Original 18”x24” watercolor on paper

Portrait of Sir David Attenborough

Sir David Attenborough, for those who are unfamiliar, is one heck of a guy. Naturalist, biologist, environmentalist, tv show host… if there was a Father Nature, it would be Attenborough. His mesmerizing nature documentaries and signature soothing narration has pulled millions of people into the natural world for decades. At age 99 he’s still at it, amplifying the importance and plight of the marine world in his latest film, Ocean, released this past year.

My favorite thing about Attenborough is that he’s very much a human. What I mean is, he’s just a guy who loves nature and makes loving nature, and learning about it, very attainable. He doesn’t wrangle crocodiles or scale peaks to find eagle eggs. His shows are not about him or his ego in any way. They’re simply a calming voice saying hey, nature is really neat and here’s why! He makes you realize that you don’t have to be some kind of superhuman to enjoy nature or learn about wildlife. You simply have to love it, which he does very well.

As a diehard bookworm, I’m not usually one to tell people to watch TV. But it’s a different story for, as I call them, Attendocs. Next time you’re trying to decide what to watch, choose a nature documentary! Attenborough has made SO many incredible films, and existing in the worlds he creates and showcases is especially important right now.

Every animal and plant in this portrait is significant in some way to David, whether it’s named for him or he had an interaction with it at some point.