I have always felt that the true “King of Beasts” should actually be the elephant. A large mature African bull elephant can weigh over 13,000 pounds and is the largest land animal walking the earth.
This painting came from my research for a commission work for the Cabela Family. I traveled to Botswana's Kwai River Region and stayed near a waterhole, starting at noon and staying until dusk. Then on the 10th day I decided to go into the water and that’s when things got really interesting. The bulls were quite relaxed as long as I stayed in the water up to my shoulders, but if I rose any higher they got agitated and spewed water my way. This game of splash tag gave me the most intimate glimpse into the world of an elephant and changed my perspective forever.
