| April 21, 2006
What's up folks?
I'm writing to let you all know I'm having an opening at Creature Gallery tonight (Friday night, April 21st, 5-11 PM). The show is in honor of Earth Day and is called Habitat & Inhabitant. 50% of every sale will go to Art 4 Bike Paths, (an organization raising funds to build bike paths in Charlottesville.) Want to help your planet for Earth Day? Support earth-friendly transportation, buy a print from Creature Gallery.
Of course there will be free organic and local wines and hors d'oeuvres (I have to look that word up every freakin time I write it.) and general good times for anyone who sets foot inside the gallery.
Ever read those "Where's Waldo?" books? Well my show is kinda like that. They feature landscape photos of habitats. But closer examination will reveal the animal inhabitant. In fact, here's one below. Which brings us to our Creature Feature. get ready...
This week's featured creature is:
the Gemsbok
(Oryx gazella)
 In my opinion the Gemsbok is the sportiest looking antelope in the whole world. Imagine a cross between a race horse and a greyhound with some super-cool stripes painted on. Add some three-foot long daggers to the top of its head and you've got yourself a Gemsbok. They remind me of a body builder wearing tights. I know it doesn't sound very macho, but trust me, these guys are badass.
They are the largest member of the Oryx family (a group of long-horned antelopes in Africa.) I photographed all of these Gemsbok in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa.
Both males and females posess the amazing horns, which begin growing as soon as the calf is born. (see photo below) These come in handy for fending off lions and hyenas. They are so sharp that they have been used by native Africans as spear tips.
I photographed this newborn calf hiding behind its parent one morning before sunrise. (see those horns already growing?)
By the way, this photo is a good segue to my next piece of news. I'm opening another show in two weeks for First Friday in May. (May 5, 6-11PM) It is a Tribute to Mother's Day: wildlife babies and their mothers. You can see this and other ridiculously cute photos and get a little somethin for your ma. Expect to hear even grown men saying "awwww" in baby talk all night.
Thanks so much for reading and have a great week ladies and gents.
-Hal
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