Most likely everyone had such a desire when sitting in a cozy apartment and without raising from an armchair it would be desirable to come to be on any fantastic wood glade or under a beautiful birch at a stream, where the sun, caressing the rays it is poured by different colors of a rainbow through rustling leaves of a beautiful tree. Have you imagined? Fine, isn’t it so? But frequently not always it happens to spend time on the nature and so its caress, a landscape, color would be desirable. What to do? Purchase of a picture of a picturesque landscape in the interior always won a great popularity of wealth people.

And knowingly! However men of means are completely not silly. From pictures the certain charge of the energy directed on those and as other drive of a latent condition always proceeded. Internal condition influences your future affairs in your life. How to define, how truly to choose a picture? Many artists writing landscapes of the nature try to transfer all charm, realness of what they depict. But how to value, that painting which you have got is good or not? How to say “All true – it is simple!”.

The present value of a picture is permissible to estimate what a person has. “What is it?” – you will ask. Everything is very simple: Feelings. Yes, yes! Impressions, emotions which are betrayed by a picture it is permissible to learn what it actually represents. If the picture causes negative feeling from within and as in general that does not cause even if in a case if this picture of the most famous artist then it is a picture which costs nothing.

At one time it was fashionable to arrange exhibitions of erotic art. Even turns were built in regional showrooms: public aspired to be convinced that poet Hlebnikov did not say lies, having said: “Freedom comes nude”. In an erotic wave of that time any intellectual maintenance was not looked through. And those exhibitions were, frankly speaking, extremely poor.

There was at least without a deceit and without claims for a high art.

A new spectator generation cannot be got by erotic baits. What is the use from an exhibition in a nu genre, if there is only an elastic body and no drop of imagination? It is not that from a loin the philosophy necessarily should be born, but the spectator all the same would like to catch certain “surplus value”… In this sense the exposition of “nude” looks almost exemplary. On the one hand, the promised naked men and women are really present, and even at fair quantity, with another – there is a possibility to occupy not only libido, but also other feelings.

The era was one for everybody, and here heads and hands are arranged in own way. The general denominator is deduced hardly that it is necessary to enlist pluses to organizers, instead minuses. To make a similar exhibition harmonious and conceptual would mean to go against a reality, obviously to simplify a motley picture. The human anatomy does not vary already for thousands of years; however at the sight it is subject to essential vibrations.

Well, to choose a picture is not an easy process. And the buyer should come to it with all the proper considerations and willing.

Are you fond of abstract paintings? Searching for a spot to talk about art? You are welcomed to go to this site – here you can review, comment on, and purchase many abstract art paintings directly from the artists at the best terms available.

Luckily we live in the world of digital technologies. It wouldn’t be wise not to use this truly unique opportunity. Modern online technologies help us break the borders and search modern abstract art paintings all over the planet. Visit various social networks, look through respective topics, participate in discussions in niche forums. All this will help you keep abreast of the events concerning your interests. And, subscribe to the RSS on this blog to keep track of new publications on the topic.

It is possible simply to put money in a bank and to wait until they bring an income. But it is possible to earn much more money by means of the art market. And during the last years private persons started to be involved in fine arts even more than the large companies.

Many of known today collectors began with zero: visited art interiors, consulted to experts, choosing their interesting style. Among the people who are putting up money in art, there are the most different: from mathematicians to financial analysts. They have managed to consider advantages of the given business allowing not only to put up money profitably, but also to have possibility to be among the fine.

It is considered that the most profitable is an investment of money in antiques because the given market is enough developed and has the already certain game rules. Thus the buyer has a confidence that the got picture will not go down in price unlike modern products, therefore they perfectly approach for investments of a long period. Naturally at the moment it is almost impossible to buy a picture of a brush of the great artist for a low cost. It is connected with the fact that the most part of works is already stored in private collections or museums. Even if masterpieces also appear in the market, their will cost considerable. Though thus experts do not give a guarantee about authenticity of product, therefore it is more preferable for a beginner to buy something less valuable.

According to the opinions of owners of galleries and dealers, recently not only sellers differ in high literacy, but also buyers who prefer to refuse purchase if authenticity of a picture is not confirmed. The best protection against fakes for today is the special certificate and consultation of experts. The greatest percent of experts is made by museum workers – were or operating, each of which, as a rule, has a narrow specialization.

