"In the Land of Giants" is a painting that has been years in the making. The idea began in 2009 during my time in Africa's Okavango Delta, where I closely studied elephants at water level. In fact, I even went swimming with them where I was observing their social bonds and familial roles—like a mirror of human relationships. The inspiration truly took hold in 2019 when I envisioned this painting of an elephant herd emerging from the Mapani Forest and walking into the Kwai River. Though I didn’t see this exact herd, it felt like they were the ones I had been dreaming of, and I knew the painting had to be on a grand scale to reflect the profound experience.
I remember sketching out the concept, working through all the relationships between the elephants, and visualizing how they’d move together through the landscape. This wasn’t just a scene—it was a story about family. The process was intense, with long days spent capturing every wrinkle and detail of the elephants, each telling a story of age and wisdom. As I painted, I envisioned the elephants stepping out of the shadows, leaving the forest behind and walking into the light. In the painting, they are joined by other species—ringneck doves, an impala herd, woolly-neck storks, dwarf mongooses, and a pair of spurfowl—each adding layers of life and depth. This isn’t just a scene; it’s a story of an extended family of elephants and a world teeming with life and countless stories, all captured in every brushstroke.
I feel deeply privileged to have been commissioned by a wonderful family to create this painting for such a momentous celebratory occasion, honoring the profound experiences that inspired it.
