This is the piece that paved the way for a future in smoke art… before I even knew it would be.
Although not my first experiment with smoke, it was my first wildlife piece completed successfully, without tearing or burn marks. It became the quiet proof that smoke art is possible.
But the story behind it carries just as much weight as the milestone it represents.
I’ve known the bushveld for most of my life. Years ago, we were given a male bat-eared fox pup that someone had raised as a pet. We built him a small enclosure close to the farmhouse, giving him space to dig his own den and explore his little patch of territory. We spoiled him now and then with chicken eggs (his favourite treat).
In Afrikaans, a bat-eared fox is called a Bakoor, and with our family name being Botha, his name almost chose itself: Bakkies Botha (a playful nod to the famous rugby player).
A few months later, while scouting the fences, we came across a tragic scene; a python had caught a bat-eared fox but abandoned the hunt when our workers arrived. Inside its den was a single surviving pup, a little female.
When we brought her home, Bakkies took an immediate liking to her. He shared his den, his food, and soon, his heart. He even became protective of her (and of his space) which, ironically, was exactly what we’d hoped for. It meant he was finding his inner-wild again.
We named her Asjas, which is an Afrikaans pet name for a beautiful, mischievous young girl.
This piece was inspired by their story of love and protection. They meant the world to me, and though it broke my heart to release them back into the game reserve, it was where they truly belonged.
Not long after, Bakkies returned proudly (almost as if to show off) with a beautiful litter of three at his side, before disappearing once more into the bushveld.
Being close to wildlife is both a blessing and a heartbreak. You fall in love with it in a way that makes you want to hold it close, yet the wild is not ours to keep. True love for nature means letting it stay free… protecting it, not possessing it. It’s through these quiet acts of respect and care that we ensure the wild, and the stories it holds, will still be here long after we are gone.
