ANDREA MAREE
ACRYLIC PAINTINGS
& PRINTS
My name is Andrea Maree and I am a professional artist based in Johannesburg. I was born on the 11th of November in Johannesburg and after completing my education in the same city, I pursued Art Direction at the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography followed by Marketing and advertising at the Red and Yellow School of Business in Cape Town. Amidst the challenges brought about by the pandemic, I discovered my innate passion for painting while in lockdown. This realization led me to combine my artistic skills with my lifelong love for the African wilderness, inspiring me to venture into wildlife-themed artworks in acrylic paints on canvas. This confluence of my two passions led me to start my own business, 'I Am Andrea Maree', which focuses on my African animal collection titled ‘A moment in Africa’. Working at Londolozi Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands further nurtured my inspiration, adding a deeper purpose to my creative endeavors. It was here that I was able to truly understand the essence and beauty of African wildlife and experience the sense of connection it offers. My goal as an artist is to capture this essence through my artwork, to bring the observer closer to the animals and remind them of their connection to the larger universe. I strive to continuously grow my collection, and challenge myself to expand my horizons by painting the diverse and intriguing range of African animals. Art has the power to transcend barriers and speak a common language, similar to how animals are a unifying force that resonates with people regardless of culture, religion, and geographic location. I am eager to continue this journey as an artist and make a difference through my works.
BELINDA HEWER
OILS & CHARCOAL
I was born on 10 June 1970 in Pretoria and enjoyed art from a very early age. I wanted to draw faces accurately for my school projects so I started to observe people and try to draw them as realistically as I could. From there my love of art grew. I started seeing the world differently and observed everything through the eye of an “ artist in training”. During my school days, I was tutored by a professional artist in our neighbourhood and after school, I started to paint and experiment more with different mediums and subjects. I spent time researching art, design, use of colours and the many varied techniques used by artists. In 2005 I started teaching art to children, adults and older people at retirement villages. The more I taught, the more my skills developed. Since 2013, I have really been working on channelling my style of art into a direction that challenges me and inspires me with every stroke of my brush and palette knife. I love doing impressionistic work mixed with realism which allows the viewer to explore my work and enjoy visually completing it. Like the great composer J.S.Bach, I sign each artwork with SDG- Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone).
BRANDON BORGELT
BRONZE SCULPTOR
Brandon grew up in Johannesburg and always had a very keen interest in animals, collecting all kinds of weird and wonderful pets, from snakes to monkeys. At the age of fifteen, he moved to Durban where he worked part-time at the Dolphinarium and Snake Park. After school, he spent two years in the army and returned to the snake park again. Six months later, restless and full of wanderlust, he took off for the bush where he was involved in a curio venture, game ranging at several private reserves, filming documentaries on lions and hyenas in Botswana and Namibia for National Geographic and the BBC, and eventually wound up managing the crocodile farm at Sun City for twelve years. In 2010 with his very fertile imagination and creative yearnings bubbling to the surface, he decided to give sculpting a try as it was something that he’d always wanted to do, with his affinity for all things Native American, he sculpted a life-size bust of Fool Bull, (Native American warrior and medicine man ) working from a single photo taken well over a hundred years ago. This figure was cast in bronze and set on. His passion to create was now ignited and from that point, it was all systems ‘go’ – In 2016 he started to pursue his passion full time.
BRUCE LITTLE
BRONZE SCULPTOR
Self-taught, instinctual, Bruce Little sculpts to capture the spirit of the wild African creatures he has observed and guarded for most of his life. His technique captures the essential movement and attitudes of his subjects. Born in South Africa, Bruce developed an early passion for the African wilderness through his childhood spent in the bushveld. He became a conservationist and professional game ranger, working at the famous private game reserves of Londolozi and Singita in the South African bushveld. For the following ten years, he lived on a private conservation project in the Eastern Cape where he restored Hopewell, a former beef and sheep ranch, to its original wilderness state. This included the reintroduction of indigenous wildlife to the reserve. The twenty years spent in the wilderness have given Bruce invaluable insight into the subjects he holds so dear. For the past 21 years, Bruce has worked on sculpting his subjects by focusing less on strict anatomical correctness but more on capturing the deeper meaning of the animals he observes. Bruce says “it is natural for every artist to grow and evolve in one’s artistic journey” and as a result, he has started sculpting a series of pieces with a contemporary aspect, which he feels portrays the animals in a different light but still encompasses the essence of the animal's surroundings, spirit and behaviour. In addition, Bruce has added a human element to his works where he attempts to portray a deep indelible bond that we as humans have with the earth and nature. Bruce's latest undertaking has been that of a monumental size lion sculpture which is a commission piece from Ceawlin Thynn, Viscount Weymouth of the Longleat family estate, whom Bruce met during one of his trips to the UK. The piece has been created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Longleat Safari Park, the first of its kind in the UK. Though he has previously sculpted numerous life-size and larger than life-size pieces, this monumental lion is, to date, his biggest sculpture yet. Off the back of the enormous success of the Longleat venture, Bruce was invited to have the monumental lion auctioned off at the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Gala event in St Tropez. The event was held in July 2016 where the piece achieved an auction bid of USD1 Million. The funds raised were donated by Bruce to the Foundation which focuses on various environmental projects. Bruce, whose sculptures range from miniatures to life-size and larger, has exhibited internationally for the last 13 years with his bronzes in collections on all five continents as limited editions and private commissions. Bruce is now a full-time sculptor living in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
COLEEN WILLIAMS
WATERCOLOUR, GRAPHITE, PASTEL
& PRINTS
Coleen Williams is an artist based in White River, Mpumalanga. Her home is conveniently close to the Kruger National Park, allowing many forays in search of inspiration and photographs for her growing body of wildlife works. She is inspired by nature and enjoys capturing the different colours, shapes and textures of our natural world in a variety of mediums. Born in Nelspruit in 1972, her younger years were spent in many different places, and only in 2005 did she return to her place of birth, the beautiful Lowveld. Coleen always had a passion for art and as a child spent many hours creating. She excelled in art at school, but a graphic design career took her on a different creative journey. After running her own graphic design business in Gauteng for almost 20 years, returning to her roots rekindled the spark of her creative spirit and in 2018, inspired by an old drawing, Coleen’s inner artist finally convinced her to pick up her pencils again. She currently finds herself on an exciting journey of rediscovering her love for art. The years spent in digital design honed her skills with regard to colour relationships as well as composition, which enable her to digitally compose her ideas prior to painting. Her beautiful wildlife paintings are characterised by an intense passion for colour and detail. Whether it's watercolour, pastel or graphite, Coleen’s artworks are a joy and the tender touch applied is evident in each piece. In September 2019 she received an Honourable Mention Award in the 1st International Watermedia Festival held in Somerset West, South Africa, for her watercolour work titled ‘Basile’.