Modern art cost in times less than antiques though it increases quickly enough. However to the beginner it is uneasy to understand variety of the modern art which is presented by various styles: a drawing, a photo or products of abstract artists. Without a professional advice it is not possible to manage.

It can seem to any uninitiated that pricing in the market of modern works of art develops chaotically. Actually, according to experts, cost is defined by the established criteria. To begin with cost is influenced by not so much quality of a picture, but by the biography of the author: participation in exhibitions, galleries. If the part of products of the artist is already stored in known museums it already specifies in popularity of the master and accordingly does an investment of money more profitable.

According to experts, it is not necessary to search for ingenious artists in the street, not recognized geniuses do not exist presently. All of them were found already by galleries, presently not only art salons search for talents, artists constantly offer the products. Undoubtedly, at the moment the picture of the modern artist is much heavier for selling, however in due course investments into modern painting become more favorable, than in antiques.

In recent times the modern photo was appreciated, today more fashionable is figurative painting. Private persons most often purchase decorative art though Russia was considered the native land of abstract art. The photo basically is got by fans, trying to put up money in the most known names. And except the biography the product price is influenced by the level of the artist and its special thinking developing in a context of world directions.

Love abstract paintings? Searching for a place to talk about art? You are invited to visit this site – there you can observe, comment on, and buy many abstract art paintings directly from the artists at prices that are affordable to most people.

Luckily we live in the world of high technologies. It wouldn’t be wise not to use this really unique opportunity. Current online technologies help us break the borders and look for modern abstract art paintings all over the planet. Visit different social networks, check relevant topics, join online discussions in niche forums. All this will help you be well informed about the events concerning your hobby. Also, sign up for the RSS on this blog to keep track of the latest publications on the topic.

masai mara game reserve

It’s undoubtedly the great savanna of Africa. Within a few minutes of flying into the Mara, I spot an elephant and giraffes on the plains below, and on the banks of the Talek river, a pair of hippos out of the water.

It’s the season before the great migration and the plains are filled with tall grasses of different patterns in shades of gold and green.

There’s little to tell if there’s anything in the vast grassland that spreads to the horizon, touching the magical Mara Thomson’s gazelle. The mother cheetah’s belly is nicely rounded, and there’s very little left of the antelope. Meantime, the cub is still enjoying the meal, its nose red with blood of the prey.

“Cheetahs are diurnal animals. They hunt during the day,” explains the driver guide at Mara Intrepids. “They are not as strong as the lion or the leopard, so they have to eat fast or else their kill will be stolen by another animal. They can even be chased away by hyenas and vultures.”

We think we’ve done well by spotting the cheetah within a five-minute drive of the lodge but we’re in for another surprise.

Literally another five minutes away, we come across another cheetah with two cubs on an anthill. The trio watches us lazily but the mother’s ears pick the sound of the cowbells and she sits up alert, scanning the plains. The herd of Maasai cows is far in the distant and not sensing any danger to her cubs, she flops down again, relaxed.

A Jackson’s widowbird grabs our attention as the black bird with a long tail hops in and out of the tall stems.

“It’s a male in its breeding plumage trying to attract a female,” explains our guide. It seems to be the season as we spot other on the same mission.

Between May and June, the plains are full of long grass. It makes it difficult for the smaller animals to browse. It’s mostly the big animals like giraffes and elephants and the bigger antelopes that you can see around.

And it makes hunting difficult for the cats so they come up with strange strategies. You’ll see lions and cheetahs trying to climb trees and anthills to get a high vantage point.

Cheetahs don’t usually climb trees because their claws do not retract like those of the other cats’ but because they need to locate prey, they’ll try anything, even hunting zebra.”

Cheetahs are not strong so they hunt smaller antelopes, which they chase to exhaustion. This helps the diminutive cat to go for the jugular of the exhausted prey to make a quick kill.

This is really unusual. Twenty minutes after our sighting of the second cheetah, we meet the star of the BBC Cat Diary Live. Shakira — not to be confused with the pop idol — and her three cubs.

At this point, if l could get a paw print as an autograph of the movie queen, l’d be thrilled. But no such luck. It’s “Shakira had five cubs but two were killed,” Gichuki tells us. “Cheetah mothers keep moving frequently when they have cubs so that lions and leopards don’t get them.”

