Want to meet royalty? Come to the ‘Friends of Joshua’ Exhibition this summer!

June 14, 2022

If you want to meet royalty, come to Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre in Oakville – one of my newest paintings, ‘His Majesty’ will be in the ‘Friends of Joshua’ art show from June 23rd 2022 – August 28th 2022. He will be happy to spend some time with you and nod regally… And he will not be alone: my art print on canvas entitled ‘The Day of Reckoning’ will keep him company…

Both works are for sale.

Post script: the Lion’s name is Humba!

It took awhile, but the conservation that the lion below calls home, got back to me and confirmed that this is actually Humba. He is one of the 2 males who took over when Cecil, the reigning lion, was cowardly shot by a ‘sport hunter’ (who is still active, by the way, it makes me sick to my stomach…)
Humba and Netsayi were the two lions who were in power for a long time but Humba has recenly lost his place of power and is now looking for a pride on his own.

‘His Majesty’ is an original acrylic paint artwork on canvas (18 x 24 inch), it comes framed and ready to hang and will add a sense of wilderness to your house…

What’s the story?

His Majesty’ has a double back story
The number of wild lions in Africa has dramatically declined over the years. Not just by hunters and poachers, but also because many of the native people considered killing a lion a part of their transition into manhood. The Masai people are a good example of how change can happen. They no longer kill lions as a rite of passage, instead, they are now actively involved in conservation.

Exotic pets’
The other story is one that recently came to my attention, but is not new. There are alarming numbers of big cats that are owned by individuals. Some have them as pet (can you even imagine! a tiger or lion in the backyard!). Some offer them in cramped ‘exihibits’ in roadside zoo’s and there are even big cat ‘puppy mills’ where inbreeding is the rule. It brings tears to my eyes seeing the living conditions of these majestic animals. A good 30 states of the United States of America have banned these types of enterprises. A lot of the animals have been rescued from their horrific circumstances and one of the most impressive refuges that has taken them in for close to 30 years now is the ‘Wild Animal Sanctuary’ in Keenesburg Colorado. They transition the formerly captive animals to acres and acres of natural land, where they can hide, play, sleep, basically do what they want without human intervention. Some are in such bad shape, that they live in an assisted living set-up. But at least they are as free as they can be. Have a look at their website to read more about them:

https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/copy-of-visit-us

‘The Day of Reckoning’: a great Ontario storm

‘Day of Reckoning’ is a big canvas print (100 cms wide) of a unique scene captured during a big storm. Nothing in this photograph has been altered by photo-editing software, but the computer has helped merge the multiple shots I took into a single one. Using this panoramic technique is a wonderful way to truly convey the natural beauty and daunting power of Mother Nature. By using multiple shots and merging them, the movement and atmosphere of natural phenomenons can be depicted in all of its glory. This was the face of a storm that brought us hailstones the size of golfballs! The cloud-formations and colouring led me to the title ‘Day of Reckoning’…

Come and meet me at Joshua (by appointment)!

I hope to see you soon at the Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre (see details below).
Due to Covid there will not be an opening reception, but… you can visit any time the Gallery is open. The property is a veritable oasis of open fields and beautiful buildings, a permanent sculpture garden and a fascinating labyrinth you can visit to experience the serenity of the land. Quite unique in an area that is being altered, sadly, into a construction pit for new housing development.

If you would like to meet me there, do let me know by sending an email via the ‘Contact’ section of this website, or getting in touch via Facebook. I am a mere 20 minutes away from this Centre and it would be lovely to see you and have a look at the beautiful collection of works in this unique show.

Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre location and opening hours

1086 Burnhamthorpe Rd E, Oakville
Ontario L6H 7B2 Canada
Opened daily from 1-4, with the exception on Mondays (closed all day).
https://www.joshuacreekarts.com/