David Shepherd (artist)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David Shepherd OBE and FRSA (born 25 April 1931) is a British artist and conservationist. His paintings often deal with the subjects of wildlife, railways and aircraft.

He traveled to Kenya with the hope of becoming a game warden, but was rejected. He returned to the UK but was rejected by the Slade School of Fine Art in London. However, he was taught by the artist Robin Goodwin.

Shepherd owns a number of steam locomotives. His 9F "Black Prince" (#92203) is based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. In South Africa his 15F (#3052), presented to him by Spoornet in 1991, is stored at Sandstone Estates in Ficksburg. It has carried various names, including "City of Germiston" and, more recently, his wife's name, "Avril". It was moved to Ficksburg in light steam from Pietermaritzburg by Friends of the Rail (a Pretoria-based heritage steam association) in April 2003 and it steamed again in April 2006, when Friends of the Rail operated it for several trips between Ficksburg and Komandonek with David on board. He also owns two Zambian locomotives, given to him by then President Kenneth Kaunda. One is still in the railway museum in Livingstone, Zambia. David donated the other, along with a coach, to the National Railway Museum in York in the UK, where it is in store awaiting restoration. All his African locomotives are British-built. David was involved in founding a heritage steam railway in the UK, the East Somerset Railway.

Although David remains a steam enthusiast, most of his energy is devoted to wildlife preservation. As he says in a letter to the UK Railway Magazine, "you can always build another steam loco but you can't build another tiger."

One of David's most famous drawings is called 'Tiger in The Sun'. It was painted in 1977.