CAT-LEBRITY PORTRAIT
After watching Maya the adorable jaguar cub from the BBC hit television show Big Cats About the House, Robert knew he had to do something to help. Putting paintbrush to canvas, he created an ap- paws-worthy artwork which raised £2,600 at auction for The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. “I was captivated,” Robert says. “The tireless dedication of Maya’s keeper and his commitment to seeing her grow from a helpless cub to a boundless riot of energy was so uplifting. What’s not to love?” Working from his research into jungles and his memories of Maya as a cub, Robert scaled her outline on the canvas before blocking in her shape with paint. “I wanted to
keep her at this age,” Robert explains. “So I kept the eyes large and wide.” Growing up surrounded by a large forest, Robert spent his childhood imagining that big cats roamed free. He is now hugely passionate about protecting animals’ survival against poaching and habitat loss. Robert met Maya for the first time in May, when he unveiled his portrait. He says: “Meeting her was a thrilling and humbling experience, and something I will never forget. I am incredibly lucky. As you can see, she approved!”
A SKETCH IN TIME
You can donate at thebigcatsanctuary.org
Photos courtesy of The Big Cat Sanctuary
52 FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN 2018
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