I've looked at this painting for years and it never sat well with me. The greens were too bright and the reeds were too orange. It was all too lush compared to the reality of the Okavango Delta, which was deep into the dry season.
This is the reworking of the original. I feel this is more the straw colour, more focused on the elephants in the distance and an open sky. The experience of walking through the Delta and seeing the wild animals at a distance is unforgettable. I recall hiking with a our guide and a couple from Quebec. They were so excited and adamant that they were going to see the lions while we walked. For every time they voiced, "we are going to see the lions." I repeated in my head, I don't want to see the lions today. I don't want to see the lions today. On foot, I felt too close to the wild. Too close to danger. Too unsafe.
Here the distance was perfect. The four of us watched as they made their way on to the next watering hole while we crouched silent watching their majestic journey.
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