First out of 5 artworks shared 🐋 I’m incredibly excited to share my first of 5 artworks that will be part of the Realms of Hope exhibition in November. A group of male Humpback whales chasing a female during a spectacular ‘Heat run’, showing a glimpse of the spectacular events that take place below the ocean’s surface. In the next days I will share my personal experiences with these spectacular animals over the years. I had some stunning encounters, but the most memorable was in South Africa in 2018. It involves breaching individuals close to our 3 persons boat! Madness. It is these encounters that fuel my creative spirit for years. It’s a feeling that is hard to describe really. For now, I hope that you will enjoy this imagery, I had a wonderful time creating it. Realms of Hope is a unique exhibition between November 22 - 26 in London to celebrate the beauty of nature and some of the great success stories in conservation through the eyes of 6 renowned and award-winning artists. @zoefitchetart @cole.stirling @d.bosanquet_art @kc3dmedia @stephenrewfineart @art4conservation Art 4 Conservation has partnered with The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation @dswfwildlife to raise funds for their essential conservation efforts across Africa and Asia, donating 50% of the proceeds to their cause. #wildlifeart #realmsofhope #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartivism #theartofsurvival #wildlifeconservation #artivism #wildlifeartistry #wildlifeartwork #art4conservation #dswfwildlife #dswf #a4c #endangeredspecies #believeinspireprotect #artworkforcharity #artcommunity #artforcharity #animalart #artexhibition #oxogallery

‘Duma’ All net proceeds donated. My works support wildlife conservation charities across the world. Purchase originals or prints and make your impact today 🙏! Link to art shop in my BIO. Pastel pencils, 21 x 29.7 cm. The gaze of the mighty Cheetah is something that always gets me. Their elegance and hunting techniques are extraordinary and simply unmatched. Yet they have the reputation of often getting in trouble with bigger predators like lions. Back in 2018 I was attending a female Cheetah relocation in South Africa. She was part of a new Cheetah introduction program in the reserve, and needed to be sat-tagged and released. I took pictures of the whole operation. The wildlife vet managed to dart her and perform surgery on the spot. She was then carefully loaded in the back seat of a car and driven to the release point. Some time later she woke up and left. An unforgettable experience that was executed with the highest professionalism, always making sure the well-being of the Cheetah had the highest priority. Reference material for the drawing @dustin_blaise @aaronblaiseart #cheetah #cheetahart #bigcatart #pastelart #pastelartwork #pastelpencils #wildlifeart #wildlifeartwork #wildlifedrawing #wildlifeportrait #artforconservation #art4conservation #wildlifeconservation #artivism #wildlifeartivism #artistsforconservation #conservationartist #nonprofitorganization #wildlifecharity

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation 🐘 Silent Auction is now open! This Friday, @dswfwildlife is holding its annual DSWF Wildlife Ball in The Dorchester in London, and I am so excited to go! During the evening, a silent auction is held where you can place bids on amazing wildlife art, photography prints and various items and trips. For those who cannot attend, you can still support conservation and place your bids on the online auction via the LINK IN MY BIO 🥳 DSWF is raising funds for their vital conservation work to fight wildlife crime and protect some of the last strongholds of endangered species across Africa and Asia, as well as the brave wildlife rangers who keep them safe. I am very delighted to be part of their silent auction as a Guest Artist for the Wildlife Ball collection, along with 16 other incredibly talented wildlife artists, and original art of David Shepherd, Mandy Shepherd and Emily Lamb. We created original artworks especially for this event, and I did a Hyena in pastel pencils which you can see here ;)! GO CHECK THEM OUT NOW!! 🤩 #wildlifeartist #dswfwildlifeart #dswfwildlife #wildlifeart #wildlifewarrior #dswfwildlifeball #wildlifeball #hyenaart #silentauction #dorchestercollection #wildlifeartwork #wildlifepainting #animalportrait #animalpainting #pastelpencils #pastelpencilart #pastelart #wildlifecharity #wildlifeconservation #artforconservation #artistsforconservation #art4conservation #artauction #fightprotectengage #conservationsilentauction #endangeredspecies

We’re very proud to be sharing another of our Realms of Hope artists Davina Bosanquet’s thoughts on our upcoming exhibition in OXO gallery, London (Nov 22-26). Davina Bosanquet (b.1981) is a visual artist with a passion for animals, she has done solo exhibitions in support of conservation projects in Gabon, Namibia and Brazil.  She is also interested in the theme of cultural identity.  She has exhibited widely in galleries, fairs and competitions across the UK and internationally.  Davina studied portraiture in London and attended art school in Edinburgh and Bournemouth. She has lived and worked in Dorset, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town and London.  While living in Cape Town she worked in various townships helping to teach local artists and was involved in setting up an exhibition space in Ikhaya la Langa. #wildlifeart #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartwork #realmsofhope #wildlifepainting #wildlifeconservation #artoftheday #art4conservation #artist #artexhibition

