Waiting for Kalahari rain

Two Gemsbok antelope stand among the dry grasses of the Kalahari plains while in the distance a sudden down pour takes place.
Rain here in Botswana is special,  even our currency here is called Pula ,which is the Tswana word for rain.Our rainy season starts in November and ends around April .The rain normally comes at the end of a hot day released  during a heavy downpour.Within minutes the storm is over leaving everything dripping with water and breathing new life into all that is living.

This oil painting was inspired by a trip that I took with a friend into the Kalahari.The trip coincided with the start of the rainy season .So during the end of some days, we experienced a couple of sudden down pours.We then had the privileged to see tortoises, bat-eared foxes, jackals, and birds drinking the precious water that had gathered in the few dirt tracks that meandered through the Kalahari.It was probably the first water they had drank since the last rains many months before.

Comments

Roger, I love the contrast of the dry foreground with the sheet of rain in the background. And I enjoyed reading your little information tidbits!! Thank you.
Great textures in this painting, I also love the history of the rain in Botswana, your work is good.Cheers
Darel said…
Very nice stroke of brushes... I like the way you paint it. :)
martinealison said…
Très jolie peinture... La nature nous offre un bel écrin...
Le travail de votre herbe est fabuleux. Le récit qui accompagne votre oeuvre est très intéressant et rend cette dernière très vivante.
Bisous
Maree Clarkson said…
This is really SO great Roger! You've captured the Kalahari essence perfectly and I just LOVE those Gemsbuck!
James said…
Wonderful colors and textures Roger
Harriet said…
It's a stunning painting - I love the stormy sky against the golden grass and the Gemsbok are gorgeous.
Roger Brown Art said…
Thanks for all the comments.I think most of the texture is in the grass ,in that area I put the paint on thick and used a pallet knife ,it was great fun.

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