and daily sketching. This dedicated nightly ritual allows her to process her emotions, capture memories, and maintain a vibrant creative outlook.
Bonny's Advice for Aspiring Creatives
If you are yearning to find your creative outlet but feel paralysed by choice or fear, Bonny offers this brilliant advice: Just pick something and do it. Stop procrastinating over whether to try watercolours or pencils. Buy a small amount of basic supplies, learn the fundamentals, and start. Do not worry if your initial attempts are rubbish–that is simply the learning process in action.
Listen to the full episode here, or somewhere else!