Capturing the Spirit of the Wild: Original Wildlife Oil Paintings by
Tony Forrest
Welcome to the official gallery of Tony Forrest, a leading wildlife artist dedicated to portraying the majesty and fragility of the natural world. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Tony’s work goes beyond mere representation, offering a soulful window into the lives of the world’s most iconic species through the medium of original oil paintings.
From the Maasai Mara to Ranthambore
Authenticity is the heartbeat of Tony’s process. Each canvas begins far from the studio, born from immersive expeditions to the heart of the wilderness. Whether it is the golden light of the Maasai Mara in Kenya or the hidden trails of Ranthambore National Park in India, Tony travels to observe his subjects in their natural habitats.
His most recent 2025 expedition to India provided unparalleled encounters with the Bengal Tiger, resulting in a new collection that captures the raw power and silent grace of these magnificent cats. By documenting these moments through sketches and photography, Tony ensures that every brushstroke on his final oil paintings carries the heat, dust, and emotion of the safari.
Art with a Purpose: Conservation and Storytelling
Beyond the gallery walls, Tony Forrest is a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation. His work often highlights the plight of endangered species, aiming to inspire a deeper connection between the viewer and the environment. Through live painting demonstrations—including recent residencies on the Cunard Queen Elizabeth—Tony shares the stories behind the art, bridging the gap between the remote wilderness and the global stage.
Explore the latest collections of African and Indian wildlife art, or visit the Travel menu to read the stories behind the most recent tiger safaris and international travel. Each piece is a testament to a life spent admiring the wild, shown here for collectors who share a passion for fine art and the natural world.
RINGS OF BRIGHT WATER. Oil on canvas, 40x24 inch.
The Story Behind the Canvas:
35 Years of Wildlife Research
Experience the beauty of wildlife art, where nature is captured on canvas. My work celebrates the diversity of the animal kingdom, showcasing unique details in each piece. Whether you’re a collector or new to wildlife art, I endeavour to create art that resonates with all who admire nature. Enhance your home or office with stunning representations of creatures and habitats that spark conversations about conservation. Bring nature indoors and discover what has inspired my work for over thirty five years.
Tony Forrest’s Wildlife Art
I have been painting the wildlife of Africa and India for over thirty five years. I am passionate about the natural world. I am also passionate about wildlife art and painting. At the age of about seven I became aware that I liked looking at paintings and even at that tender age I was aware of subtleties and the brush strokes made by artists whose originals hung in my primary school.
There was a major transition for me when I was in my 20s. I became aware of the paintings of one artist who I had never heard of at the time: wildlife artist David Shepherd. I watched a TV programme about David and his work - from that moment I was hopelessly hooked on painting wildlife and I was also besotted with Shepherd’s amazing work. When I was about 25, I went to a gallery near Bournemouth and saw a new print called “Sleepy Tigers”. It was David Shepherd’s latest print. I stood outside the gallery looking at the print displayed in the window: that was the first time a painting ever made me cry. It was beautiful. I have been a great fan of David’s work ever since.
My own speciality is producing paintings of African and Indian wildlife. There is a story hidden in all my work; each painting has its own journey from the initial visual experience in the wild to the final stroke of the brush in my studio. I have travelled to Africa many times and whenever I am driving around a nature reserve, large or small, I am both excited and apprehensive. Excited to see so much drama waiting to be painted and apprehensive because I worry about missing something! The subjects that excite me are often not the cutest - we all love to see a leopard or lion cub, but oil painting can be so exciting with certain subjects; elephants, buffalo, rhino, hippo. These animals lend themselves to being painted in a way that really captures their character - thick mud, their sheer bulk and power.
I hope that my paintings serve as a reminder that the fauna and flora with which we share this planet is in danger of being lost for ever unless we all appreciate it more and take positive steps to conserve it.
I only paint a tiny fraction of all the animals on earth - only around 4% of all animals on this planet are wild. The other 96% are all domestic creatures, including humans. In the last 200 years or so, the human race has gone from around a billion people to over 8 billion today. It’s a sobering thought isn’t it?
INSTAGRAM
You can follow my work right up to date on Instagram. Search for “tonyforrestwildlifeart” to keep in touch with what I am painting at this very moment. New posts including photos and short video clips are being added every few days. With Instagram I am able to show new work as it is created and you can get an insight into my thoughts and process and, in a virtual sense, stand right behind me in my studio.
