Who Is This Workshop For?

• You’re passionate about wildlife and want to learn how to paint it with power, realism, and heart

• You’re a beginner looking for a solid foundation - or a seasoned painter ready to level up

• You’ve struggled to capture whitetails accurately or expressively, and want a clearer process

• You love spending time in the outdoors and want to bring those moments to life on canvas

• You’re tired of generic tutorials and want guidance rooted in real-world experience and field observation

• You want to understand not just how to paint - but why certain techniques work

• You’re ready to create wildlife art that feels meaningful to you - and speaks to others who share your love for the land

NICE TO MEET YOU

I'm Des McCaffrey

For those who don’t know me, my name is Des McCaffrey. I’ve been a full-time wildlife artist since 1989, and to call the journey interesting would be putting it lightly. I've been creating in some form for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until I made the leap to full-time that I finally allowed myself to *claim* the title of artist. It didn’t come easy. At the time, I still saw myself as someone with a knack for drawing and a burning desire to get better — nothing more. But I knew that if I was going to survive as a professional, I’d need to embrace the identity fully, even if I had to fake the confidence at first.

That decision — to go all-in — left no room for fallback plans. I had to get good enough to sell my work, or lose everything. No safety nets. What followed was years of blood, sweat, and more than a few tears. The learning curve was steep, but I climbed it the only way I knew how: through relentless effort and a deep love for the wild. And while the road of discovery is still unfolding, one thing is certain — I’ve learned to paint well, by hook or by crook.

~ Des McCaffrey