CHRIS ROHM
BRONZE SCULPTOR
Sculpture doesn't live in a world of flat paint. It glows in the realism of dimension, shape, form, detail and artist interpretation. Although he has always harboured a creative spirit and a talent for working with his hands, it was by chance that Chris Rohm started sculpting. After a gap year in Europe, he returned to start working in a bronze casting foundry where he quickly developed a real love of the whole process of casting in bronze…it was during this time that he started working on his own pieces. Chris, a self-taught artist, captures the character of his subjects in the timelessness of bronze and is a champion of environmental awareness. “My success as a sculptor is not without difficulties, but every situation provides a learning opportunity. I'll always enjoy sculpting, accepting new challenges, doing work that excites me - that is my future.” One sculpture that is truly close to his heart is the powerful rhino, ‘TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT,’ which symbolizes the hardships the species are going through in order to survive to see another sunset. The sculptured body is armour plated which resembles the struggle of law enforcement and of game rangers in their mission to protect the rhino. The horn is the focal point and takes the sculpture to a height of 440mm. Bullets on the rhino's legs symbolise the struggle of the animal to survive blows from manmade machines that aim to kill. Standing on a pile of coins indicates what little monetary value the rhino horn is sold for in comparison to saving the animal for future generations. Although Chris’s full-time work in the construction trade is a different form of creativity, the sculpting allows him to get lost in his work and create what will become heirloom pieces. “I get so much satisfaction from sitting and figuring something out. When you look again the process has taken over and that piece of clay in front of you has become something else.”
DAVID HADAWAY
OILS, ACRYLICS, CHARCOAL
& PRINTS
David Hadaway started his artistic career as an illustrator in the advertising industry. He began to participate in group exhibitions, followed by his first one-man show which sold out on an opening day! He then proceeded to go into painting full time. Due to his background in illustration, he is completely comfortable in all mediums. He is a perfectionist - always striving to capture the essence of his subject matter. David’s style ranges from realistic to impressionistic. This established and technically accomplished artist exhibits both local and international, with his wildlife landscape and figurative paintings gracing the homes of art collectors worldwide. David has received commissions from major corporate companies such as South African Breweries, Standard Bank and Rand Merchant Bank. David continues to explore and evolve as an artist with an extensive portfolio containing not only Africa's large cats, great tusked elephants and Big Five. Travelling extensively in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. He creates landscapes ranging from the Karoo, spectacular lavender fields of Franschoek, the rich waters of Hellshoogte (Stellenbosch), Waterberg, and fly fishing in Dullstroom to the spectacular mountain ranges of the Drakensberg. He has a genuine love for African wildlife and is dedicated to conserving our natural heritage. David is the Co-Author of Great Tuskers of Africa and David was a finalist in the David Shepard Wildlife Artists of the year 2017.
