Artwork Stories

Fading Into Silence – An A1 Charcoal Wildlife Artwork Inspired by Africa’s Endangered Wild Dogs

| Tamaryn Slieker

After 25 hours of work, countless layers of charcoal, and many moments of stepping back to reconsider the composition, Fading Into Silence is finally complete.


This A1 charcoal-on-canvas artwork was inspired by one of Africa’s most remarkable and endangered predators: the African wild dog.


Wild dogs are often overlooked when people think of Africa’s iconic wildlife. Lions, leopards and elephants tend to capture most of the attention, yet wild dogs are among the continent’s most successful hunters and one of its most threatened carnivores. With populations continuing to decline due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, disease, and fragmentation of wild spaces, their disappearance is often gradual and easy to miss.


That quiet disappearance became the inspiration behind this piece.


The Meaning Behind the Artwork


At first glance, the artwork appears to be a portrait of a single wild dog standing alert and watchful.


Look a little longer, however, and faint forms begin to emerge from the background.


Three ghost-like wild dogs linger behind the main subject, slowly fading into the surrounding space.

These figures represent the gradual loss of a species that once occupied much larger areas of Africa. They are not intended to be dramatic or confrontational. Instead, they reflect something quieter—the absence left behind when wildlife populations decline.


The title, Fading Into Silence, refers not only to the disappearance of individual animals but also to the gradual loss of presence. Many species do not vanish suddenly. They simply become less common, less visible, and eventually absent from places where they once belonged.


The artwork serves as a reminder to appreciate and protect what still remains before that silence becomes permanent.


Working with Charcoal on Canvas


This piece was created entirely in charcoal on canvas, a medium I have grown to love for its ability to capture both strength and subtlety.


Charcoal allows me to build rich dark values while also creating delicate transitions and atmospheric effects. Throughout the process, the main wild dog was developed through multiple layers, gradually refining the fur texture, facial features, and expression.


One of my favourite aspects of working with charcoal is the balance between adding and removing material. Much of the detail is created through a process of layering charcoal and then lifting highlights back out, allowing light to emerge from the darkness. This technique creates depth and softness that feels particularly suited to wildlife subjects.


The ghost dogs were intentionally kept subtle. Rather than rendering them with the same level of detail as the main subject, they were allowed to dissolve into the surrounding space, creating an impression rather than a fully defined form.


The Process


This artwork took approximately 25 hours to complete.


As with many of my wildlife pieces, the process began by establishing the major shapes and values before gradually refining smaller details.

The ears, eyes and facial structure became the primary focus early on, while the fur was developed through countless individual marks and layers.


Throughout the creation of the piece, I made a conscious effort to preserve the large areas of negative space surrounding the subject. Leaving sections of the canvas untouched allows the viewer’s attention to remain on the wild dog while also reinforcing the feeling of isolation and absence that inspired the artwork.


Sometimes what is left out of an artwork can be just as important as what is included.


Conservation Through Art


Wildlife art has always been more than simply creating realistic animal portraits for me.


Every species has a story, and I believe art can play an important role in helping people connect with wildlife on a deeper level. By creating artwork inspired by Africa’s incredible animals, I hope to encourage appreciation, curiosity, and ultimately conservation.


The African wild dog is a species that deserves far more attention than it receives. Intelligent, social, and incredibly efficient hunters, they are a vital part of the ecosystems they inhabit. Their future depends on continued conservation efforts and the protection of the landscapes they call home.


If this artwork encourages even one person to learn more about wild dogs and the challenges they face, then it has achieved something beyond the canvas itself.


Artwork Details


Title: Fading Into Silence
Medium: Charcoal on Canvas
Size: A1
Time Spent: 25 Hours


Thank you for following the journey of this artwork from the first charcoal marks through to the finished piece. Sharing the process has been every bit as rewarding as creating the artwork itself, and I look forward to sharing the next wildlife piece with you soon.

Echoes of the Plains

| Tamaryn Slieker


There is a certain stillness that exists on the African plains just before movement—before the chase, before the wind shifts, before life reveals itself in motion. It is within that quiet that this piece was born.


Echoes of the Plains is a charcoal portrait capturing an intimate, almost suspended moment with one of Africa’s most iconic yet increasingly vulnerable predators: the cheetah. Known as the fastest land animal on Earth, the cheetah is often defined by speed, power, and precision. But here, I wanted to pause that narrative—to strip away the motion and sit instead with presence.


