Visual Art’s Ode to Nature

Finalists in the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year 2022 competition

Wildlife artist Alex Fleming stays true to nature in his art. He’s so fascinated by nature’s beauty that he finds no need to embellish it with imagined art. Fleming’s pastel and pencil drawing “Home” (inspired by wildlife photographer Rick Beldegreen’s image “Polar Bear and Ice Fog”) shows the powerful polar bear amid a vast snowscape that extends like billowing clouds for miles behind it. The polar bear seems aware that it’s being watched, but unaware of its near extinction. Highly commended in the Earth's Wild Beauty category:” “Home” by Alex Fleming (UK). Pastel and colored pencil drawing; 35 3/8 inches by 23 5/8 inches. Courtesy of DSWF

The late wildlife artist David Shepherd set up the UK-based David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) in 1984 to conserve the animals that helped him become a successful artist. The conservation charity works across Africa and Asia to end wildlife crime, and to protect endangered species in their natural habitat.

In 2008, the DSWF founded its annual Wildlife Artist of the Year competition to raise funds and awareness for wildlife conservation. This year, 850 artists from 55 countries entered the competition (in association with BBC Wildlife), and now the winners have been announced. Here we feature some of the short-listed and winning artworks.