The Paradise Painting

Created: 2009
Medium: Oils on canvas

Set high on the slopes of Chapman’s Peak overlooking Hout Bay, this painting is rooted in a real landscape where the extraordinary biodiversity of the Cape fynbos biome unfolds across the mountains and valleys. The flora and fauna depicted are scientifically accurate and indigenous to this region, celebrating the remarkable ecological richness of the Cape Floral Kingdom.

Among the rocky slopes and flowering fynbos, indigenous plants rise from the landscape while local wildlife quietly inhabits the scene. The natural world is portrayed with careful observation, reflecting the artist’s background in natural history and scientific illustration.

Within this realistic setting, a subtle element of fantasy appears. A mystical girl rests in the branches of an ancient tree, suspended between earth and sky. Her presence introduces a symbolic layer to the scene, merging realism with the element of fantasy. 

Through careful use of light, colour and composition, the painting explores this threshold between the tangible world and the dreamlike realm that often accompanies deep experiences in nature. The result is both a celebration of the fynbos landscape of Cape Town and a meditation on the playful magic that can be found within it.