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Guy Combes encountered this mbogo mkuu (chief buffalo) at a wildlife sanctuary near his home at Soysambu in Kenya. By the lake, among the reeds, is where the old buffalo bulls go when they’ve been ousted from the herd. “You sometimes see them in pairs or on their own,” says the artist, “but when they’ve been ejected from the herd they tend to be very defensive and aggressive.
“In addition to the attitude, the buffalo has evolved his fearsome horns. Buffalo are primary prey for lions and to bring down a full-grown buffalo usually takes up to three or four lionesses. To be able to fight off three or four large lions, a buffalo needs some ammunition.”
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Guy Combes was born in Kenya in 1971, the son of artist Simon Combes.
After studying in Kenya for several years he moved to the United Kingdom to
continue his education. While in school he developed an interest in visual
art. He studied at art college in Cheltenham, then at the Inchbald School of
Design.
After a short stint as a consultant, Guy diverted his attentions to
the catering and licensing trade while painting commissions and design work.
Guy is now based in Kenya, where he manages tourist lodges and
continues to paint commissions and works for exhibition. In November 2006 he
began a program as artist-in-residence at the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum in
Oradell, New Jersey.
His current interests are the history and culture of the Swahili coast
of Africa and the diverse wildlife of Kenya. Throughout 2006 Guy visited
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Europe and the United States and will include
observations from these trips in his portfolio.
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