Big Animal Paintings.
With the odd charcoal drawings of cars and golfers. Oh! and prints. All artworks are available for purchase, when still available, obviously. Come visit, coffee’s on the house!
The dazzling diversity and sheer splendour of the animal world is truly wondrous. It enchants me every day. I’m no scientist, but there is awareness, sentience, a soul.
And that’s what I try to capture.
The painting above, for example, is Tina Tuna. Call it serendipity, or a weird tribute. Confidence, swagger, unstoppable energy, and a certain vulnerability. Acrylic on card. 180x140cm.
Ollie.
The name Orang-utan is derived form the Malay words for orang, meaning "person' and hutan, meaning "forest". These great apes are astonishing. They’re highly intelligent, solitary, but sociable, and are known to come out of the forest to hitch a lift up and down the rivers.
Acrylic on canvas. 150x145cm.
There are two more in the works.
Nellie, because,
of course.
Such magnificent animals. I can’t stop painting them. this is number 3. And the biggest to date.
Acrylic on canvas. 250x150cm.
Matilda.
Have you ever seen a gorilla meditate?
Well, now you have. I spend hours in her company, just sitting, watching, letting her serenity wash over me. Deep joy.
We chanced upon the name when she was hanging in our dining room. It just suited her.
Most of the paintings spend some time with us at home and, invariably, that’s when they get their names.
Acrylic on canvas. 150x145cm.
In contrast, here’s Bob.
Bob’s not having a great day. Grumpy, crabby, surly, tetchy, or just deeply pensive. He’s not saying.
Whenever I have a bad day, I think, well, at least not as bad as Bob’s.
Bob’s my second grumpy gorilla (you can see the first on the about page). There’s just something about them. Magnificent!
Bob is on a 90x140cm canvas liberally covered in acrylic, which probably didn’t contribute to his mood.
And now for something different.
I know it doesn’t seem like a name for an elephant, but let me introduce you to Fluffy.
Fluffy (elephant number 4) is quite a departure from previous paintings. And. I. Like. It. It’s hard to see here, and if you look closely you’ll see there’s a storm brewing on his ear at eye level. I often wonder how that came to be. And why.
Acrylic on card. 200x190cm
Leo.
Perhaps the name is somewhat unimaginative, but why detract from or complicate the image. This old scarred lion is in his third depiction. A particular favourite that I love to paint.
Acrylic on canvas. 190x140cm.
Harry.
Much like Leo above, I keep returning to Harry the Hippo.
In his first iteration as
a charcoal drawing.
Then in his blue period.
And then, finally, I let go and he was unexpectedly (by all of us) photobombed by a rather annoyed Tilapia.
Acrylic on card. 130x130cm.
Theo & Ray.
I love the snow! As those of you who know me, will know. And this pair of bison feel entirely at home out on the wintry range. They are spectacular animals, strong and stoic. I so enjoyed painting these two and hope you like them as well. And there’s a third one waiting in the wings.
Both acrylic on canvas 100x100cm.
We’ll finish with a giant.
It’s hard to fathom the size of these leviathans.
The most recent work (might even still be in progress). No name, he/she’s a not easy to transport and so hasn’t been home yet. Working title is Sam. Little name for a big fish - yes I know he/she’s (how do you tell?) a humpback whale, and there’s an even larger 4 metre canvas now up in the Studio for a second humpback. Simply deeply beguiling creatures.
Acrylic on card. 280x180cm.
