"Ladies of the Night" Giclée canvas print: 24"x48", edition size 100 s/n $2,370 unframed

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The night was balmy, for the camp was at low altitude in the southern part of British East Africa (now Kenya). Had it been daylight, the snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro would have been visible. The British naturalists had just returned to their camp after visiting another naturalist in an adjacent camp. The two naturalists had been warned by their neighbor that lions had been seen in their camp that day and were told to take care on their journey back, returning in the dark. The neighbor was sure that there was a male and several lionesses and that they might still be close to camp. The two men were wary as they lit a fire and prepared to eat a meal. As one tended the fire, the other kept watch, peering into the inky blackness of the African night. All 'round them there was rustling in the bush; from time to time the male could be heard just a few yards off to their right and a female a similar distance to the left. Every now and then they could see eyes from several lions being reflected from their lamps, which periodically were being held up. It seemed that the small clearing was completely surrounded by lions. It was hard to tell how many there were, but it was disconcerting to the two men. Only the small tent was their sanctuary. It was a fitful night for the two, as the lions circled the tent and daybreak brought relief if not reassurance. As they gingerly opened the flap to the tent, they could see the myriad of tracks right alongside the wall of the tent. With the lions curiosity quelled, along with the rising sun, they had now seemingly vanished back into the bush and gone down for the day.

My painting shows the tent and some of the naturalists' gear ,as the lionesses walk boldly towards the camp during the night – a visit to be remembered by the “Ladies of the Night”.