" PHANTOM "
Guy Combes

50 s/n Giclee Canvas 14" x 28" $395
15 s/n Giclee Canvas 19" x 38" $695

Guy Combes’ "Phantom" reveals something not seen in East Africa for over 90 years, a rare “morph” cheetah. Not
an albino cheetah, it is rather one with an extremely rare genetic color variation significantly reducing its
number of spots. Guy was the first to photograph and paint the great cat. The last morph cheetah known
to man was shot in Tanzania in 1921. Guy’s urgency to paint it had several motivations: to heighten awareness
of its existence and to encourage monitoring and protecting it. 

The area where it was discovered is home to one of the highest cheetah populations in East Africa. Important
factors to the population size are the lack of larger predators that could threaten their existence, a large prey
base and an area relatively protected from new development. This, of course, is the greatest problem that
cheetahs face and Combes has faintly suggested an encroaching settlement complete with cell phone tower
on the ridge in the middle distance. Beyond are Kenya’s Ngong Hills. 

A setting full moon and the rising sun are intentionally symbolic here. The moon represents Artemis, the
goddess of animals and forests and the sun, Apollo, the god of arts. The title, "Phantom," suggests an
elusive, mythical entity that exists somewhere between night and day.

For ways you can help protect this rare morph cheetah go to Action for Cheetahs in Kenya
http://www.actionforcheetahs.org/ or Athi Kapiti Conservancy http://cheetah.wildlifedirect.org/

Guy Combes - Phantom - Cheetah

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