‘Rainforest Painters’ 60 x 80 cm – acrylics on canvas. No. 2/5 artworks that will feature in our Realms of Hope exhibition at Oxo Gallery in London, in support of @dswfwildlife @dswfwildlifeart alongside the works of 5 other renowned and award-winning artists. Seeing my first Macaws in the wild was a physically challenging but unforgettable experience. On May 26th 2022 I was standing on the famous ‘Crocodile Bridge’ that crossed the Tarcoles river near Carara National Park in Costa Rica. I had just driven down my car from the cold cloud forest slopes of Monteverde National Park and hadn’t realised the dramatic temperature change due to the air conditioning of the vehicle. Carara is basically at sea level and has a much more warm and humid climate than the mountainous regions of Costa Rica. As I was exiting the car, my camera and bino lenses condensed immediately and I could barely cope with the heat and humidity. Drenched in sweat, I walked down the bridge to see the crocodiles lie on the river bank. It was here, in this beautiful river bank setting, that was surrounded by lush rainforest, that I noticed multiple birds painting the sky red. Scarlet Macaws! I almost jumped off the bridge in my excitement, I couldn’t believe I just saw these utter gems of birds. Though this was a personal ‘birding’ highlight in my life, I have yet to fulfil another dream, which is to see a group of Macaws on a clay lick in Peru. This painting is a celebration of this spectacular wildlife event that can be observed in Manu National Park in Peru, where these animals are being protected against pet industry poachers. Species portrayed: Red-and-Green Macaws). Photo reference source: Alamy – Frans Lemmens photography. #wildlifeart #wildlifeartwork #wildlifeartist #wildlifeportrait #wildlifeconservation #wildlifepainting #birdart #macawart #manunationalpark #peruwildlife #birdpainting #acrylicpainting #acrylicsoncanvas #acrylicartwork #art4conservation #artforconservation

As I was sitting in the - somewhat still busy - metro hall of Embankment at around midnight, I daydreamed away. What a day. After 4 years of absence due to global events we are all too familiar with, The David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year competition returns to the Mall Galleries in London. Monday was the big opening night, and man, was it ever epic. I started painting in 2017, knowing no one in the wildlife art space. I had no clue about the organisations that were fighting for wildlife and leveraging art to raise funds. I had definitely heard of DSWF though. I was an admirer of David himself for years, but I didn’t really know much about the actual community surrounding it and the people at the heart of the organisation. Fast forward 6 years and not only am I so incredibly humbled to be selected as a finalist ànd given the badge of ‘Highly Commended’ in WAY23, I could also barely get through the gallery on the award ceremony (which gives me a great excuse to revisit!) because of the sheer amount of friends and acquaintances present on the night. DSWF has nurtured an enormously powerful art community of wildlife warriors and art collectors alike, that has grown significantly in recent years. It’s an organisation that is genuine in all they do and that is run by superstars. A massive thanks @dswfwildlife @dswfwildlifeart for giving us a platform to make a difference, and for all you do. What I will remember most, aside from the stunning art on display (massive congratulations to all the winners!!) and the collective feeling of empowerment in that room, was the sheer joy some new finalists showed in their eyes, and the travel efforts they had gone through to get there. WAY is regarded by many as the most prestigious wildlife art competition in the world, and seeing this in the emotions of the people whilst talking to them about their experience being a part of this, and their ‘entry’ in this big family is what is what I was daydreaming about in the metro before finally realising I had missed my stop by two stations and that this was the last one of the hour! Ah well… I enjoyed the walk 😉 #wildlifeart #wildlifeartistoftheyear2023

We’re very proud to be sharing one of our Realms of Hope artists Zoe Fitchet’s thoughts on our upcoming exhibition in OXO gallery, London (Nov 22-26). Zoe is a professional wildlife and pet portrait artist from the UK who has gone above and beyond to make a difference for wildlife conservation over the years, having donated a significant part of her art proceeds to charitable organisations. With her own ‘Diminishing’ exhibition on 100 endangered species last year and being a former DSWF WAY finalist, we are humbled to have her on board and cannot wait to feature her stunning collection of artworks this November! #wildlifeart #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartwork #realmsofhope #wildlifepainting #wildlifeconservation #artoftheday #art4conservation

