Botswana and Zimbabwe were my home for a number of years and although I have traveled extensively throughout my life, Africa inspires my art in ways unmatched by any other place. Africa is a continent of diverse peoples & cultures, huge cities & dusty villages, vast deserts and thick forest, hot swamps and cold highlands, along with some of the most iconic wildlife species on the planet. Africa defies generalization, but here are some of my most enduring memories – deep sandy tracks winding endlessly into the distance; the calm rhythmic clank of a cowbell as the cattle return home; cumulus clouds towering over the thirsty bush; the shocking shrieks of a francolin waking me in the morning; the bustle and color of a village market; and the haunting cry of a black-backed jackal above the crackle of the campfire. I’m wishing I were there right now!
Field sketching requires confidence and speed, but has taught me incredible lessons. I work in pencil first then add watercolor. I don’t have an easel or a chair because I usually stand when sketching people, or need to be in a vehicle when sketching wildlife. Decisions about light and composition must be made quickly, as the person or animal I am sketching may get up and move away at any time. In this respect field sketching is a life drawing class in the purest sense of the phrase! In addition to being great fun, it allows me to meet fascinating people, has given me a great understanding of wildlife anatomy and behavior, and is the best way I know to improve my artistic skills.