Artists who inspire us – in praise of David Shepherd
As a fine artist, it is important to know what buyers like about my paintings. But is this the most significant aspect of an artist’s work? Someone once told me that the use of red in a painting helps to sell it – so do all artists need to put the colour red into their work in order to appeal to the viewer?
The more popular kinds of art seem to be landscapes, seascapes, abstract art, local tourist scenes, digital art, graphic design, pop art. However, the less popular themes surround nudes, paintings of people, portraits, dog and wildlife art. You only have to google ‘popular art that sells’ to see how high landscapes and abstracts rank.
So where would my paintings of Little Bird collectibles and my animal paintings fit into these themes? Scenes do not feature so much in my paintings, only as backdrops. Is it that people just like to look at a beautiful view on their wall to make them feel happy? Do people buy art to fit into their home décor and colour schemes?
As an animal, bird and nature artist (painting predominantly birds, dogs and farm animals), I have to feel something for the subject I am painting. It has to resonate with me subconsciously. It has to affect me spiritually and aesthetically. The focal point of my painting has to excite, the colour combinations have to complement, the key features tending towards the more complex.
Sometimes I will focus on one key element to start - e.g. the subject of the painting (say a dog, its eye, or its head) and then bring in the middle ground, background, to balance artistically. I will not know when a painting is finished until the result pleases me. I love painting in oils, and use very little paint on my palette, working wet-on-wet but I began as a pastel artist.
But where does my inspiration for painting animals come from and why do I have to produce artworks that resonate within me?
It all began many years ago when I fell in love with the paintings by British Artist, David Shepherd, CBE, FRSA, FGRA, one of the world’s most outspoken conservationists. As a young woman, I was inspired by his oil paintings. He was most famous for painting steam locomotives, but it is his work as a wildlife artist, particularly tigers and elephants, that I remember the most. He was popular for Limited-Edition prints in the 1960s and we had one entitled ‘Tiger in the Sun’.
David Shepherd was the founder of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1980s ‘for services to the conservation of wildlife’. When he was eight years old, he won a children’s painting competition. He went to Stowe School in Buckinghamshire and later travelled to Kenya. On his return, he applied to the Slade School of Fine Art in London and, ironically, was rejected but he was then taught for three years by artist, Robin Goodwin.
David Shepherd’s oil paintings are atmospheric and beautiful, his animals portrayed vividly and with real skill; you feel as if you are actually visualising the African bush alongside the artist as he paints. His first major fund-raising success was for his painting ‘Tiger Fire’ which raised £127,000 for Indira Gandhi’s Operation Tiger in 1973, and his paintings of elephants ‘The Ivory is Theirs’ and ‘Wise Old Elephant’ are among his better-known works.
Below is my original pastel painting in the style of David Shepherd., created for my four daughters - they loved singing the Hippopotamus song and that is why it is called ‘Mud Glorious Mud!’
‘Mud Glorious Mud’ - Hippo Heaven - one of my original soft pastel paintings on sugar paper, Private Collection
Small soft pastel painting in the style of David Shepherd – Private Collection
Originally, I began my career as an artist painting in soft pastel in a similar style to David Shepherd’s oil paintings. Bringing up a young family, struggling to make ends meet at that time, pastels were a good alternative to oils, so I produced many pastel paintings of pets (for family and friends as Birthday and Christmas gifts) and wildlife (tigers, lions, hippos, rhinos, elephants).
Small soft pastel painting in the style of David Shepherd – Private Collection
Soft pastels are made up of pure pigment, with a bit of binding agent to keep them in shape. This means that the colour of pastels is closer to the natural pigments than that of any other process. Soft pastel artworks are considered paintings – especially when the whole paper is covered with the long lasting, vibrant pigment. Soft pastels are beautiful to work with and produce vibrant, delicate paintings.
See below, one of my framed pastel paintings of three Lion Cubs, available for sale from my website in my original Wildlife Collection.
Below, are a couple of my more recent pet portraits in my Dog Lovers’ Collection.
Soft pastel is a medium which holds a special resonance for me and conjures up so many memories of my past.
I believe there is an important place in the world for the animal and nature artist. Original bird and animal paintings may never be as popular a genre as landscape or abstract art, digital or modern art, but with the Covid pandemic affecting everyone’s lives, we are more in touch with nature and wildlife. With more and more animals reaching extinction level this resonates with us all.
So, from David Shepherd, an artist who inspired me the most, to the work I currently produce, my style has changed greatly over the years. I produce many oil paintings as my preferred medium, but pastels will always be something I return to again and again. There is no better medium to show the softness of an animal’s fur and the love and warmth in an animal’s eyes.
If you would like me to create a special piece, commission me and I would be delighted to produce an original pastel painting especially for you or if you would like to learn more about my pastel or oil paintings, visit my website and subscribe for news and up-and-coming collections.
Warmly,
Patricia
‘Love, Joy, Create’ Blog – My love of nature inspires my art practice. Learning from nature, seeing animals and birds fills me with joy. Please follow along with me and create your own inspiration for your art by learning about nature and the world around us. art@patriciajvalentiart.com
Patricia Valenti is a representational contemporary fine artist and life-long painter, based in Kent in the UK, beginning her artistic studies as a young girl. Her passion for nature and the beauty of animals and wildlife can be seen in her work, transforming familiar animals and wildlife into stunning, realistic interpretations with emotional impact. Her walks around the surrounding countryside near her home inspire her work.
References
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
Artroom
https://artroom24.com/best-selling-art-2020/
Feltmagnet