African bushveld sunset

"Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn."

Aloe Marlothii and Giraffe watercolour in hand-made sketch-book - ©Maree Clarkson

The fiery aloe in full bloom, the smell of the fragrant wild sage on a dewy morning and one of Africa’s tallest animals in the back-ground – a typical African Bushveld scene that makes one’s spirits soar!

Africa's wonder

“Let a Person Walk Alone With Few Wishes, Committing No Wrong, Like an Elephant in the Forest.”

Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm 16” x 12” - ©Maree Clarkson

Africa’s wild animals are a constant source of inspiration and for me elephants symbolise Strength, Solitude, sense of loyalty to the family and Intelligence. Looking into the eye of an elephant, one sees Wisdom beyond our understanding.

A Windpomp in the Karoo

Ink sketch and watercolour on Amedeo 200gsm – ©Maree Clarkson 

A depiction of a ‘windpomp’ (windmill) in the Karoo. They are such a part of our countryside here in South Africa and they play a specially important part in dry areas like the Karoo where both humans and animals are very dependent on them for water.

These windmills extract the life blood of the earth and it is usually poured into a cement dam close-by the windpomp. Many farm children swim in these cement dams on sweltering days and I have seen flocks of Egyptian Geese taking a quick, cool dip on their way to somewhere.

An African sunset

Day is life,
As the roars of lions echo,
And the galloping of the antelope fade.
Night is death,
As the laughs of the hyena haunt you,
And the bush is filled with the sounds of terrorized creatures.
But between the beauty all is quiet,
As the sun disappears,
And the land lights up in the most spectacular display,
An African Sunset.
- by Robert G. Fetters

 Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm ©Maree Clarkson

Once you have lived in or visited Africa, visions of Africa become indelible in a visitor's memory. Vivid sunsets... warm and welcoming people....