This talk tells the story of Pollyanna’s most famous and remarkable journey into China to study and paint Giant Pandas.

Accompanied by Anna-Louise, she travelled into one of the remotest areas of the Tibetan Borderlands in her quest to paint one of the most iconic and elusive of all animals. The two became the first western women ever to travel into an isolated mountain reserve, where they were lucky enough to be able to work in a small hospital for sick pandas, bringing them into remarkably close contact with one of the rarest animals on earth.

This enchanting talk tells the story of their journey – from the hardships and frustrations to the lasting friendships made in this enigmatic and beautiful country, and shows the spectacular award-winning paintings which resulted from the trip.

A lavishly illustrated book about the trip has been published – and Anna-Louise was honoured to be a finalist in Cosmopolitan’s Woman of the Achievement Awards for her writing and photography.

“An unforgettable and perhaps unrepeatable journey exploring a different culture and a different land. Pollyanna and Anna-Louise have illuminatingly shown us that if we love the panda as much as we say we do, we must allow it to be itself and live as nature intended” (Virginia McKenna, Actress and founder of the Born Free Foundation)