FIONA GOLDTHORPE
GRAPHITE DRAWINGS
& PRINTS
Born in the United Kingdom in 1974. Fiona Goldthorpe graduated from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 with a National Diploma in Graphic Design. It was during this period she developed a passion for the arts and started to explore Fine Art, alongside Commercial Art (pursuing the latter as a career). “I have a need to communicate pictorially rather than with words. I try to push the limits of realism using both charcoal and graphite. I love these mediums for the drama and contrast I am able to create. For me, it is important to feel constantly challenged. Simply imitating reality isn't my primary goal. I feel I've successfully communicated with someone when they identify with the essence of a particular piece on a deeper level, and it brings about new thoughts or evokes certain emotions within them. My current collection is inspired by the great faces and animals of the African continent. Faces etched like maps to an Africa that exists in a timeless world. My aim is to capture the ageless ceremony, dignity and passion of the character - be it an animal or person. Just like the medium I use depicts contrasts, so too is the core of my subject matter. Beauty and grit, strength and humility, power and vulnerability.” After listening to that tiny whisper inside her, Fiona picked up a pencil again for the first time in over 12 years in March 2019 and her first piece entitled “Farai” was entered into the Sanlam National Portrait Awards (South Africa) and was awarded one of the Top 40 Finalists, exhibited at the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery in Durbanville. “It's been so exciting to develop, and I love how my audience is supporting my progress. For me, it was about being brave enough to listen to that tiny voice inside me and to acknowledge I have a certain gift – yet constantly staying humble enough to know that there is always room for further growth and evolution with each new piece. I try to stay constantly unsatisfied.” In February of 2020, Fiona was selected by Hansford & Sons Fine Art of London as one of a handful of global emerging artists on their ‘Emerging Artist Platform’. Hansford and Sons are a UK based art investment company which guides both collectors and investors both in the UK and internationally. They set up the ‘Emerging Artist Platform’ to help showcase up and coming artists from all around the globe. (www.emergingartistplatform.com/fionagoldthorpe) Fiona has placed in the Top 40 of the SA portrait awards each year that she has entered. Fiona Goldthorpe currently lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa.
GARY DAVIS
CHARCOAL DRAWINGS
Gary Davis is an artist residing in Knysna, South Africa. He Obtained a National Diploma in Graphic Design at Wit’s Technicon and briefly worked in the advertising industry. After moving around S.A looking for a safe and secure environment for his young family. Gary settled in the small village of Knysna situated in the Garden Route. His personal quest in Pursuit of mastering his artistic potential had to compete with the need to earn enough income to support his family. He started a glass installation company that soon outperformed all others with his attention to detail and demand for perfection. The call to create art out of ‘Charcoal’, his medium of preference, will not be held in abeyance and Gary turned his home into his studio and gallery. Access to his gallery was on an invitation basis. In 2014 he gave up glass and dedicated himself to creating full time. Attempting to understand light and perception and his medium, Gary plays with thoughts and energies we all experience, but are seldom inclined to explore. Attention to detail and an unforgiving demand for the highest standards of perfection, can confine him to his studio for days of solitude and meditation, crafting his skills to levels not often achieved. He continues to create works of astounding technical ability, often confused as photographs, until closer inspection reveals the little dances in black and white, light and shade, a physical manifestation of inward journey that make up the whole. Each drawing tells its own unique story. Gary has completed many private commissions and sold numerous works privately both here and abroad. After years of self exploration he finally emerged hosting his first public exhibition at The Gaol in Knysna in 2020
GODKNOWS MASIRI
CHARCOAL DRAWINGS
I was born in Zimbabwe and am the youngest of eleven children. My work displays something foreign and puts it into a familiar context by stressing features that all of us share.
HANNES LOCHNER
CONTEMPORARY WILDLIFE PRINTS
Hannes is a multi-award-winning photographer who has been a professional wildlife photographer since 2007. He has always been fascinated by the arid regions of southern Africa, and the Kalahari was on top of his list. His name is synonymous with the Kgalagadi in general- and leopards in particular. Hannes has produced five magnificent photographic collections, three of which were dedicated entirely to the Kalahari. To achieve this, he lived in the Kalahari for six years, where he spent hundreds of hours capturing inspiring images of this captivating landscape and its enigmatic inhabitants. Hannes has an extraordinary talent for composition and his wizardry with light allows him to create photographs that communicate the essence of the animals and landscapes telling their story. It is his passion for art that enables him to stand out as a master in an era where photography has become everyman‘s game. It is his mastery of the art that enables him to continually create photographic volumes that one simply can‘t overlook. Hannes has been recognized internationally receiving several awards over several years from the prestigious BBC‘s Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and Natures Best Awards, SIPA etc. – competitions. Also, a great number of his photos and articles have been published in both national South African press as well as in well known international publications. The books Hannes has published so far are Colours of Southern Africa, Colours of the Kalahari and The Dark Side of the Kalahari, Kalahari Photo tips: Photographer on Location and Planet Okavango. Noa Köfler, his wife, joined him in 2010 to do all the film work on the “Dark Side of the Kalahari” project, for example, “A day in a Wildlife Photographers Life” & the Promo video of the third, fourth and fifth publication
ISLA PERRY
PASTEL & GRAPHITE DRAWINGS
Isla was born on 27th January 1962 in Zimbabwe and was raised on a farm, where her love for nature developed at a very young age. During her high school years, Isla realised that among academics and sports, art was by far her favourite subject. After leaving school, Isla studied textile design and applied arts in Bulawayo, and then moved down to Capetown to study interior design at “ The Whitehouse “ in Rondebosch. Having received awards in both fields, Isla entered the design industry in Capetown. Isla and her family moved up to Jwaneng in Botswana, where she designed and painted table cloths, cushion covers and T-shirts. Much of her inspiration was drawn from memorable holidays spent in the Okavango. The family returned to S.A and lived briefly in Rustenburg and Steelpoort, where Isla’s husband was diagnosed with Motorneurone Disease, which necessitated a move to Johannesburg for medical reasons. In Johannesburg, Isla returned to the design industry, specialising in designer kitchens, bars, cigar lounges and dressing rooms, working with clientele, both locally and up into Africa. Isla was involved in design, sales, marketing and project management. After much encouragement from her daughter Meghan, Isla moved to Hoedspruit in April 2019 where she worked briefly in the hospitality industry. Isla joined the Warren Cary Art Workshops in October 2019, where she was introduced to the pastel pencil medium. Isla is now a full time artist who is exploring her creativity and passion for art and wildlife.
