Raymond Sheppard: Sun drenched woods, circa 1955

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Presentation: Unmounted
Pencil

This drawing is likely to be of Stanmore Common where the artist's children, Christine and Michael, often went to play whilst their father sat and sketched. As Christine recalls, "In those days Stanmore Common had quite a rural feel to it." (email to Paul Liss 16th June 2008).

Although best known as an illustrator, especially of magazines such as Lilliput, Picture Post and The Studio as well as of children’s books, Sheppard was one of the most gifted painters of wildlife of his generation. He was also an extremely diverse artist, producing semi-abstract and surrealist images alongside those of a purely realistic nature.

Raymond Sheppard 1913 - 1958

Raymond Sheppard; Artist in water-colour, black and white, oil, pastel; Born London 3 March 1913; son of Edward and Annie Sheppard.

Married Iris Gale on December 3rd 1942; had one daughter Christine born 17 March 1944, and one son Michael born 25th July 1946. Educated Christ’s College, Finchley, north west London.

Studied art at Bolt Court under S.G. Boxsius.

Exhibited: R.A; R.I; R.S.A; Work reproduced regularly in publications including Lilliput ; The Studio, Picture Post, John Bull, Everybody’s ; in children’s books, nature books and calendars.

Raymond Sheppard produced many studies of birds and animals from life, mainly at Regents Park Zoo and was made a Fellow of the Zoological Society in 1949. He also painted landscapes, family portraits, in watercolour, oil, and pastels . He was a founder member of the Wapping Arts Group, a group of artists who sketched and painted by and around the river Thames in London, which was formed just before WW2 but did not start in earnest until 1946.

Publications: How to Draw Birds (first published by Studio in 1940), Drawing at the Zoo (1949 Studio), More Birds to Draw (Studio 1956).
Lived in Kenton and then Harrow Weald, Middx.
Clubs: Chelsea Arts, Langham Sketch.

Raymond Sheppard died in London of cancer in 1958 with which he had battled since 1949. He also served in the RAF photographic section during the WW2. Despite long periods of ill health and the interruption of the War years he was, nevertheless, prolific in demonstrating his wide range of artistic ability as a master draughtsman, illustrator, and landscape and wildlife artist..