SIMON COMBES - MAY 2010

" THE SURVIVORS "

50 s/n Giclee Canvas
20" x 30"
$725

A pair of eastern black rhinos make their way across the floor Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater in the late-afternoon African sun. Weighing in at one
to one and a half tons and over 60” tall at the shoulder, this ill-tempered prehistoric throwback roams the savanna at will. Black rhino have a tendency to be less social than their cousins, the white rhino, but a
mother and calf do remain quite bonded for up to four years.
At one time, over 30 species of rhino could be found around the planet.
Now there are only five. Two, the black and the white, are found in East Africa, both have two horns. A rhino’s poor eyesight is augmented by a strong sense of smell and good hearing (and the above mentioned bad attitude). Left unharmed by man, a rhino can live 30 to 40 years in the
wild.Simon loved rhinoceros, but painted surprisingly few. The
Survivors was a personal favorite of his.

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - APRIL 2010

" LION CUB & BUTTERFLY "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
10" x 14"
$225

Lions are not preyed upon by any other animal which probably explains
their arrogance and any disregard for other species. Apparently, this also
explains why they have no stripes or spots—no need for camouflage—
although they do have spots when they are young. Resting during the day,
they display strong family ties with much mutual rubbing, licking and body
contact. Their uninterrupted life of sleeping, eating and breeding would
suggest a population explosion but the illusion of peaceful cooperation
disappears a soon as food is available. Then, survival of the fittest is the
maxim. Recent apparent soul-mates spit and snarl and swipe at each other
and any lion not in top condition will go hungry without pricking the
conscience of its fellow.

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - SEPT. 2009

" MIDDAY SIESTA "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
19" x 28"
$625

Lions are not preyed upon by any other animal which probably explains
their arrogance and any disregard for other species. Apparently, this also
explains why they have no stripes or spots—no need for camouflage—
although they do have spots when they are young. Resting during the day,
they display strong family ties with much mutual rubbing, licking and body contact. Their uninterrupted life of sleeping, eating and breeding would
suggest a population explosion but the illusion of peaceful cooperation
disappears a soon as food is available. Then, survival of the fittest is the
maxim. Recent apparent soul-mates spit and snarl and swipe at each other
and any lion not in top condition will go hungry without pricking the
conscience of its fellow.

 

SIMON COMBES - MAY 2008

" THE LAST ELEPHANTS "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
27" x 62"
$1950

Years ago, Simon Combes wrote in his diary: “‘Africa’s Elephants in Danger of Extinction!’ I was stunned by the cataclysmic headlines in 1989. With the elephants’ plight uppermost in my mind, I decided to paint as
large a canvas as my small studio would accommodate. Visually, the painting would ask the question,‘Where are the elephants going?’ There must be uncertainty and bleakness to symbolize the imminent tragedy. “
The line of elephants winds its way over the ridge, perhaps traveling from
a lush valley into a dry, inhospitable environment epitomized by a tree’s skeleton and sparse tufts of sun- bleached grass struggling for survival in
the infertile ground. Perhaps only in such a stark wilderness can the last
of the elephants survive the predations of man. ”Twenty years later, elephants are still at risk for extinction, but there have been some steps
in the right direction: shortly after Simon Combes read those alarming headlines, the United States government imposed a ban on commercial import of elephant ivory and many other countries followed suit.Unfortunately, the elephants are not safe as yet and it is up to
us to protect them and their habitat.

