John Banovich
Mpofu, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
18h x 25w in
45.72h x 63.50w cm
Framed: 27.75h x 34.75w x 2.50d in
70.49h x 88.27w x 6.35d cm
John Banovich
Bull In The Aspens, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
11h x 14w in
27.94h x 35.56w cm
Framed: 17.50h x 20.50w in
44.45h x 52.07w cm
The days are warm and sunny and the nights are cool. The cooler temperatures at night paint the mountains with brilliant splashes of color as the aspen leaves begin to change and an eerie sound echoes across the meadows. The sound of bull elks signaling the beginning of the rut, and the breeze causing the leaves to tremble with a rustling sound. Beneath the white outer bark of the aspen is a thin green layer that allows the plant to synthesize sugars and keep growing even during the winter. This green layer of the bark makes it a survival food for elk during hard winters, and leaves dark scars on the lower part of aspen trees where the elk feed.
John Banovich
Silverback in Bamboo, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
11h x 14w in
27.94h x 35.56w cm
Framed: 17.50h x 20.50w in
44.45h x 52.07w cm
The Silverbacks eyes, staring directly at the viewer, are hypnotic. Caught in a moment of calm, peering out behind bamboo, it seems to be waiting. There are very few species in the world embody the strength, beauty and vulnerability of nature as the Mountain Gorilla in Africa. These critically endangered animals rely heavily on bamboo for food and shelter. By protecting the habitats in which they live, not only can we help save these species but we can help preserve the many other animals, plants and organisms in the bamboo forests that may not receive the same amount of attention but that are equally as important in sustaining our complex web of life.
My paintings are not about portraying the misery many threatened species are facing, but to present their majesty and beauty. It’s about drawing attention to them. The research comes before the art, and doesn’t take long to realize the urgency to paint threatened species to remind us what we’re fighting for.
John Banovich
BOSS, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
46h x 50w in
116.84h x 127w cm
That distinguishing feature, “the deadliest mustache in the world”, is a well-groomed, perfectly curled mustache shape known as a “boss” on male Cape buffalos. The horns on males come so close together that they fuse, and creates a shield on their heads. Generally, the larger and thicker the horns of adult buffalo males belong to higher-ranked individuals.
I particularly liked this old male spotted in Tanzania off the beaten path with his weathered and chiseled face revealing a strong character. The “BOSS” is that old male standing proudly and fearlessly against any predator.
John Banovich
Sundowners II, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
30h x 48w in
76.20h x 121.92w cm
Zebra are one of Africa's most iconic animal. This herd has come to the waters edge right before sundown with a cautious approach as they are posed to dart off at any smell, sight or sounds of danger, while the Oxpecker's act as lookouts in exchange for access to their insect meals.
Compositionally with the horizon line low, so as if you were at the water level, I placed the only zebra with his head up looking straight at you in the center of the scene. This gives balance to the left and right of the painting and increases the tension for the viewer. I also left the background impressionistic and colorful and then slipped some of these colors into the zebra giving their black and white forms more life.
John Banovich
Mother's Love, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
20h x 30w in
50.80h x 76.20w cm
John Banovich
New Dawn, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
9h x 12w in
22.86h x 30.48w cm
Framed: 15.50h x 18.50w in
39.37h x 46.99w cm
Few animals on Earth command more respect than the rhinoceros. With its horned head, bulky body, and thundering gait, it is truly a masterpiece of its world. White rhinos are the most social of the 5 species, and mothers with calves will often group together for increased protection and socialization. While rhinos may grow up to be tanks, they make excellent mothers. As a new dawn approaches for this calf to set out on a new path without his mother, they reflect at the waters edge in these last fleeting moments.
John Banovich
Mpofu, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
18h x 25w in
45.72h x 63.50w cm
Framed: 27.75h x 34.75w x 2.50d in
70.49h x 88.27w x 6.35d cm
John Banovich
Black Jade, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
76h x 36w in
193.04h x 91.44w cm
Framed: 79h x 39w in
200.66h x 99.06w cm
John Banovich
We Face It Together, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
30h x 51w in
76.20h x 129.54w cm
Framed: 45h x 66w in
114.30h x 167.64w cm
John Banovich
Bull In The Aspens, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
11h x 14w in
27.94h x 35.56w cm
Framed: 17.50h x 20.50w in
44.45h x 52.07w cm
The days are warm and sunny and the nights are cool. The cooler temperatures at night paint the mountains with brilliant splashes of color as the aspen leaves begin to change and an eerie sound echoes across the meadows. The sound of bull elks signaling the beginning of the rut, and the breeze causing the leaves to tremble with a rustling sound. Beneath the white outer bark of the aspen is a thin green layer that allows the plant to synthesize sugars and keep growing even during the winter. This green layer of the bark makes it a survival food for elk during hard winters, and leaves dark scars on the lower part of aspen trees where the elk feed.