This artwork was inspired by a reference photograph captured by Mario Paul of Wild Photo Africa, whose work in the field continues to bring viewers closer to the raw, unfiltered beauty of African wildlife.


In this portrait, the cheetah is still. Watchful. Grounded.


There is a quiet intelligence in its gaze, something deeply aware and connected to its surroundings. It is a reminder that these animals are not just fleeting streaks across the savannah—they are sentient, perceptive beings, woven into the rhythm of the land itself.


A Fragile Existence


While the cheetah remains a symbol of wild freedom, its reality tells a more sobering story.


Once roaming widely across vast, open landscapes, cheetah populations have dramatically declined. Today, they face a convergence of challenges: habitat loss as wild land is transformed, increasing human–wildlife conflict, diminishing prey availability, and the fragmentation of ecosystems that once allowed them to move freely.


Unlike many other large predators, cheetahs rely heavily on space. They need room—not just to hunt, but to survive without constant competition and threat. As these spaces shrink, so too does their ability to endure.


This piece is, in part, a reflection of that tension—the contrast between the calm strength we see, and the vulnerability that lies beneath it.


The Process Behind the Piece


Created using charcoal on stretched canvas, this artwork took approximately 15 hours to complete. Charcoal, as a medium, felt instinctively right for this subject.


There is something raw and honest about charcoal—the way it moves, the way it resists perfection. It allows for softness and intensity to coexist, for shadows to carry weight and light to emerge with quiet strength. On canvas, it brings an added dimension: the subtle texture beneath the strokes becomes part of the story itself.


Each mark was intentional, building depth layer by layer. The focus was not only on anatomical accuracy, but on capturing expression—the quiet tension held within the eyes, the softness of the fur, and the underlying stillness that gives the portrait its sense of presence.


In the close-up images, the raw texture of the canvas becomes more visible—each grain catching the charcoal differently, adding an organic, almost tactile dimension to the piece.


More Than Speed


Cheetahs are so often reduced to a single idea: speed.


But speed is only one chapter of their story.
They are mothers raising cubs in unforgiving conditions. They are hunters navigating landscapes that are constantly changing. They are survivors, adapting in ways that often go unseen.


This artwork is an invitation to look beyond the obvious—to sit with the quieter aspects of their existence. To recognize the individuality, the presence, and the quiet resilience that defines them.


A Reflection


Echoes of the Plains speaks to both beauty and fragility.


It is about what still exists, and what is at risk of being lost.


The title itself carries that duality—the idea of something vast and alive, yet also something that could one day fade into memory if not protected.

The cheetah’s presence on the plains is not guaranteed. It is something that depends on awareness, conservation, and a continued respect for the natural world.


Final Thoughts


As an artist and someone deeply connected to wildlife, this piece holds a personal weight.


It is not just about creating something visually compelling—it is about storytelling, connection, and preserving a moment that asks the viewer to pause. To feel. To reflect.


Because sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is simply to notice.


And in noticing, to care.


May these echoes never fall silent.


Artwork Details
A2 Size
Charcoal on stretched canvas
Approx. 15 hours of work

Guarded Existence – SOLD!

| Tamaryn Slieker

I’m incredibly proud to share that my artwork Guarded Existence has officially been sold.

What makes this moment even more meaningful is that the piece has been purchased by Emsie Verwey, a dedicated conservationist and managing researcher of a brown hyena project in Namibia. With over a decade spent studying and protecting one of Africa’s most rare and misunderstood carnivores, her work contributes to vital research, conservation strategies, and global awareness of the species.

This opportunity came through the Fine Art Gallery in Swakopmund, where the artwork was originally entered as part of a competition, with proceeds supporting brown hyena conservation. Although the piece was not selected as a finalist, it is incredibly rewarding to see it still reach the right person and serve a greater purpose.

Knowing that this artwork will be appreciated by someone so deeply connected to the species, and that it contributes to conservation efforts, makes this a truly special moment in my journey as an artist.

A heartfelt thank you to Andrew for allowing me to use his photograph as a reference — it makes this milestone even more meaningful.

Graphite pencils, charcoal, fine line markers on paper.