Description
Arabian Oryx
Acrylic on board
The original painting was a commissioned piece of work for the Sultan of Oman, one of a series of paintings produced for the Royal Palaces. I was very humbled to be asked to paint this most beautiful and iconic of antelopes, a species which has been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to the concerted conservation efforts of various organisations across several countries in the Middle East.
having been asked to depict the Oryx in typical desert habitat, I wanted to choose a background with greater interest than just a sea of dunes. I liked the idea of showing the animals in part shade, but didn’t want to have to portray an entire tree or trees. I eventually came up with the idea of indicating a nearby tree with an old trunk across the floor, and overhanging branches which helped to provide interest both ‘in space’ above the animals, but also with a play of interlocking shadows on the ground.
