A Rare Cheetah Sighting in Londolozi Inspired this Wildlife Artwork

It took me 25 years to get there. 

Londolozi—protector of all living things—sits in the Sabi Sands Reserve. It's a land of leopards, where cheetahs were more rumour than reality.

Our final morning game drive had already given us nyala, jackal, a fish eagle, and our very first wild dog as well as elephants, lions and buffalo. We were happily rumbling back to camp for breakfast, when the radio crackled.

"A cheetah!"

They were ghosts in this landscape—fewer than ten in the entire reserve at that time, according to our guide. He turned to us: "Fast, bumpy ride... you up for it?"

Hell yeah!

As the jeep slowed to a halt, our guide's words hung in the air like a promise of magic. And there he was, amidst the tall grass, the most beautiful cheetah. We watched in breathless silence as he moved gracefully, every spot on his coat shimmering in the morning light.

Then came the moment forever etched in our memories: he moved closer and, with silky ease, leapt onto a solitary rock to scan the vast, untamed savannah of Londolozi.

As I've discovered art, I realised that cheetah was still with me—quietly pacing at the edge of my imagination.

And so more than a decade later, I created a tribute to that moment.  I called it "A Dream Set Free"

"A Dream Set Free"

The original isn’t available just yet… but watch this space—something special is coming this summer.