"Every painting is meant for someone. One person may not like it, but the next person immediately falls in love. That moment of someone connecting deeply with my work is the most inspiring for me."
David Bucklow spent his childhood on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, where he started sketching and drawing from a young age. His intense love of wildlife became evident at the age of five when he presented his parents with a beautiful crayon sketch of a lion. This early Buckow work still hangs on the wall of his parent's home!
David ventured into the art of portraiture, devoting his spare time to improving his artistic abilities in doing portraits and experimenting with both pastel and pencil sketches. Despite being well talented in this form of art, David started to feel that he should once again devote his time and talents to painting wildlife, a decision that he has never regretted.
After moving to Cape Town at 18 years old, Bucklow discovered his exceptional talent as a photo-realistic painter. His raw talent as a self-taught artist soon evolved into his signature style featuring wildlife, landscapes and seascapes. Over time, he has continued to evolve his technique and treatment of detail to the delight of international collectors.
Bucklow works from photographs and uses a selection of acrylics on canvas to capture the minute details of his subjects, finishing the work by coating the canvas to give it extra lustre.
"When you get the eyes just right, the artwork comes to life, and you can almost feel the animal's stare as if she is watching your every move – as they do in the wild. It's quite special and takes me back to the wild bush every time," says Bucklow.
Bucklow works from his studio in Cape Town and devotes time to fundraising for wildlife and domestic animal welfare.