John D. Shaw

From an early age John was fascinated with creating visually exciting artwork. Starting a career in art and graphic design in the early ’80s, he created a wide variety of commercial artwork for some noteworthy clients including Lucasfilms, Major League Baseball, Kellogg’s, and several major entertainment software companies.

His lifelong passion for WWII Aviation had led him experimenting with artwork, gradually honing his skills with pencil and oil paint, but in the early 1990s his passion just couldn’t be ignored any longer, and he began publishing his historical aviation and military paintings as limited edition prints.

John’s paintings began as a labor of love, inspired not only by his ability to create incredible images, but also for the opportunity to meet many of the iconic veterans who made this history – the men and women who helped shape the world we live in today.
“I’ve considered it one of the greatest privileges of my life to have had the chance to work first-hand with guys who have become some of my greatest heroes. The best part of all for me is showing them the finished painting. So often, it’s as if you can see a movie playing behind their eyes, as they relive those days, and they’re 20 years old again.”

His attention to detail and ability to capture military machinery – whether aircraft, ships or even vehicles – in the midst of battle is exceptional. His aircraft are not pristine, factory-fresh specimens; His subjects feature war-torn machines showing all the scars of intense fighting, exactly as they were at the height of battle. However, combine this with an uncanny ability to create lifelike and accurate portraits which capture the veterans exactly as they appeared all those years ago, and his is a rare talent indeed, making John one of the most accomplished artists our industry has seen.

John has been at the forefront of our industry for over 30 years and is equally at home with graphite or paint, creating full battle scenes or portraits. His pencil work is of a standard rarely seen in any genre and his Remarque’s in particular are exquisite works of fine art.

His historical editions have become some of the most famous and valuable of any aviation or military artist, with record figures – many times higher than their release price – being paid for his sold out editions on the secondary market. His breathtaking original paintings are highly prized and have found their way into air force bases, museums, homes and offices, across the globe, making him one of the world’s most highly regarded and collectible aviation and military artists.