 

SIMON COMBES - FEB. 2008

" EYES OF WARNING "

125 s/n Giclee Canvas 28 "x 37" $1250
950 s/n Paper 19.25" x 25.5" $175

Simon Combes is best known for his paintings of African wildlife, but
his deepest passion was the great cats of the world. In 1994 Combes, along with Greenwich Workshop founder Dave Usher, circled the globe to find
and paint ten of the world’s most magnificent felines. The jaguar of South America proved to be the most elusive of the collection, and the resulting portrait became one of Combes’most celebrated works.
“I spent time with Reina, a thirteen-year-old female jaguar, at a 125,000
-acre ranch in Venezuela called Hato El Frio where wildlife is protected,” wrote Simon Combes in his journal of the trip. “Previously, I had been concerned about how to show in my paintings the difference between
jaguar and leopard. Having seen Reina, I will never forget. A jaguar is
a bigger and more thickset animal, with powerful legs and a heavy head
and jaw. Her coat was very short, shiny and a rich russet-gold that made
her invisible in dappled sunlight, only ten yards away. The spots are bold
and those on the flanks are large rough circles with several black dots inside—very different from a leopard’s rosettes.”

 

SIMON COMBES - SEPT. 2007

" LION CUB "

150 s/n Giclee Canvas
8" x 12"
Email-price

Focused intently on his invisible prey, the young subject of Simon Combes’
Lion Cub furrows his brow. This lovingly-rendered portrait is evidence
of Simon’s lifelong love of the great cats and of lions in particular.

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - APRIL 2007

" ARROGANCE "

100 s/n Giclee Canvas
20" x 30"
$725

“I enjoy relating animals to human equivalents,” said artist Simon
Combes. “I always think of cheetahs, for example, as very serious animals. A lion may grin and a leopard may leer or sneer but a cheetah would
only frown. A cheetah might be a dedicated professional athlete whereas
a lion would be an amateur rugby player. ” Simultaneously relaxed and vigilant, the cheetah at the center of Arrogance seems very somber indeed. This is, in part, attributable to the cheetah’s “tear marks,” black markings that run from the cheetah’s eyes to its mouth. The markings help block sunlight, as well as aid in hunting and seeing over long distances. They
also make the cheetah appear incurably grave.Simon Combes’ gorgeous rendering of one of nature’s fastest animals at rest was created as part
of his “Great Cats of the World” series. Arrogance is a captivating
portrait that will become the focal point of any room.

 

 

SIMON COMBES - MAY 2007

" TSAVO SENTINEL "

150 s/n Giclee Canvas
12" x 11"
Email-price

At just over 13,000 square miles, Tsavo National Park is the largest park
in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. With its impressive size
comes enormous diversity—the park boasts 1,000 plant species and over
60 major species of mammals, including the African elephant. During his
visits to Tsavo, Simon Combes was fortunate to encounter several majestic
bull elephants in the bush. You can relive Simon’s face-to-face
experiences with your very own Tsavo Sentinel.

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - JAN. 2007

" IN HIS PRIME "

150 s/n Giclee Canvas
30" x 25"
$895

A young lion leads his family from a muted, shadowy landscape onto the sunny plain. As the lionesses catch up, he stands at attention and scans the horizon
for signs of trouble. A dry, hot breeze ruffles his mane but still the young lion stands in the dry grass, unblinking, unmoved and utterly In His Prime. Artist Simon Combes spent the majority of his adult life painting wildlife in his homeland, Africa. His dynamic animal portraits and sweeping landscapes
earned him honors from The Society of Animal Artists, the Pacific Rim
Wildlife Art Show and the Florida Wildlife Expo. In the early 1990s,
Combes set out to paint a series of the world's largest cats (his favorite
subject) for The Greenwich Workshop, a project which eventually resulted
in the trade book Great Cats: Stories and Art from a World Traveller
and a collector's portfolio of limited edition prints.

 

 

SIMON COMBES - APRIL 2006

" RIPPLES AND REFLECTIONS "

100 s/n Giclee Canvas
20" x 30"
$695

To own a Greenwich Workshop Fine Art Edition of Simon Combes is to
be present in the wilds of his beloved Africa surrounded by animals and
an environment alive and in motion. It is a precious moment in a never-ending safari, with Combes as our trusted guide. In Ripples and
Reflections, we are observing reticulated giraffes only found in the arid north of Kenya.

The Uaso Nyiro River flows through this area until its dwindling waters disappear altogether in the shifting hot sands. As the dry season drops
the river level even lower, sand spits divide the shallow flow of water.
The newly reticulated landscape mirrors the giraffes’ unique coats
and protective markings radiating the incomparable sense of being
that is Africa.

