Serious Intent
1993
oil, 24" x 48"

Cheetahs are enigmatic and perhaps the most intriguing of all the big cats to me. My encounters with cheetahs have been like meeting frequently with a person who has poise, elegance, class, fleeting moments of warmth and yet is tantalizingly aloof. The challenge of painting cheetahs is twofold: firstly, the chest is so pronounced in comparison to the head that in certain positions the animal looks positively grotesque. Secondly, I am often stumped at portraying the cat’s mood … what is it thinking behind that mask of haughty disdain? So serious, so intent, so reserved, does this animal ever relax and have fun?