John Banovich
Nemean, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
78h x 82w in
198.12h x 208.28w cm
Setting aside color and working on exploring a full range of light and dark, this painting has been a long-time passion of mine. Specifically, the Nemean Lion which was a prominent creature from Greek mythology for its role in the stories of Hercules. The Nemean Lion gets its name from its home and hunting ground, Nemea. Legend has it, the Nemean Lion was as graceful and beautiful as the average lion, but was also supernaturally strong and with a thick skin that is impenetrable by any tools known to humankind. Just as the Nemean Lion applied tactics of deception and strategy to gain what he wanted, so too did Hercules. Nemean Lion reminds you of the need to use your intellectual gifts and creativity to remain a step ahead of others.
John Banovich
Sundowners II, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
30h x 48w in
76.20h x 121.92w cm
Zebra are one of Africa's most iconic animal. This herd has come to the waters edge right before sundown with a cautious approach as they are posed to dart off at any smell, sight or sounds of danger, while the Oxpecker's act as lookouts in exchange for access to their insect meals.
Compositionally with the horizon line low, so as if you were at the water level, I placed the only zebra with his head up looking straight at you in the center of the scene. This gives balance to the left and right of the painting and increases the tension for the viewer. I also left the background impressionistic and colorful and then slipped some of these colors into the zebra giving their black and white forms more life.
John Banovich
Land of Elephants, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
18h x 32w in
45.72h x 81.28w cm
An iconic symbol of Africa’s wildlife. Elephants spend their lives in an extended family group that is headed by a matriarch, typically the oldest female, who serves as the central holder of history and knowledge.
As this elephant herd makes their way to water across the vast plain below Mt. Kilimanjaro, this family group senses danger in the distance. Forming a defensive shield around the young calves while the old matriarch rises her trunk to read the winds and determine the risk. Communication among elephants is varied and continuous. They produce sounds at frequencies below the range of human hearing, and these infrasonic messages can travel over great distances through the ground as well as the air, enabling families several kilometers apart, out of range of sight or smell, to track each other’s movements and condition. Elephants sense these sounds through their feet as well as hearing them, and much of the communication seems to be an attempt to convey reassurance and connectedness.
John Banovich
Nemean, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
78h x 82w in
198.12h x 208.28w cm
Setting aside color and working on exploring a full range of light and dark, this painting has been a long-time passion of mine. Specifically, the Nemean Lion which was a prominent creature from Greek mythology for its role in the stories of Hercules. The Nemean Lion gets its name from its home and hunting ground, Nemea. Legend has it, the Nemean Lion was as graceful and beautiful as the average lion, but was also supernaturally strong and with a thick skin that is impenetrable by any tools known to humankind. Just as the Nemean Lion applied tactics of deception and strategy to gain what he wanted, so too did Hercules. Nemean Lion reminds you of the need to use your intellectual gifts and creativity to remain a step ahead of others.
John Banovich
Sundowners II, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
30h x 48w in
76.20h x 121.92w cm
Zebra are one of Africa's most iconic animal. This herd has come to the waters edge right before sundown with a cautious approach as they are posed to dart off at any smell, sight or sounds of danger, while the Oxpecker's act as lookouts in exchange for access to their insect meals.
Compositionally with the horizon line low, so as if you were at the water level, I placed the only zebra with his head up looking straight at you in the center of the scene. This gives balance to the left and right of the painting and increases the tension for the viewer. I also left the background impressionistic and colorful and then slipped some of these colors into the zebra giving their black and white forms more life.
John Banovich
The Little Things, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
15h x 17w in
38.10h x 43.18w cm
Framed: 21h x 23w x 2d in
53.34h x 58.42w x 5.08d cm
Life is made up of fluttering moments, and when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at can change. We rarely consider the changes a butterfly goes through, and the beauty that comes from that transformation. The forest is composed of many “little things". Each piece playing their part in the larger world. The leaf, the butterfly, and the hillside all comprise the forest’s composite character. And sometimes the smallest pieces are the most alluring. Appreciating the little things in life means that you focus your attention on what nurtures and sustains you in life.
My paintings are way of feeling, and when those feelings are captured on canvas, long after the memories have faded, I become more conscious of the very small things that can evoke joy and beauty.
John Banovich
Bull In The Aspens, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
11h x 14w in
27.94h x 35.56w cm
Framed: 17.50h x 20.50w in
44.45h x 52.07w cm
The days are warm and sunny and the nights are cool. The cooler temperatures at night paint the mountains with brilliant splashes of color as the aspen leaves begin to change and an eerie sound echoes across the meadows. The sound of bull elks signaling the beginning of the rut, and the breeze causing the leaves to tremble with a rustling sound. Beneath the white outer bark of the aspen is a thin green layer that allows the plant to synthesize sugars and keep growing even during the winter. This green layer of the bark makes it a survival food for elk during hard winters, and leaves dark scars on the lower part of aspen trees where the elk feed.