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - AUG. 2006

" FIRST LIGHT "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
18" x 14"
$395

“Cheetahs are enigmatic and perhaps the most intriguing of all the big cats to me,” says artist Simon Combes of the subject of First Light. “My encounters
with cheetahs have been like meeting a person who has poise, elegance, class, fleeting moments of warmth and yet tantalizingly aloof. The challenge of
painting cheetahs is two-fold: firstly, the chest is so pronounced in comparison
to the head that in certain positions the animal can look positively grotesque. Secondly, I am often stumped at portraying the cat’s mood … what is it
thinking behind that mask of haughty distain? So serious, so intent, so
reserved, does this animal ever relax and have fun?
This painting was as much an indulgence in design as it was an attempt to
capture that magical, early-morning, golden mistiness surrounding the
surreal silhouettes of distant arcadia trees. I loved the elegant, s-shaped line
from the cheetah’s nose to the tip of its tail.”

 

SIMON COMBES - JAN. 2006

" HEAVY DRINKERS "

150 s/n Giclee Canvas 24" x 60" $1750
50 s/n Giclee Canvas 32" x 80" Email-price

It is the epic nature of Africa, its grand expanse, its magnificent wildlife, its overwhelming wildness that draws us to her. Through our Anniversary Edition program we are now able to present Heavy Drinkers, one of artist and adventurer Simon Combes' personal favorites, in epic proportions as well. The painting is set in the vast wilderness of eastern Kenya's Tsavo wilderness, home to great herds of elephants, buffalo and other animals, yet inhospitable to man. Water is scarce so the Voi River's occasional pools, surrounded by lush vegetation, are magnets to a host of animals and birds…and the intermittent herd of elephants.
While working painting Simon hosted a steady procession of visitors from nearby villages-most of whom, strange to relate, had never seen an elephant before, because they almost never traveled far enough away from their homes to see one. "They suggested many different animals to include with the elephants," he said, "but I resisted, contenting myself (somewhat masochistically) with an audience of 126 egrets, sacred ibis and Egyptian geese."

SIMON COMBES - APRIL 2005

" KILIMANJARO MORNINIG "

850 s/n Paper 22.375" x 32" $999
150 s/n Giclee Canvas 30" x 42" $1375

Rising over 19,000 feet above the acacia studded plains of East Africa, the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the African continent. Often shrouded in mist, Kilimanjaro is a symbol of Africa itself, dramatically dwarfing its surroundings – including the stately elephant, largest of all land animals. Like the first explorers, Simon Combes fell under the spell of Kilimanjaro’s majesty, which appears in several of his paintings. Kilimanjaro Morning conveys the essence of Africa’s mood and environment.

It’s a land of legends and mystery, a land of exotic beauty and vibrant color. Kilimanjaro Morning is a portrait of Africa in all its complexity: beautiful, mysterious, impenetrable. “I have sensations of déjà vu,” he said, “especially when I am alone on the sweeping plains or down in Olduvai Gorge where early man once lived. It’s as if this is not my first experience of Africa; that I have known these places somewhere in the past. It’s like coming home.”

SIMON COMBES - SEPT. 2005

" AN AFRICAN EXPERIENCE "

100 s/n Giclee Canvas
Masterwork Edition
40" x 32"
$975

Artist, adventurer and conservationist Simon Combes called Africa home. His art portrays the grace, power and mystery of the wild with an exacting technique and attention to detail. Best known for his stunning images of African landscapes and wildlife, Combes’ paintings would be mistaken for photographs, except for life and warmth no Nikon can capture. In An African Experience, Simon’s focus is on the pride of the Serengeti. “Little outcrops of rock stand out like islands in the grassy sea of the Serengeti,” Simon said.“Formed millions of years ago during the cataclysmic upheavals and volcanic eruptions of Africa's birth, these rock groups form fantastic shapes. For Serengeti lions, rock garden oases are more than watering holes. They provide lairs where cubs can be born, and havens to escape the heat of the day. They are also vantage points from which lions can watch the parade of life go by.”