JEMIMA SARGENT
WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS
Originally from the UK, Jemima grew up in India, the Caribbean and Botswana, and is now very happy to call Hoedspruit her home, where she lives with her husband and two year old daughter, Scout. Having never studied Art formally, it was during her years in the Okavango Delta, working in safari lodges, that she picked up her pencils and paintbrushes again – inspired by her surroundings. From making greeting cards for guests, she expanded to bigger and bolder works, before taking her ‘hobby’ up more seriously once she moved to Cape Town in 2014. Now, back nearer the bush where her heart is happiest, Jemima continues to create pieces inspired by her surroundings, and loves nothing more than to capture the character and essence of all creatures from the larger fauna to the tinier, crawling beasties. Working in splashy, messy watercolours as well as even splashier, bold acrylics, Jemima paints wildlife primarily, but enjoys creating abstract impressions of the stunning landscapes she is lucky enough to witness regularly, living in this magical part of the world.
KARIN KRUGER
OIL PAINTINGS
Karin was born in 1977 and grew up in the Kruger National Park where her father Kobus Krüger was a game ranger. Up until Karin was fourteen years old the family lived at Mahlangeni, an isolated game ranger station in the Northwest region of the park. Going to school she had to cross the Greater Letaba river with a little boat, where the hippos would protest and put on a threatening territorial show! From there they lived at Crocodile Bridge and later Pretoriuskop. Throughout the years a variety of strays and orphans from the animal kingdom were temporary members of the family including an orphaned lion cub, Leo. Leo taught Karin about the emotional moods of wild animals as expressed by their eyes and body language. Karin realized that she wanted to spend her life drawing and painting the wild animals that she came to know so well and the open spaces that call to her being. Karin is a full-time artist and lives in Noordhoek, Cape Town with her family and extended four-legged family!
KARYN WIGGILL
GRAPHITE DRAWINGS
I took an early interest in art and remember drawing from as young as 6 years of age on any paper I could find. In so doing, I’ve developed a lifelong passion for art. In my early years, my drawings helped me to achieve success in school, by achieving a Third Place in a provincial Biology Project competition in Grade 8 and winning my first art competition, taking the overall prize for my landscape painting. I grew up in Virginia, a small Free State town in South Africa, where I completed my schooling. I have no formal qualifications in art, as the subject was not part of the curriculum. Although I studied a Bachelor of Social Science degree and have an Advanced Diploma in Labour Law, my passion for art was kept alive by drawing regularly and completing several commissions. I moved to Johannesburg and worked in the Human Resources field for seven years and it was during this period that I received informal oil painting lessons from Nuccia de Paoli (Nuccia was commissioned to paint the portrait of Gen. Jan Smuts, which hangs in a gallery in London.) I joined the Paint and Palette Society, based in Edenvale, Johannesburg and exhibited at several of the society’s exhibitions. After the birth of my twins, I left the Human Resources field and decided to take my art more seriously. Due to my love of rendering detail and realistic work, I was encouraged to try traditional miniature fine art*. I joined the Miniature Art Society of South Africa (MASSA) and working almost exclusively in pencil, exhibited at their annual exhibition at Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg. When exhibiting for the first time, I obtained one of the Highly Commended Awards and this subsequently ignited my passion for miniatures. I have exhibited at all their subsequent exhibitions and obtained further awards. In 2013, one of my works was voted “Best on Show” by the public, which is most satisfying of all. I currently assist the judging panel for their annual exhibition selection process and I regularly enter works internationally. I obtained my Associate Membership (ARMS) of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers in 2013 and my full membership in 2016 (RMS). I am a member of the Botanical Art Society of South Africa and my work was selected for the 2013 Kirstenbosch Biennale. My aim and ambition is to produce beautiful works of art that inspire, fascinate and excite a response and to capture unique moments and beauty and share them in expressive detail.
LIBBY BELL
WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS
PRINTS & STATIONARY
Libby is a low veld girl who studied a BA( HONS) Fine Art degree at the university of Pretoria and graduated with distinction in 2012. Libby has an absolute passion for the aesthetic of flowers and both contemporary and vintage Botanical art. All of artist Libby Bell’s work is inspired by her love for botanicals, interiors and animals. Libby is a lifestyle, accessories, boutique stationery and gifting brand developed from her love for nature, art, interior decor business. Combining her artistic and design skills, she and her team have developed an ever-growing range of professional range of beautiful prints and boutique stationery, bespoke fabrics and of course, her original paintings. Libby works in watercolour on rich 100% thick cotton paper. Her high quality products, unique designs and a touch of South African flavour is what makes Libby Bell Art unique.
