Supporting "Chance for Cheetah"
Welcome to 2023!
Many new changes afoot. I have arrived in Brisbane and am orienting myself in my new city.
New places to see, new networks to create in addition to setting up my new art workspace.
Before I left Adelaide I contributed one artwork to support the Zoos SA 2023 Gala. The painting I have donated is a painting with two smiling swimming baby hippos called "Happy Hippos" (see Figure 1, below). This painting was from my personal collection that I had a bit of a soft spot for as it was one of my first large paintings with an abstract background that I really liked as abstract art really isn't my forte. I like to think that with every painting I learn something new, and this one taught me that phthalo blue stains everything as I ruined the flooring in my office during the creation of this one and these sorts of backgrounds are better done outside.... Regardless! I felt like I was ready to let someone else enjoy it, whist using the opportunity to raise some funds to support a cause that does amazing animal conservation work, now that it has graced my walls for a few years.
This year, the Gala theme is "Chance for Cheetah". It is a massive shame I didn't happen to have any cheetah-specific artworks to donate, but I am aware they are raising funds to create a new hippo enclosure at Monarto Safari Park so it is still somewhat appropriate.
The last time I contributed a piece was in 2020, where my artwork of the Adelaide Zoo's resident king of the jungle Mujambi (see Figure 2, below), raised $2,000 to support the Zoo's conservation efforts and also the bushfire support at the time as half the country was on fire. The Gala was cancelled in both 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
My artwork "Happy Hippos" will be part of the online auction. If you are interested in supporting Zoo's SA in their wildlife conservation efforts, or in bidding for my artwork (or anything else), please head to the official page and register for the online auction, or purchase a ticket to the event itself on 10 February 2023. It's always an amazing night and the funds go a long way.