“The Painted Wolf”

For a number of years now, I have been intrigued by Lycaon pictus – not a dog, not a wolf, not a hyena – but a very special creature. Known as the wild dog, Cape hunting dog, African hunting dog and painted dog and also known as the painted wolf – which is the nearest translation to the scientific name. As a species they used to roam in most parts of Africa, but more recently packs have been reduced to around 6 500.

As an artist I do think deeply about my subjects, only that I am in love with animals and especially those which are endangered. Wild dogs kept appearing in my sketches and searches for subject matter to print. What I love most about these enigmatic creatures is their sense of family and community as well as being delightful and gentle.

A lack of understanding by farmers and land owners, of these beautiful dogs, has led to a war with man, leading to their near extinction. It’s a testament to their resilience, tenacity and strength that they are alive today.

In 2019 I had a solo exhibition in conjunction with The Real McKay – a space in Linden, Johannesburg. I made contact with The Painted Wolf Foundation https://paintedwolf.org/ and asked them to be part of the exhibition.

Please have a look at what they do for these wonderful creatures and donate to the worthy cause of keeping them from extinction.