giraffe journey | oil on canvas

This oil painting captures the calm, graceful movement of a giraffe journey — a group also known as a tower when still or a kaleidoscope in motion. Giraffes form loose, easy-going herds with no strict hierarchy, drifting together in ever-changing formations. Their social groups are gentle and fluid, often made up of females with calves, bachelor males, or mixed gatherings that come and go with the quiet pulse of the plains. Despite their towering height, giraffes sleep surprisingly little — often just a few minutes at a time, rarely lying down, and always remaining alert to predators. Their unique skin pattern is far more than beautiful camouflage: each patch acts as a natural thermo-regulator. Beneath every blotch lies a dense network of blood vessels that helps release heat, allowing giraffes to cool their immense bodies under the African sun.