Zebra’s are skittish animals. When wildlife artist Jos Haigh saw them nudge and prance round each other, Court and Spark was inspired.. She painted them in tangerine and mauve, the rich colours of an African sunset. Note the soft gentle muzzles and tender eyes. But the eyes are from the song:  “…his eyes were the colour of the sand and the sea.  And the more he talked to me, the more he reached me… “  (Joni Mitchell)

The story behind this zebra painting (Court and Spark) is complex.

Even when wildlife artist Jos Haigh was young, she always like to be the centre of attention.  She admits this freely, ha!  She like to be in charge of things, enjoyed playing with other children, having fun. This verve for life continued into her adulthood.  She was brought up in a caring world where there was fun but also high expectations to do the right thing, to conform.  Her love of art was not considered a serious profession, even to her, and she kept it as a hobby.  She was a scientist, technical, analytical, ambitious.  She thought she was a free spirit, but actually she was more conventional than she’d expected. But she loved this song for the sheer escapism of a wild life.

This song!  Court and Spark, by Joni Mitchell.  Jos Haigh played the album, and particularly this song constantly throughout her university years.  Her daughter recently took her to a tribute band in London, they played this song and it brought back all those memories.  This is a song about a woman who falls in love with a drifter, a free spirit who has removed all the worldliness from his life - a rambler, a gambler, a sweet-talking ladies man.  She leaves him because she couldn’t let go of her conventional life in Los Angeles - the glitz, the money, the razzmatazz.  She was conventional too, after all.

And Jos says thank you for reading all this.

The eyes are extra special in the detail and depth of colour, glossy and expressive. The vivid stripes are black but not black with the wonderful contrasts of colour coming through. The muzzles are wonderful in the gentle colours showing their softness and sensitivity.

You should buy this painting to keep those wonderful memories of the zebra alive. Have you ever been to Africa? Seen the vivid tangerine sunsets fading to a gentle mauve, the swaggering zebras usually frolicking together? Have you been inspired by their carefree nature? Then this painting is for you. Cherish the memory in your home. Make it part of your life. Make it an heirloom for your children. Be frivolous if you dare!