PORTFOLIO
LINDY ROUX
WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS
& PRINTS
Lindy Roux was born in Pretoria, but over the years has lived in many different parts of South Africa. She excelled in art at the school level and grew up wanting to pursue a career in art. Drifting into the corporate world caused Lindy to lay down her pencil for many years. It was only after returning to Hazyview, Mpumalanga, and the natural beauty she was surrounded with, that her love for drawing and painting was rekindled. An enthusiastic birder, she has always had an affinity with birds. This love for them inspires her work. Surrounded by the birds and animals that she loves drawing, she has immersed herself in her creativity. Lindy loves the subtleties of watercolours but works in other media, like pastels and oils as well.
LUNGISA KALA
BRONZE SCULPTOR
Lungisa Kala was born near Willowvale in the Eastern Cape and moved to Cape Town in 2003, where he started work as a fettler in a bronze art foundry. Here Lungisa was exposed to the process and techniques used in creating bronze sculptures and gathered valuable skills in working on detailed art pieces. Lungisa completed various courses in both Tool and Die making and Welding to further his technical skills. Over the past few years, he has assisted various artists and been part of a team of sculptors commissioned to work on pieces ranging from 40cm to life sizes and up to 9m monumental statues as well as creating miniature sets for a television commercial. Lungisa was part of a mentorship program run by the National Heritage Project Company where he was given the opportunity to create his own life-size figure from concept to final bronze sculpture. In between working on commissioned artworks, Lungisa now runs his own fettling workshop, but it has always been his ambition to create his own series of sculptures. Lungisa is currently sculpting a collection of personal works of small bronzes, focusing on wildlife as well as re-creating memories of rural life from his past. Lungisa believes that to achieve anything requires faith, belief in oneself, determination, vision, hard work and dedication! Which he has in bucket loads!
MATTHEW BELL
COLOUR PENCIL DRAWINGS
& PRINTS
Matthew Bell, born in Nelspruit, South Africa in 1989, is an entirely self-taught wildlife artist who uses only pencil to create his artwork. He lived in Nelspruit for most of his life before relocating to Cape Town in 2014 at the age of 25. In the past, drawing was just a hobby for Matthew and he would sell the odd original here and there when he had one available. However, he soon realised that his art was becoming extremely popular and the demand for both prints and originals was growing. After moving to Cape Town he was then able to become a full-time artist and now has his work displayed in a variety of shops and galleries with buyers from across the globe. He was always a perfectionist with an eye for detail and this is evident in the intricacy of his work. This is also why the pencil is his preferred medium. With this, he can capture the finest details in his subjects and has full control of each of those details in every drawing where the focus is on creating realistic and ‘pleasing to the eye’ works of art. Matthew's drawings do not have a background, and the effect of the negative space is as important to the aesthetics of the artwork as the subject itself. He has always had a love for the natural world and after a life spent in and around the African bushveld, inspiration for his drawings was always close at hand. The subjects of his drawings are the unique variety of animals, birds and trees of Southern Africa. An extensive collection of Matthews prints are available.
PORTFOLIO
MICHAEL CANADAS
BRONZE SCULPTOR
Michaels works are born from his inherent love and passion for nature, not only Wild life but the ancient peoples and cultures that came before him. From an early age he was exposed to the outdoors, in particular the African-bush. Growing up on the doorstep of the World Famous Kruger National Park, This is where his passion for Africa and its extremes grew even stronger. After matriculating he finished a series of diplomas in Wild Life Management and game capture, as well as a degree in Nature Conservation. His passion for art however led him in a totaly new direction. In 1998 he started an apprenticeship in an Art Foundry and began his journey discovering the alchemy of bronze. A course on the patination of silicon bronzealso followed by arguably the top patineur in the U.S.A. Patrick Kipper and a bronze castingcourseby Dick Pollock Tallip Foundry in New York. In 2000 he started his own casting foundry, Bronze Art Africa formally known as The Loop Art Foundry, which has grown to become one of South Africa's largest and most respected Art Foundries casting for some of South Africa's top sculptors under his management. Thousands of bronze sculptures have been forged at The Foundry from thumb size to some of the most noted monuments in Africa. Michael is a self taught artist. Personally he started work on his own sculpture, building up a significant body of work. His work has been shown internationally by the top galleries in Maputo, Mozambique, Kulumgwana and the Alliance France, Fine art bronze collectors from the U.S.A, U.K, Netherlands, Denmark, Russia, Mozambique, Singapore. The United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Canada and South Africa. He has also received numerous commissions from private collectors as well as Corporate companies and organizations including The Kruger National Park and Extrata Platinum Mines. All these Commissions were for life size sculptures, including Sable Antelope, Eland, and various life size birds of prey. Michael has also taken part in numerous exhibitions both nationally and internationally. ARTIST STATEMENT "Within every new piece I trace my own evolution and learning processes, as I try to capture the specific essence and moment in time in the life of my subject. I try to retain the beginning strokes and gestures of each sculpture, because that to me contains the excitement and truth of the creative process. MICHAEL CANADAS”
NIC WENTWORTH
CHARCOAL DRAWINGS
& PRINTS
I had an itch that lasted about 20 years. I was doing all right but wasn’t truly fulfilled. I was a plumber – yes, a far cry from being an artist. There is nothing wrong with being a plumber – hell, it’s a safe job! I even found satisfaction in beautiful level copper pipes and well-laid drains. I could not, however, shake the desire to create something magical. I escaped back into the wild and now find myself happily working as a game ranger. In nature I feel at home and inspiration for my artwork is drawn from the animals I have come to know. Was I an artist before I became a nature guide? I guess so. I did, however, grow to be competent in my artistry as I developed an understanding of our natural wildlife. I truly believe the one needed the other. I now have the privilege of combining two things I love and appreciate – nature and art. BORN 6 April 1984, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe LIVES Alexandria, Eastern Cape, South Africa PREFERED MEDIUM Charcoal FAVORITE SUBJECT Elephants and lions STUDIES, AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS Self-taught artist. 2018 An elephant charcoal drawing of mine was used to Raise funds for IRONMAN 4 THE KIDZ during the Port Elizabeth IRONMAN 70.3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Commissioned by WILDLIFE ACT to produce a black rhino art piece. It was used at the WCN WILDLIFE CONFERENCE in San Francisco in 2015 to raise funds for rhino conservation. Was the subject of a short documentary produced by HINGE VISUAL. The documentary was featured at the ELEMENTS FILM FESTIVAL in VANCOUVER in 2019.
