The Tiger and the Chimpanzee

Nature inspires my art — but it also teaches me how to live. 

I have always been fascinated by tigers. They are incredibly powerful, yet they are mostly solitary. There's something both haunting and inspiring about one of the strongest creatures in the world spending most of its life alone. 

The Survivor

Oil on canvas, 90 x 120 cm

It's a reminder of the resilience it takes to stand on your own two feet, to carve a path and fight for your space in the world, without needing anyone to tell you that you're making the right choice, in order for you to believe in yourself.

But then there are chimpanzees — one of the most social species in the animal kingdom. Their lives are shaped by bonds, hierarchy, and the strength of their community. Nothing happens to one chimpanzee without rippling through the rest — family, friends, even rivals. Their strength is about coming together.

Poco

Oil on canvas,

Some days, my work is pure tiger: just me in the studio, painting with Whisky at my feet. Other days, I’m reminded I couldn’t do my art at all without my own “troop” — friends, family, and supporters who make this life possible.

We are lucky, us humans. We get to choose both: 

• The power of being fierce and self-reliant.

• The privilege of building a life through love and community.

In art, in life, and in conservation, we need both, and more. The strength to stand firm when the path is lonely. And the courage to link arms when the fight is too big to face alone. 

Which are you more of — tiger or chimpanzee? 

Both The Survivor and Poco are available now, and I have some other wildlife pieces like The Last Laugh.

50% of profits from The Survivor and many of my other pieces will go to vital conservation projects like Save the Rhino International, because art shouldn’t just speak about change — it should make it happen.

With love,