Jaguar of the Jungle, Acrylic Painting

Jaguar of the Jungle

Acrylic, 14 x 11

An exotic and beautiful animal, the Jaguar is little less known than some of his African relatives. Jaguars live in the rain forests of South and Central America and have also been seen on occasion  traveling the freeways near Los Angeles, California. (Sorry, I couldn't resist that one.)
My sightings have all been in zoos, which isn't the ideal - every artist agrees it is best to observe wildlife in their natural habitats - but it's the best I can do for right now.  Traveling the world and shooting wildlife with a camera ( and only a camera!) has always been a dream,  but it is still a dream, and with each passing year it seems a little less likely to become reality.  I do carry a sketchbook with me wherever I go - just in case. You never know.

This painting was my first attempt to express the spirit of this particular exotic cat. Usually I do big cats in pastel, as that medium just seems to lend itself to fur, especially when there are spots and other markings. For some reason this guy asked to be done in acrylic. I usually go by what they tell me. There is no analyzing it, maybe it is artist's intuition. I just go with the flow. He is a beautiful, incredibly well designed animal.  I love the texture of his fur, his amazing spots and especially his ears and whiskers. Like everything on earth, he is "fearfully and wonderfully made" and, as an artist, I stand in awe of his Creator.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Jaguar's namesake, who happens to be an automobile. The vehicle is described as being well built with sleek, low lines, beautiful color and lots of speed.  Well, that fits. So I googled cars named after cats and found there are at least forty, from cougars and pumas to kittens and pink panthers (that seems like a stretch.)  It would appear that people are fascinated by cats and want to identify with them.

 And I will put in a little plug here: If you have ever wanted to own a Jaguar, but thought you couldn't afford one, here is your chance.  This and many other paintings are available for sale in my online gallery.

The Creative Spirit Gallery, Art by Della Burgus