One of my new artworks coming to the Realms of Hope exhibition in November 🦜 This might be my favourite piece in a long time, I loooooved working with these colours, inserting abstraction in some spots of the painting, and, let’s be honest, macaws are just wildly interesting birds! To re-create a scene of dozens of these colourful creatures on a clay lick is thrilling and expresses the splendour of nature, which is what we celebrate in this upcoming exhibition. 50% of the proceeds of this exhibition will be going directly to our partner @dswfwildlife @dswfwildlifeart in support of their critical conservation efforts across the world. Dates of the exhibition: 22 - 26 November, Oxo Gallery, London. Be sure to visit us there! There will be a collection of work of 6 renowned artists, including Zoe Fitchet, Casey Banwell, Cole Stirling, Stephen Rew and Davina Bosanquet. #wildlifeart #wildlifeartists #realmsofhope #oxogallery #art4conservation #artforconservation #dswf #wildlifeconservation #artivism #artoftheday #acrylicsoncanvas #macaws #acrylicpainting #wildlifepainting #wip #workinprogress

1 week until Wildlife Artist of the Year 2023 hits the Mall Galleries in London! Today DSWF proudly launches the online exhibition catalogue, meaning ALL finalist artworks are NOW available for sale. 50% of the proceeds will be donated to DSWF’s conservation efforts. The in-person exhibition will be between 12-16 September kicking off with an opening night and Award Ceremony on the 11th. I’m so incredibly humbled to see my artwork Duma was already sold :) The ULTIMATE feeling of joy, is when I realised that my experiences in Africa led to the creation of this work, which now translated into funds to save wildlife thanks to my buyer and DSWF. Hah! It’s so awesome :) Can’t wait to meet everyone again and celebrate conservation and nature! Reference from @dustin_blaise @aaronblaiseart you guys rock! #wildlifeart #wildlifeartistoftheyear2023 #wildlifeconservation #pastelartist #cheetah #cheetahart #bigcatart #art4conservation #artforconservation #mallgalleries #dswf #pastelpencils #artoftheday

International Primate Day Image 1: a glimpse of a new work that I created for our Realms of Hope exhibition in November at Oxo Gallery, London (22-26.11.23) that will raise funds for @dswfwildlife and their conservation efforts towards multiple wildlife species including Chimpanzees in Guinea. Image 2: A picture of a wild Chimpanzee in The Gambia taken by my brother @eliastibax. I’m SO jealous of his encounter! My dream is to sketch apes in their natural habitats, witnessing our distant relatives in the lush natural strongholds they call home and that rangers are fighting to protect. Species like the Chimpanzee in Guinea, Orang Utans in Sumatra, and the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga suffer under the illegal wildlife trade, and live in war zones or areas plagued by deforestation. Today and any other day after, let’s pledge to protect our magnificent cousins. #worldprimateday #internationalprimateday #wildlifeart #wildlifeartwork #wildlifeartist #wildlifewarrior #apeart #wildlifeconservation #art4conservation #acrylicpainting #acrylicsoncanvas #wildlifepainting #chimpanzeeart

Realms of Hope is a unique exhibition to celebrate the beauty of nature and some of the great success stories in conservation through the eyes of 6 renowned and award-winning artists. @zoefitchetart @cole.stirling @d.bosanquet_art @kc3dmedia @stephenrewfineart @art4conservation Art 4 Conservation has partnered with The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation @dswfwildlife to raise funds for their essential conservation efforts across Africa and Asia, donating 50% of the proceeds to their cause. We are so excited to share a video series with you on this ambitious project, giving insights in our origin story, the exhibition’s ethos, artist introductions & stories, conservation tales, and more. The second in this video series is a quick introduction in the ethos of this event. More video snippets will follow showing how specific stories and experiences are at the heart of this project. Keep an eye out for any future videos on our media platforms as we take you on a journey of conservation and natural beauty through the artistic lens! #wildlifeart #realmsofhope #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartivism #theartofsurvival #wildlifeconservation #artivism #wildlifeartistry #wildlifeartwork #art4conservation #dswfwildlife #dswf #a4c #endangeredspecies #believeinspireprotect #artworkforcharity #artcommunity #artforcharity #animalart #artexhibition #oxogallery

Realms of Hope is a unique exhibition to celebrate the beauty of nature and some of the great success stories in conservation through the eyes of 6 renowned and award-winning artists. @zoefitchetart @cole.stirling @d.bosanquet_art @kc3dmedia @stephenrewfineart @art4conservation Art 4 Conservation has partnered with The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation @dswfwildlife to raise funds for their essential conservation efforts across Africa and Asia, donating 50% of the proceeds to their cause. We are so excited to share a video series with you on this ambitious project, giving insights in our origin story, the exhibition’s ethos, artist introductions & stories, conservation tales, and more. The first in this video series is a quick introduction in the ‘what, when, where, and who’ of this event. Keep an eye out for any future videos on our media platforms as we take you on a journey of conservation and natural beauty through the artistic lens! #wildlifeart #realmsofhope #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartivism #theartofsurvival #wildlifeconservation #artivism #wildlifeartistry #wildlifeartwork #art4conservation #dswfwildlife #dswf #a4c #endangeredspecies #believeinspireprotect #artworkforcharity #artcommunity #artforcharity #animalart #artexhibition #oxogallery