Just as the sun begins to fade away in the horizon splashed with gold, a pride of lions appears — 11 of them — the males with their long manes, females and cubs. The male roars and rolls over on it back with all four paws in the air. The females stir from a long siesta ready to prowl the plains.

“This is my favorite time in the Mara,” says the guide, “because there’s not much traffic so it is easy to spot animals and have them to yourself.”

A tawny eagle perched on a lone balanites tree scans the vistas for a hunt as a wattled plover, the largest of the plovers, feeds on the ground.

We stop under another lonely tree on the plains for a sundowner. “In another few weeks it will be July, and the plains will begin to fill with the wildebeest as they cross in from the Serengeti,” the guide narrates the seasons of the Mara.

“There will be 1.5 million wildebeest entering from Sand River and going to the far end of the Mara before turning around to make the cyclic round journey. By the end of November, all the grass will have been eaten by the wildebeest and the 400,000 zebra and other animals.

We’ve seen plenty of animals in one afternoon within a 10-kilometre radius of the lodge. The following morning, the plains are quieter as the great orb ascends from the horizon and warms the day. We’re looking for rhinos and leopards but they remain elusive, so we settle for a hearty breakfast by the banks of the river, with hippos grunting below in the muddy waters of the Talek.

Fairmont mara Safari Club

We’re on the northern extreme of the Mara Game reserve where the Aitong rises in the horizon, over the edges of the world-famous natural wilderness where lions and elephants share space with the tiny zorillas and barrel-shaped, rarely seen aardvarks and hippos deep into the night.  Map of the Masai Mara game reserve

The one-hour flight from Nairobi brings us to this amazing world of the predators and prey, the hunters and the hunted. Nothing compares to the Mara.

Landing near the banks of the Mara river, a pod of hippos – nearly 50 on a quick count lie in the earthy waters of the river that flows from the hills that surround the Mara with the forests of the Mau draping them. The hippos, with just their backsides and top half of their heads – look like stepping stones in the water.

On the dry islet where the water shallow, two crocodiles sun themselves with a cackle of Egyptian geese waddling around the cold-blooded reptiles.

A cool refreshing cocktail awaits us and we toast to the Mara. Driving into the recently refurbished Fairmont Mara Safari Club, a happy hippo, sculpted from scrap metal by Kenya’s leading scrap metal artist, Kioko Mwitiki stands to welcome clients – it’s about the closest anyone will get to a hippo.

A herd of wildebeest in metal on the red ochre walls of the lodge portrays the significance of the comical animal that thunders in from the Serengeti from July every year– sometimes as many as a million – to feed on the rich succulent grasses in the mara after the long rains of April and turn around to Serengeti’s enormous sprawl ready for the calving season around October.

Tall trees from the old forest pattern the grounds and inside the foyer, the red ochre of the Masai adds a vibrant dash to show case Africa’s collection of functional art. These include the traditional three-legged stools and chairs with the ancient bao game played across the continent since the dawn of time.

Beads, gourds and cowhide skin – all used by the Maasai – become art deco in the lodge and temptation is highh to wear the traditional hide skirts on the wall worn by Maasai dames.

More hippos lounge in the river below as you step out on the verandah and a cute baby takes our fancy. A crocodile has swum quietly and lies still as a log awaiting the catch of the day.

A rustle in the grass catches my attention and I look down to see a shy monitor lizard beautifully patterned with yellow beads on grey take a quick stare at me and vanish into the steep banks of the river as a double-toothed barbet with a deep red chest lands on the branch by my tent.

A midday shower cools the day as we enjoy lunch on the verandah with the baby hippo taking a plunge in the water to follow his mama.

Termite mounds fill the plains to the horizons, tiny pyramids of clay usually hidden in the tall grasses but now exposed because of the drought. The tiny insects keep the soils of the Mara ventilated and porous for the grasses to take root.

A herd of elephants stroll through the plains, they are a little thin because of the drought. Tall giraffes nibble on the trees shaping them as only giraffes would do – flat from the underside.

“There’s a herd of blue jean antelopes,” jokes our driver-guide.