PATRICK O'BRIEN
GRAPHITE & COLOUR PENCIL DRAWINGS
Patrick was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1972 and started drawing when he was 8 years. He moved to the Timbavati Game Reserve in 1998 after obtaining his diploma in-game ranging. It is in Timbavati where his education of the bush-veld really started. Living in such a pristine wilderness area laid the foundation for his art career years later unknown to him at that time. He has a passion for these wilderness areas that have become the nurturing ground for his part-time career as an artist. Patrick specializes in wildlife illustrations and combines his study of nature and art to create highly detailed graphite and ink illustrations of flora and fauna from his home town area Hoedspruit. Guiding in the Timbavati Game Reserve which is part of the Great Kruger National Park in South Africa, is where he gains his inspiration from. Patrick has recently participated in an exhibition hosted by the celebrated wildlife artist, Warren Cary, in Hoedspruit with great success. Patrick invites viewers to slow down and notice the wonders surrounding them. He is an artist, naturalist, and educator inspiring lifelong stewardship by connecting people to their local ecosystems through the study of nature and art.
QUINN KLOPPERS
HIGH KEY WILDLIFE PRINTS
Quinn was born in Zimbabwe and is purely African, not just by birth but also in his attachment to the wild places that he grew up in. Being raised in one of Africa’s truly wild areas allowed him to create a relationship with the wild animals that can only be found in a few remaining places on the planet. In the year 2000 he became a licensed guide in Zimbabwe and spent his time immersing himself and his clients in wild areas both state and private. The progression to capturing his experiences on camera was a very natural progression, allowing him to share with others what he gets to experience on a daily basis. His knowledge of the technical side of photography and his understanding of the animals and environments that he works in have allowed him to capture some truly unique and breathtaking images. Not one to settle into the routine he is always trying to capture never been done shots and discover new techniques and technologies to help him improve his craft. He is always ready to pass on what he has learnt to people and that is one of the reasons he is truly one of Africa’s premier guides and photographers.
ROBYN ANSELL
ACRYLICS & OILS
& PRINTS
Robyn is a full-time artist, based in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Her works are created predominantly in oils, but she occasionally enjoys the fast-drying freedom of working with acrylic. Robyn has a deep-seated appreciation for nature and an inherent urge to express this creatively. Being a qualified Field Guide and spending a considerable amount of time living and working in the bush has added significant depth to her knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the subject matter that she loves to paint. She loves working with fine detail and enjoys creating pieces that reflect a delicate balance between realism and creativity. She creates original artworks focused on African wildlife (birds are a particular favourite), as well as African portraiture. Robyn also offers a range of limited-edition prints, and a couple of other products featuring a few selected pieces. “Deeply passionate about the African wilderness, I strive to use my artwork to promote conservation awareness where I can.”
RUPERT HANLEY
OIL PAINTINGS
Rupert Hanley is an artist from South Africa known for his stylized portraits, wildlife paintings and landscapes. Born in 1952, in Port Elizabeth, Rupert Hanley's creative work was primarily influenced by the 1970s. Conceptualism is often perceived as a response to Minimalism, and the dominant art movement of the 1970s, challenging the boundaries of art with its revolutionary features. During the presidential administration of Nelson Mandela, he was commissioned to create paintings as state gifts to exchange with visiting dignitaries. Recipients of Hanley’s works include former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair, first President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin and other heads of state. In recent years, his work has focused on the wild animals found in Kruger National Park in northeastern South Africa, one of Africa’s largest game reserves. These include leopards, giraffes, zebras and elephants. Because he has spent so much time in the park, Hanley recognizes many of the elephants that reside there. Hanley studied at the Port Elizabeth Art School in South Africa. His paintings are found in many well-known collections as well as at major corporations worldwide. In his younger years Rupert was a former South African first class cricketer. Due to his long blond hair, Hanley was known as Spook, Afrikaans for ghost. Hanley was a fast medium bowler whose career coincided with South Africa's ban on international cricket, he played for South Africa in two unofficial "Tests" and 6 limited overs matches against the touring West Indian side in 1984, taking a hat-trick at the Wanderers Stadium and 14 wickets in total. In England he played for Northamptonshire during the 1984 season, representing the county against the West Indies, and taking 3/27 in the first innings. David Doyle, a peer of Graeme Pollock and one of South Africa's premier batsmen of the era rated Hanley one of the greatest bowlers he faced.Hanley has the unusual distinction of having taken more wickets than he scored runs (in both first class and List A) over his career.
