Bee Hunter–Egyptian Mau Painting

The handsome model in this new painting, Bee Hunter, is UK & Imperial Grand Premier Santillo Feromeses Mercury, known to his friends as Kneazle. He’s a stunning Egyptian Mau and is very fond of bees. That gave me the idea for this painting.

Bee Hunter
40x40cm oil on board

I thought Kneazle, with his lovely silver coat, would look amazing in a warm sunny courtyard.

I started with his pose and the idea of the bee. I wanted a colourful courtyard to add a feeling of sunshine to the painting.

Then I needed something for the bee and I thought wisteria would be wonderful, it’s a great contrast in colour and is one of my favourite plants. That also let me add strong shadows coming down the wall behind Kneazle, to highlight him against the wall and create a diagonal flow through the painting.  I added a rustic door set into the wall and the shadow of a pot plant across the wall and the cobbles to balance the composition.