It’s the topi, only found in the Mara and in the unprotected stretch of wilderness on Kenya’s northern coast. Standing next to the herd of topi is the Coke’s hartebeest or the kongoni, and the two big antelopes graze with the sky darkening for more rain.

And then what everyone comes to the Mara for, a pride of lions have just made a kill and savour the buffalo. It’s a handsome pride of about 10 with the black-maned lion definitely in control of his pride.

In a playful mood, the young ones stage a mock fight rolling over each other and taking a swing with the paw. And too soon we have to call it a day – but a surprise awaits us………

More About The Masai Mara game reserve

Rhinos in Mara river

It’s a beautiful day with bright blue skies and a colour-filled palette of plains. Perfect for walking in the wild. A family of Sykes monkeys awake from their slumber and bask n the sun on the verandah before the human residents wake up.

At the sound of me unzipping the tent, a trio of monkeys dash off into the high canopy of the forest and watch with innocent eyes, probably wondering what our  mission is.

Rich foliaged trees fill the forest on the edges of the Mara River – the fat, old Warburgia ugandensis (much loved by the elephant species) or the East African green heart tree, the Buchananni, the sausage tree and the evergreen Euclea divinorum which, even during the dry spells, remains green.

Walking through the tree tapestry, we take the hippo trail safe in the knowledge that the river horses are back in the water. At the river’s edge, another pod of hippos laze in the water with their tiny pink ears sticking out like little flag posts.

But the drought has been severe and one of the casualties lies dead by the edge. In a clearing over a glade, three African white-backed vultures keep an eye on the carcass perhaps waiting for us to move away. We do so but the vultures remain on alert and one lifts off circling without a flap of the wing, riding on the warm air thermals.

Watching the bird soar high in the air, I can relate to the research on vultures by Dr Munir Virani, whose research sounded the alarm of the fast diminishing numbers of the vaulture in the masai mara.

This was because of the agro-pesticide furadan that’s used as a poison to kill lions and other wild animals that prey on livestock by angry livestock owners (Mostly the Masai community living around the conservancy). When the birds descend on the poisoned carcass, they too die of poison.

Not too long ago, any carcass would have been stripped to the bones in no time by flocks of vultures numbering in their hundreds – now a handful watch for the coast to clear before they descend on it.

Meanwhile on terra firma, a trio of ground hornbills stride the plains, stopping every few minutes to stomp the ground to crush the poor insect or lizard before swallowing it. A bright yellow cluster of flowers break the monotony of green. “This is the Kalonche plant,” explains Jonathon Simorei, the young Maasai naturalist with Fairmont Mara Safari Club.

“The Maasai use it for skin infections and first degree burns and wounds.” We stroll through a leleshwa bush, their fragrance filling the air. The fire-resistant plant is also great as a freshener and the Maasai often stuck it under their armpits as a deodorant.

All too soon, three hours have passed in a flash and with heads clear of clutter and lungs full of fresh air; we’re back for lunch – another gourmet meal as we dine by the river’s edge.

“You must do the night game drive,” suggests our guide who was listening to us recount the morning walk.

It proves to be a good suggestion for under the cover of darkness, we see the barrel-bodied hippos grazing on the grass so far away from the river. Countless eyes of the gazelles, antelopes and hippos sparkle like stars in the light of the torch.

Nocturnal animals like the tiny zorilla come out for the night to forage for insects – if the ‘z’ in the zorilla was replaced with a ‘g’, there would be no comparison size-wise.

A white-tailed mongoose and a banded genet, again strictly night animals are out for the hunt. And then in a clearing full of Thomson’s gazelles at rest, a pair of silver-backed jackals lurks through the herd and zero in on a newborn foal. Its action packed drama for the next few minutes.

The herd scampers away and only the foal remains still as a statue with its mother close by trying to act as a decoy. She butts the smaller jackals but they circle closer to the new born which suddenly springs into action and darts for safety.

The jackals give chase with the mother close at hand but the hunters have the prey by the throat in a split second. For a moment, it seems that the foal will get away as the mother makes another attempt at freeing it but it’s too late.

The jackals have hit the jugular vein and the foal lies still. It’s the circle of life – the predators keep the herbivore numbers in check otherwise the plains would be overgrazed, so we reason to make us feel better about the killing.

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