Paul Apps Fine Art SRT painting

New Painting from Paul - a tribute to Save The Rhino Trust

This painting is a very significant and poignant image from Paul. It captures two of Africa's last remaining free roaming Black rhinos to be found outside a national park. Featured in this painting are an adult female called Diana (I believe after Princess Diana), along with her male calf in 2004.This calf would soon be old enough to leave her side and make his own way in this hostile land. The scene depicted here exists and can be found in Namibia. I have deliberately made the rhinos small and increased the drama within the landscape itself. For more click here...

Save the rhino trust is the result of a passion from a wonderful lady called Blythe Loutett living and working in Namibia.
The result of a lot of peoples efforts headed by Blythe over many years working with the largest group of wild Black Rhinos outside of a National Park, anywhere. SRT have literally changed the fortunes for the rhino, creating a safer environment through monitoring and control, that their numbers have grown steadily.

This painting is a very significant and poignant image from Paul. It captures two of Africa's last remaining free roaming Black rhinos to be found outside a national park. Featured in this painting are an adult female called Diana (I believe after Princess Diana), along with her male calf in 2004.This calf would soon be old enough to leave her side and make his own way in this hostile land. The scene depicted here exists and can be found in Namibia. I have deliberately made the rhinos small and increased the drama within the landscape itself.

Sadly in 2007 Diana died, as a result of pining for a young female calf she lost to predation by lions. She lost condition and subsequently passed away. Maintaining health and the peak of condition in such an environment is vital for survival.
This painting has taken much planning to create and I am pleased with the final result.

The work of a fantastic organization called 'Save the Rhino Trust', started many years ago by Blythe Loutit in Namibia and helped by her husband Rudi, is directly responsible for the well being and continuity of the Black rhino in Damaraland. It was her desire and insight that started a programme of monitoring, tracking and record keeping that has deterred poachers and helped maintain the species. Their efforts over the years go far deeper than I can ever cover in these few words alone. The work that Blythe and her team of dedicated and inspired assistants have done, made it possible for the likes of myself and Catherine to not only be witness to, but enjoy the beauty of these magnificent animals in their natural un-troubled land, 'Our Land'.

Sadly Blythe lost her battle with cancer in 2007, and her great drive in a continuing battle was lost. Others like Rudi her husband and Simson took over the work and her memory lives on in the work she started.
During the time of Blythe's illness she had a strength in her then field director, Mike Hearn, a guy full of youth and vigour who at a young age went to help Blythe's conservation work, fell in love with the beauty of Damaraland and stayed.

Mike was inspired and driven by his unwavering conviction to protect and improve conservation for the wildlife in Damaraland. He was heaps of fun to be around in the field, and the camp fire. I personally learned a lot from him, even how to play table tennis in the bush! Sadly, and so tragically, shortly after we left Namibia, Mike, who loved life and surfing, met with a fatal accident off the coast of Swarkopmund whilst enjoying the sport he so loved. One can only guess at what Mike would have aspired to had he lived. Knowing him in the small way that I did, I am sure he would have been a major force in the field of conservation.

It is my wish to dedicate this painting, 'Our Land' to the memory of two friends and two marvelous human beings, Blythe Loutit and Mike Hearn. My personal sadness is that I wished that I could have known them longer, but I know that my life has been enriched for having known them.

The painting has been completed for entry into the DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year Competition 2009. It will be up against stiff competion.

I addition, though this painting did not win the ultimate prize for me at this event, it was shortlisted as a finalist. It was also hung at the Mall Galleries, in London.