Internationally acclaimed artist David Kelly grew up on the Mulanje tea estates in the 1960s. His parents saw his natural artistic talent from a young age, and encouraged him in his early steps leading to an accomplished artistic career. Growing up in Malawi, David developed a natural affinity with the African bush, and the dramatic wildlife and harsh beauty it contains. These have been constant themes in his work and his intimate understanding of his subjects is immediately obvious in his work. A move to live in the UK in the 1980s widened his horizons and connections, and introduced him to a number of well-known artists and conservationists. This led to exhibits alongside David Shepherd and selling work though Christies in London. Amongst many achievements, he was shortlisted for “Wildlife Artist of the Year” twice and won “Best Worldwide Medium” at the largest professional wildlife exhibition in the world, at Marwell Manor.
Above: South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is home to several thousand buffalo which, during the dry season, form herds numbering in the hundreds. David here portrays three individuals in the backdrop of one of the Park’s several dried-up rivers on a typical, dusty October day. The photograph does not do the pciture full justice. Close up you can see – and almost smell – the dust and sand being blown along the river bed.Above: Another common sight in South Luangwa is flocks of Glossy Starlings. Both vociferous and vivacious, these birds are easily noticeable from their continuous, harsh chatter as their work their way over open areas and between bushes in their search for insects, their iridescent plumage shimming as it reflects the sunlight.
Three Richly Illustrated Coffee Table Books
David published three milestone coffee table books during the 1990s and 2000s. Each contains dozens of original oil paintings (his usual medium), supported by additional light pencil sketches. The first book profiled Liwonde National Park and was entitled “Aah… But Those Elephants,”
Above: As the book’s title implies, Liwonde is particularly famous for its elephants which, in days gone by were themselves famous for their aggressive nature. The picture above demonstrates well how David is able to capture the dusty environment, which he achieves by thinning his oils to create a softer portrait.
His second book focussed on Luangwa National Park in Zambia entitled “Memories of Eden.” South Luangwa is well known to many in Malawi as it is a half day’s drive from Lilongwe. The Luangwa River draws game to its banks as the dry season progresses, and the park presents a rich and accessible wildlife sceptical.
Above: The sandy banks of the river present a perfect nesting side for a colony of Carmine Bee-Eaters with their supremely rich colouration.Above: The park also offers sightings of wild dogs. With a total world population numbering perhaps only 6,000 to 7,000 individuals, these animals are very special inhabitants of the park and a thrilling sighting.
David returned to Malawi for this third book, entitled “Malawi – Endangered Beauty.” He travels the length of Malawi from far North to far South, bringing to life the rich but oftentimes threatened places and habitats of the country.
Above: Lengwe National Park lies south of Blantyre in the Lower Shire. It is perhaps best known for its formidable buffalo, which David profiles in his introduction to the chapter on the park.
A New Medium – From Oils to Pencil
Until now, David has only sketched to complement his paintings in the books, but had never completed a large size picture just using a graphite pencil; until, that is, a friend, Edward Selfe, who is an accomplished wildlife photographer, published an amazing photo of a family of elephants dusting. With Edward’s glad permission, David used the photograph as a source of inspiration for his first full-size graphite work [pictured below].
Above: To help protect the skin from parasites and biting insects, elephants wallow in mud or spray dust on their wet skin. Once the mud and dust is dry, elephants rub against a hard surface, removing most parasites.
To our delight, David so enjoyed working on the piece, and was so energised by this (for him) new medium, he has decided he would like to do more. House of Basse’iah is privileged to be able to introduce some of these yet unseen pieces (below) which are available for sale upon enquiry. As with a number of David’s works, they are all inspired by animals and scenes from South Luangwa.
Above: South Luangwa is home to several prides of lions. These two younger males await their turn to take over a pride and become kings of the jungle. David’s portrayal demonstrates his intimate understanding of the essence and movement of his subjects. [Framed size: 80 cm (W) x 50 cm (H)] (Available for sale upon enquiry – email: enquiries@houseofbasseiah.com)Above: African Wild Dogs are also known as painted wolves. After several years of active protection, South Luangwa is estimated to carry a thriving population of around 350 adults and yearlings – over 5% of the world population. Its distinctive looks, the Wild Dog is easy to identify, but not always easy to find. The animals are highly sociable and work in strong family units. The group above ore on the move, likely looking for antelope, their favoured prey. (Available for sale upon enquiry – email: enquiries@houseofbasseiah.com)Above: Elephants have been described as Mother Nature’s farmers – managing her grasslands, swamps and forests. In South Lunagwa mopane trees are dominant and can create mono-cultures (single species areas) which exclude other species. The Park’s significant number of elephants ensure a balanced habitat. The individual above is returning from a drink in one of the Park’s seasonal pools. (Available for sale upon enquiry – email: enquiries@houseofbasseiah.com)Above: This work profiles a Pale Chanting Goshawk in a more abstract presentation. This goshawk is a beautiful, elegant medium-sized bird of prey. At the beginning of the breeding season, the male makes his melodious display call, continuously calling for hours at a time. The female and male can then be seen soaring together in circles. (Available for sale upon enquiry – email: enquiries@houseofbasseiah.com)
We look forward to seeing more from David in the coming months as he continues to explore this medium.
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