Oil on Canvas as David Shepherd's Ark turns into wind with decommissioning looming.

TV's Mike Whitmarsh sails up the Tamar with artist David Shepherd who is putting the finishing touches to his painting of Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, moored up and awaiting decommissioning. The Ark, turning into wind and 850 first edition prints are to be sold for charity at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset. The Audacious-class aircraft carriers were in operation from 1951 until 1979.

Rear Admiral Anson was the last captain of HMS Ark Royal and the first to see the finished painting. An aircraft carrier turns into the wind in order to launch aircraft but the reference is also to the decommissioning. British artist and conservationist Shepherd is famous for his paintings of wildlife and steam locomotives as well as portraiture. Shepherd invested in steam locomotives by buying The Black Prince and The Green Knight and is known for painting scenes for the now defunct British Railways. Shepherd was involved in founding the heritage steam railway, the East Somerset Railway and Cranmore Station has a gallery displaying his works. He is president of the Railway Ramblers.