An Intricate Ecological Art piece…. 
¨Everyone who works with love and with intelligence,
finds in the very sincerity of his love for nature and art
a kind of armor against the opinions of
other people…¨ – Vincent van Gogh
It is early morning, you are awakening slowly from the night´s deep slumber. A White-browed Sparrow Weaver starts with a beautiful lullaby. Slowly, you are opening your eyes. There it is!! The first exceptional piece of art coming through the sliding doors. The golden-orange sun, rising between the Purple-pod Terminalias, and together with the breeze and leaves moving, it looks like a cosy fireplace. A scene that fills you with warmth and energy, during a chilly morning in the Kalahari. The centre of the piece is outlined by hues of purple, and different shades of blue, which bring a sense of calmness….. Take a deep breath, release it slowly and you are ready for a day of adventure!!
Art in nature can take endless forms, because nature provides us with such a vast wealth of inspiring phenomena. All we have to do, is look and become one with it!! Not only is nature around us, but has it roots settled deep within us. I would like you to escape into nature and become part of this exquisite, yet intricate piece of art. Look up, breath deeply, stretch out your arms, slowly turn around and absorb the approaching Autumn hues of Deception Valley Lodge. The flowers, botany, animals, anatomy, weather, geology, natural history, environment, conservation, etc. The list is endless!! Let your body release all the stress the world is experiencing, and absorb the invigorating essence of nature….
Even the simplest signs and phenomena in nature, provide a piece for Deep Thinkers. We often do not pay attention to all the Brown Hyena, Porcupine and Wildcat tracks around the lodge or even the bright stars with the mesmerizing Milky Way. All you have to do is look everywhere, absorb every aspect. The concept of Spoor and Celestial views tie together an earthly life with cosmic, universal calculations. It combines something small and recognizable with grand concepts, that are abstract and intangible to our human consciousness.
Art in nature comes in many forms. Study, observe and contemplate all natural things around you. Bright colours and detailed patterns create an abstract piece. These colours and patterns are very prominent in our own oasis here. From the delicate, bright flowers, covering the semi-desert landscape, after an amazing raining season, to the intriguing patterns on Zebras and Giraffes covering the grasslands at the Valley. Not even to describe all the colours and shapes when they all run in unison with the Eland, Blue-Wildebeest, Kudu and Ostriches, through the yellowish grass, with a backdrop of darkish green Acacias on a dune, and then the bright blue, autumn skies! Close your eyes and imagine the scene….
Abstract art can bring joy and humour too, and this happened with the Ostriches and Kudu while running. The Ostrich ran into his mate, which then stumbled, made a forward flip and immediate regained her balance. Whereas, the Kudu on the other hand, simply decided that the youngster was going too slow for him, so he made an impressive leap right over the youngster. And how can I forget about the Leopard Tortoise that visited at the office! The patterns on the shell, are truly something to admire. 
Not only do all these beautiful colours and patterns open your eyes to the intricacy and beauty of the natural world, but they also form a complex relationship, called ecology. The ecosystem can be a challenging piece. The interaction between species is just unbelievable! Each organism has an important role to play. A simple example that occurred, was that of the Lions killing a Zebra recently. Once these majestic animals had their fair share, the White-backed Vultures and Black-backed Jackal took over to assist with the ¨cleaning up¨ of the carcass. Then the Brown-Hyena came to feed on the bones, and, finally a very small detail was added. With the bigger species cleaning up, their excretions were processed by the extremely important Dung Beetle. One can almost say that the Dung Beetle added the final, finishing touches to the experience. The Ecological aspect of nature is simply to intense to explain in one paragraph….
Art can serve a purpose beyond an object of beauty. It can also address pressing environmental issues and topics about conservation, sustainability, preservation, biodiversity and threatened habitats. To support the above issues, our main aim is to be an eco-friendly lodge, with as little environment impact as possible. Earth Day on the 22nd of April, reminded us again, to constantly preserve and protect!
With countries slowly lifting their extreme lock down procedures, and people getting to go outside again, I would like you to do the following. Go outside! Tune into your surroundings. Feel the wind upon your cheek. Observe the veins of a leaf, sit against the coarse,supporting trunk of a tree, watch a river flow over small rocks. Then most importantly! Let your mind be as vast as the sky. Be still. Appreciate, and Observe.
Use nature´s Art as an ¨armor¨ not only to peoples opinions but also to Covid-19!!
We cannot wait to welcome you back to our gallery!!
Janie Swart
Lodge Manager