John Banovich
New Dawn, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
9h x 12w in
22.86h x 30.48w cm
Framed: 15.50h x 18.50w in
39.37h x 46.99w cm
Few animals on Earth command more respect than the rhinoceros. With its horned head, bulky body, and thundering gait, it is truly a masterpiece of its world. White rhinos are the most social of the 5 species, and mothers with calves will often group together for increased protection and socialization. While rhinos may grow up to be tanks, they make excellent mothers. As a new dawn approaches for this calf to set out on a new path without his mother, they reflect at the waters edge in these last fleeting moments.
John Banovich
Autumn Royal, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
12h x 16w in
30.48h x 40.64w cm
There are few things that make me think of wilderness more than the bugling of a bull elk. And a day spent sketching elk, following tracks in fresh snow, or even sitting in the woods and watching the natural world unfold to our primordial past can be as beautiful as time spent in a cathedral. When the aspen trees reach their peak color in early October the fall colors in the Rocky Mountains not only signal that winter is near, but also the fall rut for elk. For me, the love of hearing elk sounds echo throughout the mountains inspires this painting. No other animal in North America sounds quite like it, and the different cadences are extraordinary - a “royal” sighting indeed.
John Banovich
BOSS, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
46h x 50w in
116.84h x 127w cm
That distinguishing feature, “the deadliest mustache in the world”, is a well-groomed, perfectly curled mustache shape known as a “boss” on male Cape buffalos. The horns on males come so close together that they fuse, and creates a shield on their heads. Generally, the larger and thicker the horns of adult buffalo males belong to higher-ranked individuals.
I particularly liked this old male spotted in Tanzania off the beaten path with his weathered and chiseled face revealing a strong character. The “BOSS” is that old male standing proudly and fearlessly against any predator.
John Banovich
Bugle, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
9h x 12w in
22.86h x 30.48w cm
There is something magical about a bull elk bugling in the crisp air of dawn. It echoes though-out the valley and raises the hairs across my neck, as it is a sound I have heard since I was a young boy on those early morning hunting trips with my dad in the mountains of Montana. A truly iconic sound that is everlasting.
John Banovich
One Of Those Days, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
16h x 14w in
40.64h x 35.56w cm
Parenting doesn’t stop, even when you’re at your wit’s end. And mastering the art of patience is something we can all relate to. Even in my art, patience enables me to develop, grow and mature as an artist as well as being a father of two girls.
Gorilla mothers have very strong bonds with their infants, and provide complete care for them during their first few years, starting with carrying them everywhere against their chest, and then later having them ride on their backs. Of course, this takes a lot of extra energy in traveling with their groups every day, in addition to feeding the nursing youngsters. Compared to humans, gorilla moms rarely allow other group members to handle or carry the infant, though sometimes we do see other individuals in a group lending a hand.
John Banovich
Black Jade, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
76h x 36w in
193.04h x 91.44w cm
Framed: 79h x 39w in
200.66h x 99.06w cm
John Banovich
Silverback in Bamboo, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
11h x 14w in
27.94h x 35.56w cm
Framed: 17.50h x 20.50w in
44.45h x 52.07w cm
The Silverbacks eyes, staring directly at the viewer, are hypnotic. Caught in a moment of calm, peering out behind bamboo, it seems to be waiting. There are very few species in the world embody the strength, beauty and vulnerability of nature as the Mountain Gorilla in Africa. These critically endangered animals rely heavily on bamboo for food and shelter. By protecting the habitats in which they live, not only can we help save these species but we can help preserve the many other animals, plants and organisms in the bamboo forests that may not receive the same amount of attention but that are equally as important in sustaining our complex web of life.
My paintings are not about portraying the misery many threatened species are facing, but to present their majesty and beauty. It’s about drawing attention to them. The research comes before the art, and doesn’t take long to realize the urgency to paint threatened species to remind us what we’re fighting for.
John Banovich
Promise Of A New Day, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
11h x 14w in
27.94h x 35.56w cm
Framed: 17.50h x 20.50w x 1d in
44.45h x 52.07w x 2.54d cm
As a wildlife artist, it’s my challenge and thrill to capture leopards on canvas in such a way that the viewer is captivated by this beautiful cat’s complexity and place in nature.
Newborn leopards are extremely vulnerable and rely entirely on mom for nourishment and protection. They are born blind, opening their eyes at around 10 days of age, and weigh only 1 pound. Mom carries the cubs to a new location every couple of days to ensure they are hidden from potential predators. It's not about denying reality; life is hard. This mother nurtures her one remaining cub after a devastation lost of her other cubs to predators. It’s knowing that we can depend and draw on our mother’s for solutions to life’s hardships. When we are weak, she makes us strong for another day.
John Banovich
Afternoon Drink, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
17h x 34w in
43.18h x 86.36w cm
Framed: 24.50h x 41.50w in
62.23h x 105.41w cm
John Banovich
We Face It Together, 2022
oil on Belgian linen
30h x 51w in
76.20h x 129.54w cm
Framed: 45h x 66w in
114.30h x 167.64w cm
