Inspirational Artists: Keith Shackleton

Our old neighbours in Bath invited us up to their apartment. Louis and Shelia had literally travelled the world and from the 60s to the 90s had gone to many places we can only dream of (Antarctica, Easter Island, Galapagos Islands Madagascar etc). On entering the apartment one was immediately taken by a large oil painting over the fireplace which was of birds flying over a wild sea and painted by Kieth Shackleton. Louis then showed me more by Shelton and Peter Scott.

How dis you get these wonderful works i asked and was told that in the 70s they had travelled to Antarctica with the artists on one of the very few boats that went there then. They probably got the paintings for little money but they appreciated to vivid colour and the cold and harshness depicted in the works.

Later when they moved and downsized i enquired at the local auction house what hey paintings were reserved for but alas could not afford them. So i bought a book on Shackleton and enjoy that instead.

Keith Shackleton was born in 1923 and is best known for marine, landscape and animal paintings. He travelled with his friend, conservationist and painter, Peter Scott to Antarctica. During the 1970's he was a presenter on BBC and ITV Television. A major exhibition of his work depicting the Arctic and Antarctic was held in 2007 at the Scott Polar Research Institute.

Keith Shackleton was appointed an MBE in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to the conservation of wildlife. He was Past President of The Royal Society of Marine Artists and Society of Wildlife Artists.