The Wild Side

A recent visit to Safari West in Sonoma County, turned my animal loving heart toward cheetah and giraffes! Of course cheetah are my favorite big cats, but the Giraffe thing is new. A fellow artist who loves them got me going. At Safari West, they come right up to you and you can see them eye to eye. So here are two views of my close encounter. You can have your own close encounter, because they have tours, and even luxuriant safari tent cabins where you can stay among the animals www.safariwest.com
Reach for the Sky 8x10 pastel

















Come Closer, 8x10 pastel,
in which( you may not be able to see it in your broswer) I, as photographer and two kids standing near me are reflected in the eye...this is the pastel, also did a larger 16x20 oil version to enter in the local county fair, there may be a print sometime of this one.

















Here is my first try at cheetah...it took me two weeks to paint this small work.

Buddies oil, 11x14




The spots are REALLY hard to do, each one must be considered in perspective( a circle becomes an ellispe as it moves in space) in light and shade, and how it goes in the over all pattern on the coat. I did them over and over, and still had to compromise some as the work is so small some spots are 1/16" in size. On top of that this is an extremely complicated pose of the two sisters Jima( back to you) and Thula(side view) where making sure the spot patterns did not run together was a priority....aslo did a few studies on grass, not one of my strong points, This moment was my first sight of them dozing in dappled sunlight in the hot afternoon. I see it as a study for a larger commission.