Bryan Shephard (or Sheppo to his friends) is a sculptor and 2D artist who breaks down barriers to artwork, making it accessible to the common man.

Growing up in Townsville, Regional Queensland, Bryan has always led an outside based life with sport, fishing, camping and going places on a bike filling many days. After school, Bryan completed a trade as an electrician, but during the late 80’s recession he took a scholarship opportunity to go to university and re-train as a Manual Arts Teacher in Brisbane. After university, Bryan, alongside his wife Tez, moved back to Townsville to take up a teaching job before moving to Charters Towers. It is a family point of origin and his years in the “Towers” are fondly held, with his first child, Liam, arriving in the Towers, and Joshua, his second, following shortly after as they moved back to Townsville. The next 10 years for Bryan saw workshop teaching, part time visual arts study at TAFE and then full time study at James Cook University, majoring in sculpture.

Bryan discovered that the practical skills he had gained along the way gave him the ability to visualise and manifest his thoughts and ideas. This period was a turning point and it was at that point Bryan realised a creative business was what he wanted to do with his working life. Teaching and a successful small building business in Brisbane had led him to this point. Several small group exhibitions and public art commissions, with finances dictating full time teaching to get his family through the school years, has led Bryan to Sheppo Art and Design. Over the years, he has filled sketchbooks with many ideas, designs, artworks and possibilities. These form the basis of future drawings, sculptures, paintings, prints, designed products and Public Artworks.

“One of things that makes Bryan’s work so appealing, is his ability to combine his background as a tradie and manual arts teacher to both construct and inform his work. There is much more to this Brisbane’s artists work than just a skilled and adept builder’s hand.” - Aspire Gallery