From Nairobi, he headed to Abonseli National Park and was greeted by Masai men and women. He became enamored by their simple existence and exuberance for life. At Abonseli, in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, he watched herds of elephants move freely in the park. One of the elephants captured his interest enough to be forever etched in bronze - a large male with large tusks and oily tears staining the sides of his face, making him quite distinctive. The final bronze is a beautiful, life-like representation of this majestic male elephant, proving more of Derrick's artistic prowess.
Other animals found in Amboseli included gnu, cape buffalo, Grant's and Thomson's Gazelles, giraffes, hippos, zebras, and warthogs. It was a busy place it seems!
The artwork of a male lion eating a kill in the Mara was amazing. You could watch this majestic beast take a carcass into the grass and crunch on bones and flesh. He captured it beautifully, with vultures flying overhead, then walking away.
If you have a fascination with Africa or dream of going on safari, this is a great introduction to one man's experience. With the gift of his artwork, you feel as though you're there with him in the wild, watching these amazing people and animals in a native habitat you could find nowhere else in the world.
I felt honored to share this with my wife and daughters, who love animals and the wild, and want to experience an African safari firsthand. This is probably as close as we'll get for a while. I for one would love to see more of his experiences.
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