 

SIMON COMBES - JAN. 2005

" THE CROSSING "

1250 s/n Paper 21.75" x 45" $359
200 s/n Giclee Canvas 27"x 60" Email-price

“Crossing this river is the single most dangerous undertaking in a wildebeest’s turbulent year,” Combes explains. “In August, when the Serengeti shimmers with heat, the vast herds of wildebeest are desperate to reach the fertile grazing lands of southern Kenya. When the enormous hordes reach the crocodile-infested Mara River, tragedy can strike as some drown in crossing. Nothing can stop the animals in mid-crossing from trampling, jostling and panicking in their efforts to reach the safety of the far bank. This is not always the case, as in The Crossing, which shows its herd making a comparatively smooth passage.

“I attempted to create a contrast between the struggling, tension-packed chaos of the left bank and the peaceful greenness of new pastures on the right. The inclusion of a stark dead tree, vultures, marabou storks, swirling dust and the ominous interest of two hungry lions hopefully emphasized the frantic atmosphere of the thousands still waiting to cross… while in the background, a pride of lions keeps watch.”

 

SIMON COMBES - JUNE 2004

" TENSION AT DAWN "

825 s/n Paper 19.5" x 35" $1399
200 s/n Giclee Canvas 19" x 38" $2895

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - NOV. 2003

" AFRICAN OASIS "

650 s/n Paper 18.875" x 50" $1475
125 s/n Giclee Canvas 19 "x 60" $4975

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - OCT. 2003

" THE BIGGEST LEOPARD "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
21" x 32"
Email-price

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - SEPT. 2003

" AMBOSELI ANCIENTS "

1000 s/n Paper
18.5" x 23.25"
$150

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - OCT. 2002

" STAYING CLOSE "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
13" x 10"
Email-price

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - FEB. 2003

" FOREST WATERHOLE "

150 s/n Giclee Canvas
19" x 60"
$3595

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - AUG. 2002

" WILDEBEEST MIGRATION "

450 s/n Paper 16.375" x 44" $1595
75 s/n Giclee Canvas 18" x 60" Email-price

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - AUG. 2002

" AFTERMATH "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
18" x 26"
Email-price

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - FEB. 2002

" FAMILY TIES "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
18" x 24"
Email-price

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES -SEPT. 2001

" ABSOLUTE ALASKA "

50 s/n Giclee Canvas 38" x72" Email-price
100 s/n Giclee Canvas 21" x 40" Email-price

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - JULY 2001

" AN AFRICAN EXPERIENCE "

Poster
19.75" x 15.75"
$40

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - MAY 2001

" AFTERGLOW "

550 s/n Paper 16" x 23" $165
50 s/n Giclee Canvas 18" x 26" $1175

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - JAN. 2001

" KEEPING DISTANCE "

100 s/n Giclee Canvas
20" x 30"
$595

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - MAY 2001

" DRINKS ALL AROUND "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
24" x 60"
$1175

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - NOV. 1999

" DROUGHT DUST AND DANGER "

75 s/n Giclee Canvas
25.25" x 60"
$1175

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES -SEPT. 1999

" HOT LIONS "

250 s/n Giclee Canvas
20.75" x 30"
$815

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - JAN. 1999

" IMMINENT PURSUIT "

550 s/n Paper
15.625" x 23"
$150

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - JUNE 1998

" THERE WAS A TIME "

250 s/n Giclee Canvas
23.25" x 70"
Email-price

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - OCT. 1997

" SNOWPACK "

550 s/n Paper
21.25 " x 30"
$435

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - FEB. 1998

" THE SENTINELS "

550 s/n Paper
19.625" x 12.5"
$125

 

 

 

 

SIMON COMBES - AUG. 1997

" FROM THE SHADOWS "

250 s/n Giclee Canvas
15" x 18"
$395