Margaret Merry grew up in Cornwall, England. After leaving school, she spent 5 years at art college, three of which were at Hornsey College of Art in London, where she obtained a Diploma in Art and Design. She lived and worked in Cornwall for over 30 years and became one of the county's most popular artists. Her paintings have been exhibited in New York, Tokyo, London and Paris and have been bought by collectors from all over the world. She published, in England, 4 books which became local best sellers: 'The Natural History of a Westcountry City'; 'Margaret Merry's Cornish Garden Sketchbook'; 'Sea and Sail' and 'Tidal Reaches'. In 2002 she moved to Spain and now lives on an olive farm near the pretty little mountain village of Guajar Alto between Granada and the coast. She is inspired by the wildlife and landscapes around her home and her first children's book was 'The Wise Old Boar'. When her 4 year old grandaughter Izzy was staying on holiday, they walked together to a small, disused quarry at the top of her land in the corner of which is an old, abandoned digger. Upon seeing it, Izzy commented: "Poor digger It looks so lonely."