Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/769056
160 • S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S life. As the light filters through the mist and hornbills cross over from Zimbabwe to Zambia, I am captivated by a sight that seems more like a living creature than a landscape. "With the modern influx of human activity, most megafauna no longer frequent its shores, but you get the real sense they most definitely once did. I could just see the lion staring into the falls the same way I found myself doing so." S o what is it about this creature that has captured the heart of an artist so dedicated to his craft? What is it about this beast that inspires him so thoroughly that he feels a kinship with it that surpasses every other creature he's studied? For Banovich, it is many of the same reasons the lion has fascinated humans throughout history. He believes the lion represents the best of human qualities—as well as the worst. "The lion's story reflects the human story," Banovich says. "It is no wonder they have appeared in images of most civilizations throughout time. No other beast has the dimension of a lion, representing so much goodness and so much darkness. It is often like looking into a mirror. Our capability for savage violence as well as our desire for tenderness are found within the lion pride. They represent our deepest fears as well as the courage we all strive for. They are beautiful and strong, but also scarred and fragile. They are all individuals, but work best as a team. And we as humans have never been able to contain our fascination with them. If it was up to me, we never would." A quick study of Banovich's many lion paintings reveals an artist who has mastered the highly difficult brushstrokes needed to capture the details that make a lion seemingly come to life on the canvas. What may be more impressive, however, is how they reveal an artist who truly understands the lion. They not only come to life on his canvas, but the viewer can begin to understand the complexity of the lion and how these big cats, as Banovich believes, are like a mirror into what we are capable of as people. J ohn Banovich is no stranger to the discerning wildlife art collector. His paintings have adorned the covers of multiple national magazines, the walls of prestigious museums, and the homes of some of the world's most discriminating connoisseurs. However, Banovich is not a man driven by the possible fruits of success—greatness demands something much more personal than the praise of others or financial reward. It demands a passion for something beyond self, the courage to fail, the humility to learn, and the perseverance to see things through, especially when it is hard and, eventually, the understanding that while perfection may be unachievable, the desire to reach for it should not be subdued. John Banovich is driven by a passion to recreate more than remarkable images of creatures he loves, but to capture their spirit and hope to inspire others the way these creatures have inspired him. To do this, he has focused on a subject matter that speaks to his soul—the earth's largest mammals—deer, elk, bison, tigers, leopards, lions, cape buffalo, and elephants to name just a few. And though he has painted big game animals from all over the world at a level higher than most artists ever achieve, no better place exemplifies Banovich's personality better than Africa, and no animal in Africa epitomizes the heart of this artist more than the lion. "The lion is part of me," Banovich says. "If I have a totem animal, it is the lion." He pushes this passion for lions even further by stating that if he had only one day left to paint, he would paint a lion. "Lion's have always appeared in my work. I never tire of painting them." In Banovich's most recent study—a seven painting series on Victoria Falls—his totem animal makes a significant appearance near the roaring waters. "Victoria Falls mesmerized me with its living, breathing beauty. It's as if this body of water lifts up the world around itself and then breathes life into it. It absolutely pulsates with Maneaters of Tsavo depicts the two maneless male lions that killed a reported 130 workers on the Kenya-Uganda Railway in 1898. Right: Somewhere Between Cubs & Killers. Opposite: Trophy Hunter.