David Shepherd wildlife art

The late David Shepherd is to wildlife art what Sir David Attenborough is to wildlife documentaries. David gained significant fame and financial success during his artistic career.

David was renowned for his wildlife artworks although he often painted aircraft, portraits and landscapes. David, a man of many passions, was also regarded as a great railway preservationist and enjoyed painting steam trains.

A legacy of wildlife art

David Shepherd dedicated 60 years of his life to protecting endangered wildlife, using his exceptional artworks to raise funds and awareness for conservation protects across Africa and Asia.

Wildlife art is still very much at the heart of David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) under the banner of The Art of Survival.

In 2008, DSWF founded Wildlife Artist of the Year, an annual world-renowned competition and exhibition which has become a significant date in the art calendar.

David’s daughter, Mandy Shepherd, and his granddaughter, Emily Lamb, are both professional wildlife artists and DSWF Art Ambassadors who use their artworks to create awareness and raise funds for conservation.

The sale of artworks from DSWF goes to protecting the endangered species that we work to protect, namely elephants, tigers, pangolins, snow leopards, painted dogs, lions, chimpanzees and rhinos.

The late David Shepherd is to wildlife art what Sir David Attenborough is to wildlife documentaries.

David Shepherd elephant art

With a deep fondness for Africa’s elephants, many of David’s most iconic paintings are of the world’s largest land mammal including the much loved ‘The Ivory is Theirs’ and ‘Wise Old Elephant’.

Many elephant prints are available for sale, from small pencil sketches to large African panoramic herd paintings.

In 2014 David painted an elephant onto one of his well-used paint palettes for DSWF’s 30th Anniversary black-tie dinner raising £50,000 for conservation projects in Africa and Asia.

David Shepherd tiger art

The critically endangered tiger inspired David and his tiger paintings are some of the most dramatic in his portfolio.

Tiger prints include small open edition studies and rare, long sold-out limited editions of tigers in their natural environment.

The powerful painting, ‘Tiger Fire’ was one of his first major fund-raising successes, raising £127,000 for Indira Gandhi’s Operation Tiger in 1973.