Toni Hargreaves began her artistic training at Blackpool and Fylde College of Art in the field of technical illustration. She soon discovered that her passion lied in the rendering of fur and feathers, so she switched her focus to scientific illustration. After college, Hargreaves moved to London to work as a freelance illustrator, and eventually signed to a London illustration agency, which allowed her to do commercial work for natural history books and TV commercial backgrounds. Despite the rise of computer-based illustration, Hargreaves was more dedicated than ever to her painting. In 1997, she met an international wildlife artist, who inspired her to begin studying and painting wildlife, which she now does exclusively. Hargreaves has been on safari in Kenya and Botswana, and her travels have inspired her pieces. Her love of wildlife shines through each brushstroke.