Silverback, Gorilla, Wildlife Painting

Silverback, chalk pastel on board.

I love silverbacks. I love gorillas; so I drew one.

Cheetah, Wildlife Painting

 Cheetah, chalk pastel on board, 20 x 23.5cm (8 x 9")

 I love Cheetahs and have done several paintings of them. This is one of my favourites.

Sketching

One of the pages from my sketchbook.

I've been spending my days at Edinburgh Zoo, and it's been brilliant.

When I look at the map, I realise just how little of it I have explored so far. With each visit, I find I tend to concentrate on just a few animals in the same area - last time, it was the rhinos, pandas and penguins. I drew, sketched and scribbled, taking photos in between. I watched the pandas prowl (on the rare occasion they weren't asleep), the penguins dive and swim, the rhinos heat themselves in the sun.

I feel energised and more enthusiastic about my work than I have in years.

I love going to the zoo!

Rhino, Fading Into Black

Every time I finish a painting, I stand back and realise that I have to name my work. I always find it a struggle, but this time I got there with ease. I have spent weeks studying this rhino, and all I can think about is how close he is to extinction - fading away as time goes on, and into black shadows when there are none left.

Rhino, Fading Into Black, chalk pastel on board, 59 x 42.5 cm (23 x 16.5 ")