AN EBBW Vale man risked everything when he gave up his factory job of 20 years to become a full-time artist.

Now Jason Morgan is reaping the awards after winning an international art competition.

Mr Morgan, 43, beat competition from 400 entries from more than 45 countries to win the World Artist Contest for April.

It was his painting of a snow leopard cub that earned him the distinguished prize and he will now be autom a t i c a l l y entered into the Malpais International Art Show in New Mexico.

Mr Morgan, from Cwm, specialises as a wildlife artist and has been on trips to Africa to see the wildlife at first hand.

Trips to places such as Savuti and the Okavango Delta in Botswana have allowed him to take his own photographs to inspire his work.

He said he has always loved animals and experimented with landscape and watercolours but always kept coming back to wildlife.

Mr Morgan, who taught himself to paint, said: “I have always liked animals and wildlife and had an interest in art as well so the two went together.”

Mr Morgan, who is involved with several animal conservation charities, such as the African Wildlife Foundation, said he gets satisfaction from his work by highlighting those animals that may be critically endangered.

Mr Morgan, father of eight-year-old Thomas, now produces work worth anything from £200 to £3,500.

But a year ago Mr Morgan’s artistry was more of a sideline as he worked day to day as a technical co-ordinator at GTS Flexible Materials in Rassau.

He said: “When the 20-year mark came up I thought ‘if I don’t go now I’ll never do it’.

“It was a big risk when there’s not that many jobs in this area.”

Mr Morgan has been an artist from a business point of viewfor around five years, but said it was only after he handed in his notice at the factory that he was able to dedicate more time to the subject he loved.

He has also developed a teaching side to his business, selling eBooks on the internet teaching art skills and techniques.

See onlineartdemos.co.uk for more details.