Africa in Progress: August 16, 2007

I began the giraffes but it became increasingly more difficult as the light diminished from the thick smoke in the valley. The smoke is from forest fires in Idaho. Visibility is about 1/4 of a mile. I feel like I'm on an island and the rest of the world has vanished. I thought about taking the painting outside for better light but the ash in the air would stick to the wet paint.