A STUNNING painting of tigers playing has earned a Rayleigh artist this year’s BBC Wildlife Magazine Artist of the Year title.

Natalie Mascall, of Daws Heath Road, has been named the overall winner for her entry in the endangered species category of the competition.

The picture, called Tigers at Play, is one of several inspired by a trip to Kenya in 2007.

Miss Mascall, 30, said: “The special bond I witnessed between these tigers inspired me to draw this picture.

“Tigers are incredible animals, so powerful, and yet so gentle and affectionate.

“Watching these two interact with such tenderness made me feel humble. I loved seeing them play.

“I hope future generations will still be able to see these beautiful cats in the wild and witness the precious interactions that inspired me.”

Speaking about her win, the largely self-taught artist added: “It’s absolutely brilliant. I visited Kenya with my family. It was an amazing experience.

“I have drawn quite a few originals since my amazing African experience. The first one I called An Amazing Moment.

“We noticed this young leopard walking through the grass. We were all so excited at this point as she was quite close.

“Then she crossed the road in front of us and, even more amazingly, she leapt up this huge tree looking down at us.

“She was so close and wild. You can’t describe the feeling. I was shaking with excitement. It was just amazing.”

Tigers at Play will be published in the August issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine.

It will also be on display at the prestigious annual Marwell International Wildlife Art Society exhibition next month, and the Society of Wildlife Artists’ exhibition, the Natural Eye, at London’s Mall Galleries, from September 21 until October 2.

Miss Mascall will take part in Wildlife Worldwide’s Festival of Wildlife 2011, in Baja California, Mexico.

The judges of the BBC competition praised her entry, saying: “The brilliantly-depicted mother Amur tiger playing with her cub seems to strike a blow at the destructive forces waged against their kind.”