Spirits of The Valley

Spirits of The Valley

Perhaps it is the prospect of life that means the most ,the possibility that we have  the next twenty four hours ? Sooner or later we learn there are no guaranties of life in this form however such is our obsession with the future that we are seldom living in the  present living our lives in an imagery of a better place , a better life style –

Is it that prospect that is actually the thrill to life ? They say it’s the hunt that is the thrill – not the actual killing ! or perhaps we just subconsciously work on the fact that we are in fact timeless ?

Life however is something we build each day at a time , like a painting , each brushstroke is an experience we live with  , these brush strokes are the wisdom we grow in !

Time is nothing but a measurement that we use  as a way of shortening our lives and putting limits to it – yes that’s time we live by it – we plan by it – and we box everything up in to it – and yet in the face of Nature and its immeasurable majesty , we are humbled

As the sun slips toward the horizon these old trees Like sentry’s , watch and monitor all life around them – quietly living each moment as it is .Their trunks anointed with markings and messages from generations of elephants , they are the notice boards in the thick Zambezi Valley Jesse .

There is an aura that exists even to us insensitive humans when in the shade of these great trees  – it has a healing ability to the mind – slowing the pace we exist at and above all giving us perspective !.

This painting has been modeled on three trees , some where deep in The Zambezi valley , hidden away in the jesse , they have been meeting place for the great grey Giants for centuries .Set in the hazy afternoon sun ,elephant dung- scattered around the trees  – creating an atmosphere of its own .The aroma of the dust and sweat creates an ambiance – so typically Africa!

These are the spirits of the valley  !

Will Maberly 2011