SARAH RICHARDS
BRONZE SCULPTOR
Sarah Richards was born in Durban; her childhood was spent in various places around Southern Africa. She returned to Durban to study Fine Art, majoring in sculpture at Durban Technikon (1985-1990). During the next four years, she travelled overseas to gain experience and insight before returning to Durban to make art and to teach drawing, painting and sculpture to adults and children. She completed her Master’s degree in Fine Art (Cum Laude) at the Durban University of Technology in 2008. Sarah is now living and practising her art in the KZN Midlands. Sarah has been creating bronze sculptures for the past 20 years. Her passion lies in rendering sculpture which shows an attention to detail, and which gives an impression of movement and animation. Sarah explores many different subjects; this comes from her fascination with the details and construction of the world. Inspired by public sculpture and monuments around the world Sarah enjoys the challenge of creating world-class sculptures for the public commissions she has received. Her smaller figure sculptures include children at play, small figures and nudes. The important process of creating each sculpture, and in particular, the early stages of modelling, are an exciting time of discovery. Sarah uses a mixture of media including wax and plasticine which allow fluidity and detail and rough Rhinolite for texture and structure. These allow an adventurous exploration into a deeper understanding of the chosen subject. In this creative process, an intimate relationship develops between subject and artist. The animal and bird sculptures explore Sarah’s love of nature and wonder at the different characteristics of each creature, waiting to be discovered through close encounters and study. The figure sculptures represent an emotional journey in exploring the human form and movement. Sarah is experienced and well versed at executing commissioned tasks; from small coffee table pieces, to portrait busts and monumental statues. She works closely with her client to creatively express their vision in the bronze works she sculpts.
SOPHIE NIEMANN
THREAD PAINTING'
& PRINTS
Sophie Niemann, is a self-taught artist, who has lived and worked in Africa for the past 20 years. Art and wildlife has always been a passion for Sophie. During her time in Africa as a Zoologist, she has had the privileged to spend most of her days in nature working for a conservation and community organization setting up programmes across Africa. She uses her experience with wildlife as an inspiration and hopes to express the beauty and wonder of nature in her work, touching a wider audience to educate them about the significance of conservation and the issues facing our vanishing species. She enjoys all media, but enjoys the more creative side by using the vibrant African fabric, Shweshwe, and a machine embroidery technique called ’Threadpainting', to give her wildlife pieces a unique texture and appeal.
STEPHANIE MOLLETT
GRAPHITE & PASTEL DRAWINGS
Stephanie was born in Cape Town South Africa on the 15th of June 1970. She was raised and schooled in Johannesburg, where she excelled at art. With a passion for art and an eye for aesthetics, space and design, and a desire to create, Stephanie pursued her studies in the field of Interior Design. Stephanie built a successful career as an account manager and designer of restaurants and clothing stores such as Spur, Hard Rock Cafe, Milady’s, Stuttafords, Nino’s and Wimpy (Including Hoedspruit’s first “African” themed Wimpy). Her sense of adventure and a passion for life, on occasion pulled her out of the corporate design world, where she explored different ventures from teaching scuba diving in Zanzibar, to joining the Africam wildlife web camera team, and finally to relocating from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit. Here she felt a yearning to return to her original passion for art and she discovered a hidden talent for wildlife and portraiture art in the medium of pastel pencils. In early 2019 Stephanie joined the Warren Cary Academy of Fine Art with celebrated South African wildlife artist, Warren Cary, as the Art Curator and Consultant at the Gallery, and here she has honed her artistic skills to such an extent that her artworks are so detailed that they take an average of 2 months to complete. With a strong aesthetic sense and an eye for detail, Stephanie creates unique and striking pieces that reflect her deep connection to each subject. Her artworks are infused with vibrant colors and intricate details that perfectly capture each subject's character and beauty.
STORM BARKAS
ORIGINAL OIL PAINTINGS
Storm is a Hoedspruit born artist that grew up in the lowveld bush with a family who dedicated their lives to anti poaching. Her obsession for animals started off at a young age, when tracking animals through the bush and finding snares. Protecting our wildlife became a priority and art was a passion so naturally the two came together. Storm went off to boarding school in the north west where her Art teacher, Jody Olen, introduced her to many mediums and techniques, and so her art passion grew. Having settled back home in Hoedspruit after school, Storm works in the local community teaching children art. Her father always explained that conservation is not just the work on the ground but also teaching the people around us to love and appreciate animals, which she does through Art. She hopes to bring positivity to these children’s lives through art. Storm primarily works with oils but loves to experiment with different mediums.
STUART HANCOCK
LARGE FORMAT & ALUMINIUM WILDLIFE PRINTS
Stuart delicately balances his corporate life in finance in Johannesburg and Mauritius with his creative life as a wildlife photographer in the Greater Kruger National Park where he dives into his passion for the bush and captures unique wildlife images. Stuart also captures the imagination with his Large Format Aluminum Photographic Prints, which have great movement through out the day as the sun and light changes.
