David Shepherd (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Shepherd
CBE, FRSA, FGRA
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Shepherd at East Somerset Railway,
mid-1990s |
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| Born | 25 April 1931 Hendon, London, England
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| Died | 19 September 2017 (aged 86) |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Known for | Wildlife painting, conservation, railway preservation |
Richard David Shepherd (born April 25, 1931 – died September 19, 2017) was a famous British artist. He was also a strong voice for conservation, which means protecting nature and animals.
David Shepherd was best known for his amazing paintings. He often painted powerful steam trains and beautiful wildlife, especially animals from Africa. He also painted planes, portraits (like one of The Queen Mother), and landscapes. His art became very popular in the 1960s. You could find his work on prints, posters, and even special plates. He wrote five books about his art, including his own life story.
Life and Art
David Shepherd was born in Hendon, a part of London, England. When he was a child, he lived in Totteridge, North London. At just eight years old, he won a painting competition in a magazine called Nursery World.
He later went to Stowe School in Buckinghamshire. After school, he traveled to Kenya in Africa. He hoped to become a game warden, someone who protects wildlife. But he was told he had "no talent whatsoever" for the job.
David returned to the UK and tried to get into the Slade School of Fine Art in London. He was rejected there too. Luckily, another artist named Robin Goodwin took him under his wing. Robin Goodwin taught David how to paint for three years.
People admired David Shepherd's work. Art critic Neal Brown said that Shepherd was one of the most successful painters in the UK. He added that Shepherd's art brought joy to many people. Famous cricketer David Gower also said that Shepherd's paintings truly captured the feeling of the African bush.
Protecting Wildlife
David Shepherd became very passionate about conservation after a trip to Africa. On this trip, he found a poisoned water hole. Sadly, 255 zebra had died there. This shocking discovery made him want to protect animals and their homes.
He became a well-known campaigner for wildlife around the world. He spent a lot of his time working on conservation efforts. David was also a big fan of steam trains. But he once wrote, "you can always build another steam loco but you can't build another tiger." This showed how much he cared about saving endangered animals.
One of his most famous paintings is Tiger in The Sun, painted in 1977. His paintings were not just beautiful; they also helped raise a lot of money for conservation. His first big fundraising success was a painting called Tiger Fire. In 1973, it raised £127,000 for "Operation Tiger" in India. This project was started by Indira Gandhi to save tigers. David Shepherd was also famous for his elephant paintings, like The Ivory is Theirs and Wise Old Elephant.
He started the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. This organization works to protect endangered animals. For his efforts, he received special awards from the British Queen. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980. Later, in 2008, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his charity work and wildlife conservation.
Steam Train Lover
David Shepherd loved steam trains so much that he owned several of them! He bought two British steam locomotives directly from British Rail. These were the 9F Black Prince (number 92203) and the Class 4MT No.75029 The Green Knight. He had connections with British Rail because he painted many scenes for them.
He later sold The Green Knight to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. This helped him pay for repairs on Black Prince. In 2015, Black Prince was sold to the North Norfolk Railway.
David also owned several British-built locomotives from Africa. In South Africa, he received a 15F train (number 3052) in 1991. It was given to him by Spoornet, a railway company. This train has been named City of Germiston and, more recently, Avril, after his wife. It is now kept at Sandstone Estates in Ficksburg.
He also owned two Zambian locomotives from the Mulobezi Railway. These were given to him by the President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda. One of these trains is still in the railway museum in Livingstone, Zambia. The other was at the Sandstone Estates complex. David Shepherd later gave this train, along with a passenger coach, to the National Railway Museum in York, UK. It is currently being restored there.
David Shepherd also helped start a special heritage steam railway in the UK, called the East Somerset Railway. At Cranmore Station, the signal box now has a small gallery showing his artwork. He was also the president of a group called "Railway Ramblers."
Family and Legacy
David Shepherd's parents gave him a cottage in Frensham, Surrey, near their own home. This encouraged him to get engaged to his future wife, Avril. David and Avril had four daughters and lived in West Sussex. One of their daughters, Mandy, is also an artist who paints wildlife and military scenes.
On September 19, 2017, David Shepherd passed away after a 10-week battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 86 years old. The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation shared the sad news. They praised his strong dedication to the animals he painted. Karen Botha, the chief executive, said that David's passion for wildlife was both inspiring and made him angry about how humans harmed it. She said he was a champion for animals and the people who worked to protect them.
Julian Birley, who leads the North Norfolk Railway, also shared his thoughts. He said that David Shepherd was a great man. He would always be remembered as one of the most important people in saving and preserving old railways in the UK. His work brought joy to hundreds of thousands of people.
