Meet Gareth Wild | Wildlife artist & conservationist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gareth Wild and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gareth, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by the natural world around me, observing wild animals in their own environment moves me in ways that are almost indescribable. I recently moved to Iceland and had the great fortune of witnessing an arctic fox hunting birds in the desolate highland landscape. It was absolutely mesmerising to lock eyes with this creature and catch a glimpse of the struggles it faces on a daily basis. Sadly I wasn’t fast enough with my camera to capture this epic encounter! Our relationship with nature is so fragile, everything we do to this planet, and each other, has a domino effect on the rest of the animal kingdom. I hope to explore this more in my upcoming painting collection.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have drawn & painted ever since I could hold a pencil, I can remember sitting & copying cartoons from the TV guide, motorbikes from magazines or even designing my own superheroes! It was all I have ever wanted to do as a boy and nothing has changed to this day. It has been quite the journey with a lot of ups and downs and it is far from over yet. With so much uncertainty and instability in the world right now artists are being required to think differently, learn new skills to gain exposure and explore different ways to reach new clients & collectors. I have had the honour to work with some of the worlds largest conservation organisations, and I have been able to donate a decent percentage of my sales to support the hard work they do. One of the biggest lessons I am still learning is that you cannot do it alone, it really does take a village to get things done. Being vulnerable & asking for help are absolute power moves! When I left the army in 2008 my mental health was in a bad way. Painting was my salvation and has been ever since. I guess I paint wildlife to remind myself that although the world can be an unforgiving place it is also beautiful and full of magic too. I would recommend a creative practice to anyone struggling with their mental health, it is a great way to explore your thoughts and feelings, as well as getting to throw some paint around!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have recently moved to Iceland so I am still getting to know the place myself! The best thing about Iceland is that you’re never far from something epic, be it a waterfall, a glacier or an awesome camping spot! The wildlife is a little limited here as the winters are quite unforgiving, but I would definitely take my visiting friends to see the whales and puffins, two of my absolute favourite animals! We have recently had a new volcanic eruption here, there has been one for the last 3 consecutive years, mother nature reminding us of her true power for sure! The city of Reykjavik is an awesome place to hang out with many different places to eat and lots of culture to explore, you can get your photo taken dressed as a viking one moment and then take selfies on the rainbow road the next! The city has a population about the same as my hometown of Northampton, UK. but the people are generally much friendlier here and everyone somehow seems to know each other! The art scene here is great too, the country is full of creative people, galleries and workshops and events are happening all the time, it is a very cool place to live!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Wow, where to begin! I would first like to throw some love to my family for putting up with me taking over the dining room table with art materials as a child, I have been drawing & painting for as long as I can remember, making a mess everywhere I go! I had my first solo show in 2022 & it was a really special moment to see my family walk through the gallery doors to witness what I had been working towards all these years. My favourite thing about my dad is how he always has a new idea for a painting that I should try, his enthusiasm for my art is something I really treasure. I would also like to mention my artist pals who have supported me through the ups and downs of being a creative, especially James Woodall, known as ‘MR J’ on social media, incredible artist and even better friend. I can always rely on him for a kick in the butt when I am slacking on painting! A huge thank you to all the wildlife photographers I often reach out to for reference images that I would never be able to shoot myself. I also want to send love and thanks to my partner, Raven (of course I had to find someone with an animal name!) for always reminding me not to take myself too seriously & to paint from my heart. I want to send HUGE thanks to all the soldiers I served with in the British armed forces, as they all encouraged me to end my military service to follow my artistic talents. How different life may have been for me had I stayed. Finally, thank you to all my collectors for seeing the deeper beauty in my paintings.

Website: garethwildart.com

Instagram: @garethwildart