Oil on Canvas 9 x 12 SOLD
This is a new painting of a lion pair—resting together, watchful and quiet. I’ve always found lions both majestic and melancholy. They sleep most of the day, but when they rise, they move with a grounded dignity that’s hard to describe.
When I was younger and first started visiting the zoo on my own, I’d always go straight to the lion enclosure. The male had a habit of standing near the front and letting out a deep roar—it sounded more like a hoarse cough than the Hollywood version of a roar, but it was unmistakable and unforgettable. I later learned this sound is part of how lions mark their territory and communicate with pride members. For me, it felt like a kind of declaration: “I’m here.”
I’ve read that lionesses do most of the hunting while the males help protect the pride’s territory. In the wild, they face many threats—habitat loss, poaching, and conflict with humans. It’s heartbreaking to know that there are now likely more lions in captivity than roaming freely in their natural habitats.
You may remember the tragic story of a lion named Cecil, lured out of a protected area and killed in a staged hunt by a trophy hunter. It shook many people, including me. What I felt most was grief for the loss of something irreplaceable—an animal just trying to live.
This painting is not meant to preach, just to pause. To honor their beauty, their lives, and their quiet rituals.
