David Shepherd Wildlife Artist

David Shepherd’s youthful ambition was to become a game warden. Failing to achieve this no doubt benefitted wildlife. It allowed him to go on to become one of the world’s most talented and commercially successful wildlife artists and to use his fame to give back to the animals and environment he loved.

More than a wildlife artist

Not only was David a brilliant wildlife artist, he was also a deeply passionate conservationist.

David’s passion for wildlife and the role of man in its demise infuriated and inspired him. He was dedicated, tenacious and outspoken, a champion of animals and the people who worked to protect them.

Early in his career and while in Tanzania working on a Royal Air Force commission, David encountered 255 dead zebras at a poisoned waterhole. At that moment David became a conservationist and in 1985 he set up David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF). David used his artworks to raise awareness and funds for DSWF’s conservation efforts across Africa and Asia.

David Shepherd the artist

David was most well-known for his wildlife paintings, however, he also painted aircraft, steam engines, landscapes and was an accomplished portrait painter.

The exact number of artworks David Shepherd produced in his lifetime is unknown. The David Shepherd Originals Circle was set up to locate his original artworks around the world.