'Kilimanjaro has a gravitational presence when you are looking up at it from the dusty plains of Masailand. It is awe inspiring! It's also very hard to see most of the time. Amboseli in Kenya is a good example of a place that has been oversold when it comes to views of the peak. Every brochure, documentary or photo you have seen of Amboseli has a snow capped Kilimanjaro in the background - which can be a bit misleading as most of the time the mountain is obscured by clouds and dust. You have to be lucky to see the mountain peak and it's white glaciers. But you must keep trying until you do because it is one of the most stirring and epic sights you will see in Africa. But if dust devils are active on the plains then don't count on seeing the mountain.
Because I grew up in Kenya and lived there on and off over the years I have been very lucky in seeing the mountain at its best. In the rainy season when the dust has been washed from the air sightings of Kilimanjaro are spectacular. This painting is of one of those occasions. It's based on a fleeting ten-second long moment that I witnessed at Amboseli in 2003. The cheetah bolted but the memory of it's statuesque silhouette remained behind to inspire me.'

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