The rain is still falling here in Texas, the water is still rising and the drought is definitely over.  Turning away from the gray skies outside, I thought it would be a good time to bring this page up to date.  I also mistakenly thought it would be a simple case of revising a couple of paragraphs.  Wrong!  Too much has already happened since March, with just as much around the corner, to let it slide until my lazy fingers get motivated again. 

We have just returned from Zimbabwe, where I was on a safari of a different kind.  I was on the hunt for a cat… only this time it was for one with clay feet. Given the amazing opportunity to study sculpting with internationally renowned silver sculptor Patrick Mavros, I naively accepted the challenge to tackle a new medium. 

Opening his home to us, we were given our own little thatched cottage (with Greater Bush Babies calling around us at night) that overlooked the wild game roaming the African bush below us.  Pulling my head back from the idyllic setting to face the intense pressure awaiting me in the studio every day took Herculean effort.  Not wanting to be intimidated by this commanding personality and talent slowed my hands to a sluggish pace.   My vision of a lion cub stubbornly fought its way out of the clay, and then just as quickly would transform into another creature.  The slightest pressure of my fingertips seemed to let everything from bears to zebras escape before the only thing left in the clay was the cat I had been carrying in my head. 

With Patrick’s guidance and encouragement, always at the right moment, this little experiment will have a happy ending.  Receiving its finishing touches of fur, the cub will soon be returned to Zimbabwe where a mold will be made and a final piece poured in sterling silver.  I hope to have my little sculpture on display with me at some of the upcoming shows.

 As you might imagine, I am filled with gratitude to Patrick and the Mavros family for their warm hospitality and generosity, which seemed to have no boundaries.  They shared themselves and their beautiful country in true Zimbabwean fashion.  The reminders of our time with them will be encapsulated in the pure silver of my lion cub.  I also find myself lost for words to thank my friend and benefactor, Carole Brown, for making all of this possible.  The wonder of the gift still overwhelms me.

Texas Meets Zimbabwe

Following the intensity of the studio, we rewarded ourselves with a trip to see Victoria Falls, truly one of the wonders of the world.  Drenched by the mist filling the air as we moved from one overlook to the next, the magnitude of the sight beat the ability to comprehend such a force into total submission.  Falling asleep at night to the unwavering roar gave new meaning to the word “insignificant”, and awaking in the morning to see the clouds of pink-tinged mist rising high to meet the morning light was the definitive sign of hope.

And the trip was not yet over!  We added one more escapade to this adventure by taking an elephant-back game ride at the Woodlands Estate.  There I was given the opportunity to sketch their herd of rescued African elephants as it browsed in the open bush.  Even the tiniest new addition, 5 month old Chizzie, is thriving under the protection of the dedicated family of Gavin and Shaylene Best.  Being surrounded by these beauties was a fitting end to a trip filled with discovery and wonders.

A Moment With Chizzie