The Story

Elias Derksen is an enthusiastic wildlife artist who not only creates beautiful images but creates artwork with deep meaning. He loves evoking emotions, bringing joy to people, and spreading a message through his art – allowing the artwork to speak for itself.

Born in Germany in 2006, Elias was always supported by his parents. Coming from a creative family, drawing was part of everyday life, and his talent was quickly recognized. He is grateful for the time he spent at an art school for a few years, where he learned some fundamental skills alongside two of his siblings. He also enjoyed drawing with his oldest sister and learning from her skills. She motivated him to continue and helped avoiding mistakes. His love for nature and animals always shone through, and that’s exactly what he painted. Elias often received positive feedback, which motivated him to keep going and create new works. Over time, he became known as the “art kid” in his school and among relatives and even managed to sell some of his drawings at school.

This creative passion eventually led to an interest in photography. He picked up his father’s old camera and started experimenting. Over the years, he gained a deeper understanding of what makes a great image and how light works. Of course, he often had to go on adventurous trips with his older brother to capture special places. He also loved using his photography to bring joy to others. Eventually, he started his first Instagram account as an artist and realized just how many impressive artists existed worldwide. Elias began connecting with them and learning from them, which became a great source of inspiration. Regular painting sessions with his cousin Andy also provided continuous motivation and inspiration.

One day, he wanted to challenge himself and went to a big city to paint in public. He was delighted by the kind people who gave him positive feedback. This experience greatly boosted his confidence. It also sparked an idea – he would paint an artwork for Dean Schneider and personally present it to him. (Dean Schneider is a well-known wildlife conservationist who works with lions and other animals in Africa. His videos were a major source of inspiration for Elias.) Somehow, Elias managed to complete the painting in time and actually handed it to Dean in person – but that’s another story...

As his journey continued, Elias’s paintings took on deeper meaning and had a greater impact. He learned to paint more freely, develop his own compositions, and think more about the message behind his art. This led to the creation of “Hide or Fight”, one of the most significant paintings of his art career. It marked a new era in his artistic journey. The painting was created in early 2025, during a period when Elias took time to reflect on the art business and the messages he wanted to convey. Artists such as Andrew Tischler, Eric Rhoads, and Mark McKenna played an important role in this process.

Now, Elias has many new ideas and hopes to collaborate with professional photographers and conservationists in the future. His dream is to make a living from his greatest passion and to visit epic places to paint from life. Looking ahead, he envisions his first exhibitions and is excited to see where this journey will take him...