Wildlife or warzone, painter Mandy is at home with both
Imagine a job that takes you from observing wildlife migration in the Serengeti to the midst of a war zone in Iraq. Artist Mandy Shepherd would not swap what she does with anybody.
Hers is a strange double life, travelling the world to paint animals but also being commissioned by the Ministry of Defence to capture ships and sailors on canvas.
Mandy, daughter of famous wildlife artist David Shepherd, says: 'I spend a lot of time in the studio on my own, but going out on site, whether it be on safari or on a military base, allows me to be a component part of a team, which I love.
'There are a whole series of striking contrasts. The wildlife moves me to tears and the military work gives me an absolute buzz too.'
Travelling to the Falkland Islands in 1996 with the RAF to paint for a wildlife book, she was invited to draw the helicopters and crew while she was out there. From that she moved into maritime painting.
Now she splits her time between painting as part of her conservationist work for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and her work as an official war artist.
Commissions have taken her to Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq and to sea with various naval ships.
Mandy's work appears in the special Commissioning Book for HMS Daring, the new destroyer that will be commissioned in Portsmouth on July 23.
Copies of the book will be given to guests as a commemorative gift.
Mandy also painted a picture for the Fly Navy 100 anniversary that currently hangs in Fleet Headquarters in Portsmouth. Her portrait of Lady Thatcher also hangs there.
On top of all this she has just held an exhibition with her father and 23-year-old niece Emily Lamb entitled Three Generations, she's working on a project with the Royal Artillery and she's been on wildlife tours of the Falkland Islands and Tanzania already this year.
'It's been a very busy year,' says the 48-year-old mum-of-three, who grew up in Africa and now lives in Funtington, near Emsworth.
She came to art when at school.
'When I was 16 I drew a fish. No-one had ever taken any notice of my work until then, but my art teacher said "you better go and show that to your father".
The biggest influence on Mandy's career is undeniably her dad. She says: 'I don't suppose I'd be where I am or do what I do if not for his hard work and enthusiasm.
'As a child I benefited from his way of life and the amazing places he took us to. And I grew up in an environment that was passionate about wildlife and its conservation. I suppose I thought what he's done, I can do too.'
Last week Mandy was in Dubai, where she won a huge contract to paint pictures of the country's new Metro – the first underground train in the Gulf.
She says: 'It's going to be very iconic for Dubai and it's all set to rock and roll in September. I've been asked to do a painting as a gift for Sheikh Mohammed (the ruler of Dubai) from Serco, the company which will build and operate the 52-kilometre line for the next 10 years.
'I'd never been to Dubai before, so it's a very exciting new diversion in my work.'
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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