Gary first visited Venezuela in 1992 as part of a Living Earth / British Council artists’ programme. He travelled to Caracas and then on to Hato Piñero, a working eco cattle ranch in the central plains llanos region of the country, with fellow artists Elizabeth Butterworth, Francisco Carrillo Gil, Helen Cowcher and Ernesto Leon.

The artists had hugely different styles and techniques as Gary remembers “It was a thrill to see each artist interpret the wildlife so differently through their paintings. I found that aspect alone a great stimulation for my own creativity and to top that with all the beautiful wildlife, it made my stay in Venezuela a memorable experience.”

Hato Piñero has been preserved for decades despite being a working ranch.  Gary remembers: “Walking through the forest, leaves crunching underfoot; red howler monkeys howling above; spectacled caiman basking on the mud-banks, butterflies drinking from their eyes; tiger herons and ringed kingfishers perching motionless on branches overhanging the river … a visual bombardment, and all seen within a few minutes.”

GREEN IGUANA, 1993 PENCIL DRAWING

The resulting art from the 30+ Venezuelan and British artists was displayed at the Museum of Natural History in Caracas in aid of Living Earth. One of Gary’s drawings, Tuqueque Lizard, was bought by the British Ambassador to Venezuela for the British Council collection.

He returned for five weeks in 1993 with fellow artist and friend Helen Cowcher. The flight down to Hato Piñero in a 6-seater was hair-raising, especially when the tiny plane had to suddenly dive to avoid a heron which was flying towards them.

These were productive times, resulting in many different drawings including Spectacled Caiman, Tree Frog, Owl Butterfly and Green Iguana. It was also a peaceful time, Gary recalling the sense of freedom to wander around. He would spend days getting within centimetres of young caiman and just a few metres from the imposing adults.