Richard J Gunston
Animals in Cape Town

Animals have the most beautiful personalities and expressions. Observing their world, their innermost being and their serenity, allows us to be part of something profound. Over the last 12 years, I’ve been privileged to be part of a project to create an estate garden as part of a historical National Monument Manor in the Cape to rival other well-known places. This ambitious undertaking did not only challenge my creativity; it also gave me the opportunity to leave a small legacy behind. something beautiful that will bring great joy to all those who see and experience it on their chosen paths through life. My years in the field have led me to look beyond the obvious and to see the unique and exceptional beauty all around us. It is eternally perfect, uniquely suited to its given environment, and adaptable to the extreme. With seeing the beauty comes the reality of perceiving the sadness. Feeling the joy of touch comes with the heartache of loss. Celebrating the beauty of the moment is imperative as it is fleeting. My interest in the human, animal and plant kingdoms developed with my own unique interpretation of the remarkable manner in which these worlds are structured. My biggest endeavour is to capture the subject’s soul; an emotional moment each time. And that the face reflects life with a glint of personality in the eyes! While this is often very difficult to capture in clay, patience and an unwavering determination to express that inner vision eventually develops the skill and brings the desired result. It gives me great pleasure to create and see a piece through to completion and to be rewarded by the desire of others to share what has been created by wishing to own it. In this short video, the artist shares his admiration for the exemplary work done by the Cape Leopard Trust, his personal considerations in choosing this challenging life-size project, some of the problems he ran into and how he solved them, and his vision concerning this sculpture’s ideal placement. Launched in 2004, the Cape Leopard Trust is an active predator conservation working group with leopard and predator research projects in the Western Cape area of South Africa. It’s focus on research, conservation and education not only raises awareness about the Cape leopard, but also educates about the environmental and biodiversity issues we face today. There are various ways to get involved and/or support this important work; please feel free to visit their website. The next step will then be to cast the animal statue in bronze. This complex casting process will give the art object its elegant bronze finish and typical colour, which can be influenced naturally or artificially by patination. The elegance of his lines, through movement, whether it be stealth or play is something to be admired, but most of all it is the moment of attack, that moment which is over before it has even begun or can be comprehended. A split-second that truly reflects the speed and focus which is so bewildering. To help raise awareness around this topic in general, and to inspire bronze sculpture collectors in particular, Richard J. Gunston has created a highly expressive rhinoceros head hovering above a human hand. This unique piece is now ready to be cast in bronze and planned as a limited edition.