JOAN SHARROCK ........... Artist - Wildlife Painter
JOAN SHARROCK ........... Artist - Wildlife Painter
KENYA - 1976, Amboseli, Aberdares, Tsavo
The photos below were both taken at the Amboseli Safari Camp with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. At left, the left photo of 1976, there had been very little rainfall and everywhere was dry and dusty. See for example the painting of Kilaguni Waterhole, below right. The one exception was the swamps of Amboseli, as painted below left. This contrasted sharply with 1983 when the scenery was almost unrecognizable from the previous trip.Notice the difference in snow pack on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Photo above: The Artist on Safari in Kenya in October 1976
Photo above was taken in March 1983 at the same location. Notice the increased amount of snow on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Painting: "Amboseli" 12 x 16 in. oil
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright 1978
Joan's first painting of an African subject shows elephants, rhino, egret and Egyptian geese in a swamp in Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Collection of the Artist.Painting: "Kilaguni Waterhole" oil 18x14 in. from the 1976 safari.
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright 1976
Collection of the Artist
PERUVIAN AMAZON - 1979 Iquitos, Explorama Lodge
Photo: The Artist in the Peruvian Amazon in 1979, visiting the Yagua tribe."The Explorama Lodge is 50 miles downstream from Iquitos. The journey was by thatched- roofed riverboat, then transfering to outboard powered long boats for the last leg to the lodge located on a tributary. For the trip to visit the Yagua tribe I was taken in a dug-out canoe, which was by far the most enjoyable way to experience the rainforest and catch the occasional glimpse of monkeys or parrots. The Yagua were living traditionally and traded with the lodge, They supplied the lodge with fresh fruit and received fresh meat in exchange. On my visit to their village I traded some red cloth for a shell and seed necklace, which I still have.
The lodge itself was a rambling collection of thatched buildings. The main dining room was screened against the many flying insects of the night, but our 'rooms' were open to the jungle, save for a mosquito net over the bed. Oh yes, and the latrines were a short walk away, as was the one, improvised, shower!"
CANADIAN ROCKIES - 1981 Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park
Photo: The Artist on a horseback riding trip to the Canadian Rockies in September 1981, Mount Assiniboine is in the background.
Painting: "Gray Jays" oil, 14 x 11 in.
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright
Private collection.
"This part of the Canadian Rockies is not accessible by road. It took two days on horseback to reach the Assiniboine Lodge with an overnight stop at Halfway Cabin. The views were breathtaking but the wildlife was elusive. In fact more wildlife can now be seen in the nearest town of Banff!"
SOUTH AFRICA - 1982 Zululand, Natal, Hluhluwe Game ReserveThe Artist and some friends visited Hluhluwe (pronounced - shlooSHLOOee) Game Reserve in Natal Province before driving through the western Cape Province to Cape Town, South Africa in September 1982.
Photo above:
The Artist meets a Zulu chief
(the Artist is the one on the right!)
Photo: The accommodations at the Zululand Safari Lodge:
cottages designed like traditional rondavels.
Painting: "Impalas in Zululand" 12x16, oil
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright 1982
Collection of Mr. J. Horton, Ladner, B.C
Painting: "Nyala" 14x18 acrylic,
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright 1982
Collection of Mr. L. LeBlanc, Vancouver.The painting of impalas was only Joan's second painting of an African subject.
The nyala painting was also from the South Africa trip and depicts the bush country of Zululand. Just at dusk a male nyala which was spotted just behind the rondavels at the lodge, he quickly melted into the shadows.
Giraffes, Black Wildebeast, White Rhinos, Blesbok, Kudu, Impala, and Zebras were all seen in this small reserve.
KENYA - 1983, Amboseli, Tsavo, Samburu, Meru, The Ark and Aberdares, Masai Mara,These paintings were inspired by the safari in 1983 when Samburu in northern Kenya was expecially beautiful with pale grass and abundant wildlife. In Tsavo the flowers were blooming in profusion. Pictured at bottom left is a variety of morning glory along with the herd of impala.
"Giraffes at Meru" acrylic, 16x20
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright 1978
Collection of Ms.S. David, Montreal
"Oryx - Samburu" 16x24, acrylic
Collection of Mr. J. Taylor, UK.
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright
"Springtime in Tsavo" oil, 14x24,
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright
collection of the Artist.Photo: Joan Sharrock getting to know a well guarded white rhino whilst on Safari in Meru National Park in Kenya, 1983. "Sadly, these white rhinos were not guarded well enough, as they were killed by poachers some years later."
"Rojowero River Mud" oil, 16 x 20 in.
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright
Collection of Mrs. A. Meredith, Ontario."I'm glad I went to Meru in 1983, although it was an awfully long drive round to the eastern side of Mount Kenya and it took us almost all day to get there from Samburu. It's thick bush country and the birds were incredible - the place to see lilac breasted rollers. The night before we arrived there had been a bush fire which, thanks to the efforts of the staff, had narrowly missed burning down the Lodge!
I left Meru off the itinerary for future visits to Kenya partly due to the long journey but also due to the increasing risk of encountering poachers."
NAMIBIA - 1984 Namib Desert, Swakopmund, Etosha National Park
"There were very few organized trips to Etosha in 1984, the one I signed up for was arranged by South African Railways and started in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. There were about 10 of us in a luxury Mercedes bus, which was equiped with a toilet, fridge and a two-way radio. All of these amenities proved essential on the first day out when the bus broke down at the top of the Gamsberg Pass in the Namib Desert! After radioing for a relief bus and driver (and his assistant) we waited 5 hours, during which time only two other vehicles passed us on the road. Eventually we reached Swakopmund, on the coast, which has some interesting buildings dating back to German colonial days."
Photo: Swakopmund architecture
"Next day, after getting a close look at the Namib Desert, we proceeded inland again to the Hotel Onduri (the name means giraffe) at Outjo. Finally on day 3 we got to Etosha National Park and after lunch at Okaukuejo Camp (pronounced - okkaKWEEyoo) we went on to Halali Camp which was our base for several days exploring this huge and varied park."
Photo: Etosha Park Gate
Our new bus outside the Hotel Onduri in Outjo
Painting: "In the Trumpet Thorn" oil, 18 x 24 in.
© JOAN SHARROCK copyright
private collection."A herd of elephants crossed the road in front of the bus one day as we were touring the park. As photography was difficult through the tinted windows of the bus, Tommy, our driver and guide, let me step just outside the bus to take some pictures. Only from the viewpoint on standing on the ground can one appreciate the true height and size of elephants!"
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