"WISDOM" by Stephen Koury, 30"x48" limited edition canvas giclee'
How the Elephant painting was born---- It was my second summer in Africa, and I was working as a naturalist leading photo safaris. My vehicle had six american tourists and a south african driver, we were on a two track dirt road moving from our old camp to a new one and game viewing while we drove. As we rounded a corner this Big Beautiful Bull Elephant stepped out in front of us, startling him and surprising us! He immediately became larger, fanning his ears and kicking up dust, coming towards us, we immediately began backing up, the driver trying his best not to jackknife the small luggage trailer we were towing. As we backed down the road the Elephant continued to move towards us. I remember telling the people to sit tight and not panic and I photographed as we continued backwards, the vehicle lurched to a stop, I glanced at my rear view mirror and the trailer was sideways, we could go no further. On came the Elephant, it was pretty tense for a moment! He came to a stop at the very front of the vehicle, followed by a cloud of dust, somehow at this point that I felt we were alright! He seemed satisfied that we had backed off, as my eyes traveled from the tip of his trunk which as at ground level up to his eyes, I could tell he had calmed down! Looking in his eyes I felt a wisdom, a calmness instead of the rage that I expected. He shook his head one more time, emitting a huge cloud of dust and turned and was gone! Incredible!
frame with a linen liner $1550
"LIONS & THE LEOPARD"
by Stephen Koury
48"x24" limited edition canvas giclee'
A family of lions investigate a wary leopard tortoise. The painting was inspired the first time I watched Lions and a Leopard Tortoise. I fully thought I was watching the tortoise's demise, but the lions could not get a good bite on the shell. They tried and tried to bite through the shell while the tortoise waited patiently for them to give up. As I watched I remember saying to myself the Leopard and the Lions, the painting was born. The color of the lions and the tortoise work very well together. In the piece the Male knows that the investigation will amount to nothing, while the cubs still hold some hope of getting into the shell.
framed $1395
"TWO KINGS"
by Stephen Koury
28"x15" limited edition canvas giclee'
Cape Buffalo are awe inspiring; they seem to be carved out of granite. They look you right in the eye, basically staring you down. They can be multi-colored depending on the mud color they have recently bathed in, they have never been domesticated, and they are truly Africa. I found the buffalo to be wonderful subjects and these two are older bachelor herd bulls. We followed them for two days watching the sparing and tests of strength, all with different light. This painting is the fourth buffalo piece and I think a few more are on the way!
framed with linen liner $525
"GOLD DUST"
by Stephen Koury
28"x18" limited edition canvas giclee'
This painting had to be painted! This was one of those moments that you hope you can recreate. We were watching a herd of Zebra at this waterhole while the Sun was working its way down. The Zebra are always a bit edgy (I wonder why?). They spooked and scattered while leaving the waterhole in a cloud of dust. We were preparing to leave and a Female Giraffe followed by a large Bull Giraffe walked into the scene, the sun was just right and the whole scene lit up, it was awesome!
framed $550
"EVENING AT RIETFONTEIN"
by Stephen Koury
24"x16" limited edition canvas giclee'
The gemsbok are incredible creatures, they are designed in every way to with stand tremendous temperatures and long periods with little water. Part of their territory includes the Kalahari Desert where temperatures easily reach 120F. To cope with these temps Gemsbok have hair on their hides that are hollow, lots of it and these hairs help reduce the amount of ambient and direst solar heat that reaches the body. To touch the coat of a Gemsbok feels like thousands of tiny straws. They are strikingly beautiful normally having a grayish cast to the body. This grayish cast also allows the body to pick up light in wonderful ways, as in this piece. The low hanging evening light has cast a warm hue on these two while they take water at Rietfontain waterhole.
framed $495
"COOLIN' OFFf"
by Stephen Koury
17.75"x7" limited edition canvas giclee'
These massive guys look really docile and content in this cooling pool of water. In reality they are deciding whether they should submerge or charge out and bluff us. They actually hurt more people each year in Africa than any other critter, the problem is basically wrong place at the wrong time. The bulls are very territorial and keep a good eye on their harem, if you happen to unknowingly get between the bull and his girls then he takes it out on your canoe or makoro, and you just happened to be in the way. These big guys are awesome and their calls and bellows are such a part of Africa it's hard to think about it without remembering their sounds.
framed $305
"SURVIVOR"
by Stephen Koury
14.5"x10" limited edition canvas giclee'
Many times young African plains animals survive predator attacks, their vitality is legendary. This painting is of Zebra at a waterhole, but particularly the stallion in front, as a youngster he had survived a lion attack and the scars on his hip have healed well. He is now a big strong healthy stallion a bit more wary than his fellows with two stripes that didn't quite match up when they healed.
wood frame with a linen liner $305
"EVENING AT GOAS"
by Stephen Koury
14.5"x10" limited edition canvas giclee'
Goas is a waterhole in Etosha National Park in Namibia, Africa. The viewer can get such intimate looks at critters that it's almost unbelievable. This bull giraffe had just finished a pretty lengthy fight with another bull of about the same size. You could feel the electricity in the air prior to and during the fight. THese two giants stood side by side and pummeled each other in the belly and side with the tops of their heads... swung like wrecking balls. You could hear and feel the blows. After 15 to 20 minutes they separated and calmly walked to different sides of the waterhole for a much needed drink. The winner? I'm not sure, but the Giraffes know!
wood frame with a linen liner $305
”EVENING ESCORT”
by STEPHEN KOURY
limited edition canvas giclee’, 10x28
I am in Namibia, Africa. It’s the second to last day for me. The end of two summers in Africa, and NO Black Rhino sightings. The trips had been awesome; I had seen everything except Black Rhino. I had given up on seeing this species. In the wild the numbers are sketchy, maybe 200, maybe less left in the whole world! All killed pretty much just for the horn! So, it’s evening, the end of another awesome day, we are preparing to head back to the lodge and out steps this awesome Black Rhino heading to the waterhole and she has an almost mature calf with her! This painting and a couple more came from that precious sight!
framed $525