​Contemporary South African Art

Article credits to: http://www.capegallery.co.za

Born in Queenstown in 1965.

Part of Shepherd’s artistic skill was acquired during his studies at Sivuyele College in Guguletu (1994/1995) and earlier with the Visual Arts Group in Nyanga (1987), but his diligent practice and undoubted talent can be said to be the main force behind his imaginative art work. Shepard has been painting and sculpting since 1985.

He has participated in several group exhibitions at the South African National Gallery, at the SA Association of Arts in Cape Town and in several of the community centres in Guguletu and Nyanga. Recently he took part in the very successful workshop and exhibition which AVA organised and hosted, Sculptures in Wood. Shepherd participated in the group show “Encompass” at the Cape Gallery in 2005

Shepard lives and works in Nyanga, Cape Town. TRANSCRIBED FROM A NOTE SHEPHERD WROTE AND TORE OUT OF HIS DIARY. People asked Shepherd what he had painted as they watched him frame the completed work so he wrote out the following explanation:

“People work in the graveyard and the candle (falls down) and burns the Bible. People loose hope about the world of God. People killed each other.

The star is red. That means people continued to be killed.

The Stepladder - it’s the way to go to the peace. Only the Hero can go there.

The two horns - it’s the voice of the President. When it (each horn) speaks to the countries they must help. In Global.

The Snake: it's around the (whole) of South Africa. (Its Head rests) On top of the Constitution of the Nation. He Boy (lures?) the people kills one another.October 1999. The eye on (is on) the flag. People watch.”

Shepherd explained further that the bird is the messenger - it would seem that the ladder leads to a kind of nest or hole in the sky.