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Inspiration from Artists Wk188 featuring Artists : David Shepherd and Eileen Meagher

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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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Welcome to this weeks thread , out featuring artists this week are : David Shepherd and Eileen Meagher . Lew  will start the week with his introduction to the work of David Shepherd , on Wednesday I will introduce you to the work of Eileen Meagher. I hope you will join  use and find some work by the featuring artists that you particularly like.

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Lewis Cooper

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David Shepherd, 1931-2017, an immensely successful British Artist and famed conservationist. A brief history.  David showed early talent for art, but his big dream was to become a game warden in Africa.  On finishing his schooling he set off to Kenya to become a warden.  But he was rejected...having 'no talent whatsoever'.  So it was back to the UK to follow his other passion...art.  He attempted to enroll at the Slade School of Art in London.   He was rejected.   However the maritime artist Robin Goodwin took him under his wing, and trained him in art for three years.  David began a career in art that would make him rich, and enable him to indulge his twin passions of wildlife conservation and steam railway preservation.  He actually owned several steam locomotives.  In later life David was awarded an OBE and CBE for his charity and conservation work.  He also founded the David Shepherd Foundation to protect wildlife. David began his career with aviation art... This was interspersed with Steam Railway art... I admire all of David's work, but it's pictures like the one above I most like. I guess he's mostly known for his wildlife art... As you'd expect, he could paint anything... A magnificent artist, whose work has brought a great deal of pleasure to many people.
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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Thanks Lew for your excellent introduction and choice of painting by this superb artist. Many years ago I visited a studio in Norfolk , long before I became interested in painting the guy in the gallery was explaining one of his paintings to my then eleven year old daughter, taking a lot of time showing her bit of the work . I later discovered that I was David Shepherd,  dry gently soft spoken man with a lot of patience, I will look and see if I can find the painting he was explaining. This is the painting that he was explaining to my daughter. These I particularly like .

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Lewis Cooper

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It's an odd thing this 'inspiration' thing.  I don't paint the things David did, but still find it inspiring.  Seeing good art, whatever the subject, makes you want to get on and do something.   David Shepherd's art was everywhere when my interest in all forms of art was developing.  I recall seeing a short documentary about when he started out painting his aviation art, it showed him painting at airports etc.  The commissions for his art came rolling in...

Alan Bickley

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Some of his railway and aviation paintings, which have always been my favourites are just stunning in their detail, without being photographic…  An incredibly talented man and good to see his work appreciated on here, great intro Lew!
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Russell Edwards

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Every one a gem!

Jenny Harris

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Like most people, I guess, I’m very familiar with his wildlife paintings, but hadn’t seen his paintings of steam trains before which are probably more interesting, especially the fifth and sixth of Lewis’s first selection.
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Lewis Cooper

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I mentioned that David OWNED some steam locomotives.  Once you buy them you have to have somewhere to keep them, and hopefully run them. He bought two famous locos...the Black Prince, and the Green Knight.  He then bought the derelict Cranmore Station in Somerset, together with some track.  The station had been a victim of Beeching's notorious cuts.  He then went on to help found The East Somerset Steam Railway, based at Cranmore.  Here's his painting of the two locomotives... He bought several other locos, including a few British made engines that had been used in Africa.   A man who got things done.
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Lewis Cooper

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A few more...

Tessa Gwynne

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What a tremendous artist and thank you Lew for your detailed introduction and varied choice of work. I’ve been busy preparing for half term visitors but have been looking in. I remember as a child I was fascinated by his animal paintings and then later became aware of his other subjects as my dad was a big fan. Thank goodness he persevered and found help after initial rejection in the art world!
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Lewis Cooper

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The last few...
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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Important to remember that he WAS rejected by the critics - one of whom, apparently never having heard of  composition, attacked him for painting animals as though they were posing for him.  He committed the dreadful sin of being popular - some critics seem  to hate that.     He didn't help himself by titling one of his paintings as "Wise Old Elephant" - that brought out the  critics of anthropomorphism (I do hope I've spelled that right..) as well as the usual crowd.  But then, many figurative painters have faced similar disdain, including Edward Seago, and Ken Howard.
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