Gabon is a prosperous little country in West Africa located along the jungle basin. Most of the economy is driven by oil and gas with abundant trees and other natural resources. A few decades ago the government decided to invest in nature reserves to conserve the animals and to attract tourists. It worked well, and Gabon is a popular destination for eco tourists who want to see gorillas in the wild or walk across the jungle canopy on rope bridges. It is good to know that some countries can find ways to conserve their nature without exploiting it too much. One thing that struck me while researching Gabon is the hippopotami seem to enjoy hanging out at the beach, and even body surfing in the waves. I couldn't believe it but there are enough pictures of it, just google surfing hippopotamus and you are probably looking at Gabon. They also have bat caves with crocodiles that live there, eating bats and turning orange due to the chemical reactions with the guano. Wonders of the world.
The coast of Gabon is a very long stretch of white sand beach, with a fresh water river emptying into the salt water ocean. The river water is a dark coffee brown due to sediment, so when it mixes with the ocean it created some interesting colours with the turquoise water. In the painting, the dark river water mixes with the ocean, which also reflects the sky and trees. At first the composition appears to be a complete abstraction until you notice the hippopotami lurking, waiting to catch a good wave.
World Inspired Landscapes: Gabon version 2, watercolour 6 x 8" cold press, April 2022 (No. 2998b)
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