The artwork "Great Hippo Catching the Sun," a vibrant mixed-media painting by South African artist Ann Gadd, masterfully incorporates African symbols into its depiction of a hippopotamus. The title conjures a vivid image of the scene, reflecting the artist's ability to infuse cultural elements with colourful brilliance. 

Ann Gadd's artistic progression is evident, as she has shifted from a complex expressionistic style in the past to a more recent, naive, yet subtly surreal approach. Her transition from exuberant brushstrokes to a more refined, textured technique exemplifies this transformation. While her approach has become simpler, her keen sense of color endures, now enriched by her experience.

Gadd's playful humour occasionally surfaces in her art, as seen in the "Ambitious Sheep" series. As a prominent contemporary artist, she has exhibited her local and international work, showcasing her capacity to blend diverse themes and styles. Ann Gadd's artwork continues to captivate audiences, solidifying her presence as a celebrated figure in the contemporary art realm.

About Ann Gadd

Ann Gadd’s artistic career started in childhood when she scrawled her first artwork in crayon across her bedroom wall. Today, she is one of South Africa’s most beloved and prolific artists – with her paintings celebrating Africa’s wildlife and landscapes lighting up spaces around the world.

“I think people connect with the unique style of my work,” she says. “In a world where wildlife paintings are generally super-realistic and conventional, both in colour and approach, I take a fresh, bold, colourful approach .”

Born in Gauteng, South Africa, in 1958, Gadd moved to Cape Town when she was four. After studying graphic design and working with two art teachers, she worked as an art director at advertising agencies for over 20 years.

In 1997, the South African Society of Artists named her the Best Acrylic Artist, encouraging her to pursue her professional artistic and writing careers (she’s since authored or illustrated more than 20 books). Since her first solo exhibition in 2002, she has exhibited in London, at the Johannesburg Art Fair, the Florence Biennale, Art at Five (Brighton, UK), the Glasgow and Edinburgh Art Fairs, and many other SA and international exhibitions. Gadd works from her studio in Cape Town, where she lives with her artist husband, a wildly enthusiastic retriever and two over-indulged, rather grumpy cats.

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This safe and cost-effective packaging is our preferred packaging option. We'll remove the canvas from the stretcher frame and roll it up into this sturdy and protective cardboard tube for shipping. Upon delivery, simply have the canvas re-stretched at your local framer.FLAT-PACKED / BOXED
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