TRISTAN CARY
SAFARI COLLECTION WILDLIFE PRINTS
Tistan Cary's wildlife photography and film making journey began as a kid, exploring his backyard in a nature reserve in Hoedspruit b Since then, he has developed his craft and turned his passion into a career. Tristafor a wlknown safari lodge in the Greater Kruger National Park as currently works Virtual Safari Guide where he brings nature to his viewers,. With every photo he takes and every film he creates, he strives to make a difference and show the world how beautiful our planet truly is.
TRAVIS DE VILLIERS
BRONZE SCULPTOR
Growing up in Zimbabwe and South Africa, wildlife, the bush and the love for Mother Africa have always been in his heart. Travis’ sculptures serve as reminders of how beautiful these wild creatures are to anyone who loves them as much as he does. Travis has recently, further developed his art career into bronze sculpture, where he does the majority of his work from memory, drawing from his vast mental library of his works he has created in the past, which required him to capture animals with absolute precision. With more than 15 years of experience, accurate proportions, behavioral compositions and contemporary 3D horns from real specimens are what makes his work unique. His collections are tributes to animals he personally enjoys the most. “My goal is to sculpt nature's most beautiful creatures with a fluid and realistic touch.”
VINCENT REID
ORIGINAL GRAPHITE DRAWINGS
Born in 1970 and raised on a farm in Zimbabwe, I have always been a close observer of the outdoors and every bit of spare time I had was spent in the hills or along the rivers of the family farm. Zimbabwe in the 80's was a socialist state and as a result, there was very little available by way of art materials in my high school art department, hence I started working in pencil, doing portraits and wildlife drawings for my friends.After completing my schooling in Harare I studied interior design and worked for 18 years in the exhibition and events industry as a designer/business owner and during this time I focused almost entirely on computer aided design. This, together with the management and growing of my company, meant that creative expression took a back seat. In 2011, having grown disillusioned and unfulfilled in this line of work I made a life changing decision to pursue a full-time art career. My desire was to shake off the yoke of mediocrity which was prevalent in the industry and focus on developing my own most basic creative ability; drawing.My family and I relocated to the country town of Howick in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands of South Africa so that I could pursue art as a career in peaceful, rural and creative environment; a move that has proven beneficial to all involved.Art and the pursuit of my subject material has taken me to some of Southern Africa's most beautiful locations and the wildlife and nature depicted in this book have been observed in awesome places such as Etosha National Park in Namibia, Mana Pools and Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, Chobe National Park in Botswana, and Hluhluwe, Addo Elephant Park and Mapungubwe in South Africa; places such as these are what makes me drawn to Africa.
WARREN CARY
GRAPHITE & PASTEL DRAWINGS
Warren Cary is a well-known and celebrated South African wildlife artist. He was born 14th June 1969 in Johannesburg, South Africa and pursued a career in the printing industry. Over the years Warren dabbled in his passion for art and with a desire to be surrounded by wildlife, Warren abandoned the rat race and relocated to Hoedspruit in 2011, to become a full-time wildlife artist. Warren specialises in drawing the amazing nature and wildlife of the Greater Kruger National Park that he is so passionate about. This passion is reflected in his award-winning work which has been described as having an individual style of precision, power and eloquence! As a self-taught artist the detail of the work that he produces is exceptional. Seeing the detail in every single piece of art is breath-taking. Every hair, every feather is perfect, making his work so accurate that it looks almost lifelike. Although Warren is experienced in all mediums, his medium of choice is graphite pencil and pastels. Warren is a person who believes in “giving back” and is willing to share his knowledge and experiences freely, which is evidenced in the mentorship he gives to emerging artists. Despite having won worldwide acclaim for his artwork he is not content to rest on his laurels and amongst other pursuits opened the spectacular Warren Cary Wildlife Gallery in Hoedspruit where he showcases some of South Africa’s renown wildlife artists and has created a platform for up-and-coming wildlife artists. When Warren is not at his drawing board, keeping up with his numerous commissioned artworks, you will find him beating around the bush photographing, analysing and studying his next subject!
YOLANDI DIESEL
SKULL CARVINGS
Born and raised in South Africa, Yolandi has had a fascination with nature, skulls and wildlife from early childhood. After completing her studies in Human Resources and Labour Law, she stepped into the construction industry in Johannesburg, where she worked for a good couple of years. It wasn’t until 2014, wild at heart, that many roads throughout her life and corporate career lead her to pursue her burning passion which is bone art. Completely self-taught, her work aims to honour the animal after it is dead, to see the beauty in its remains and maintain respect for the life that has been... and giving it a second chance. She carves all her skulls by hand and draws each unique design from scratch, never to replicate her patterns. All her skulls and bones are sustainably sourced, being a true environmentalist, all of the artworks she produces are unrelated to the cause or contribution to the deaths of the animals. She named her creations Calvary Skulls, which is an authentic, artistic brand that capture the hands-on, hand-drawn, real element of the ancient art of bone carving. Imperfectly perfect, Yolandi introduces a sense of timeless, traditional sophistication through nature's sculptures, she likes to refer to her creations as “living wildlife art”. “I pride myself as a self-taught bone artist that specializes in the ancient art of bone carving. I believe in authenticity and upholding traditions, my mission is to offer authentic, hand-carved pieces that are as unique as each individual skull. I discovered that the creation of art from animal skulls of highly appreciated animals supports the ancient beliefs and traditions that we should not waste anything, but instead cherish every single part – a principle that I live by.”