In the quiet serene bush lands near Kigio — less than two hours by car from Kenya’s capital Nairobi — Chris Campbell Clause’s eyes keenly watch as his hands effortlessly move from the pot to the board.

As the tropical sun generously lights up his work, the artist knows that he has all he needs to create yet another masterpiece. Africa’s wildlife and conservation are closely linked to and personified by this Kenyan artist.

“Since I was a small boy, wildlife and its immediate surroundings have always fascinated me," Chris says as he puts away a sketch he has been working on. “They are a source of inspiration. My love for them shaped my destiny.”

“Sitting in the wild, watching as nature takes its course brings out much excitement and satisfaction as well as passion to capture the image on paper,” he adds .

Born into a Kenyan farming family, Chris was educated in Kenya and England. In 1979, he attained an Honor’s Degree in three-dimensional design, specializing in silversmithing from the Middlesex Polytechnic in London.

“Most of my lecturers and colleagues opposed my idea of taking up fine arts as a major,” Chris says with a chuckle. “They argued that there wasn’t enough money in the business, but I wanted to fill up the gap in me. I chose a lifestyle, not a profession,” he adds with a light smile.

Kenyan artist Chris Campbell Clause uses his wildlife art to promote environmental conservation.

He took up wildlife painting seriously on his return to Kenya because: “I had all I needed to do my work. It was out there waiting for me.”

With his wife Christine, he has traveled on safari throughout Kenya and overland to Botswana.

“I do a lot of my own research in the field, namely sketches and drawings, as well as photographs. I find sketches invaluable for the color references,” says Chris. “While on safari, I paint in watercolors and later complete the painting in oils at the studio.”

Inspired by the beauty of the African wilderness, Chris’ affection for the flora and fauna is apparent in his paintings. Whether using oils or watercolors, he captures the essence of his subjects, birds or wildlife, and the spirit of the African landscape with its dramatic vistas.

“In my landscapes,” he says, “I prefer to paint the drier, semi-desert scenes with their soft colors, but in contrast, I enjoy the vivid colors of the African birds.”

Kenya’s Northern Frontier District is one of his favorite painting locations due to its diversity in color and texture, where spectacular mountain ranges contrast with rocky outcrops, trees and sandy luggas, small hills found scattered over the drylands of northern Kenya.

His unquenchable thirst for wildlife painting saw him establish the Natural History Gallery in Naivasha Town, on the shores of Lake Naivasha, in Kenya’s picturesque Rift Valley Province.

The gallery is stocked with wood and soapstone carvings of wildlife animals, as well as antiques from various communities in Kenya and the rest of Africa. Tourists going to or from the Maasai Mara National Park visit.