The Major Arcana of the Cape Hunting Dog

I think they are more truthfully known as the African Wild Dog, but having visited South Africa at 17, I came to know these as Cape Hunting Dogs. They are some of the most beautiful creatures you may ever see, a burst of colour and contrast. (I have a soft toy Wild Dog in my lounge room - and I’m 69).

This artwork all began with one drawing of a Wild Dog. I had a “drawing block” for ages, and this one image set me free, and is the basis for the central dog in this artwork. But the social nature of the Hunting Dogs required a network of images and connections. The images, icons and refereneces used in the Major Arcana cards of the Tarot have fascinated me for a long time, and this seemed an unlikely combination: thus it appealed strongly to me.

Each card is based on a background image by my favourite artist, Jeffrey Smart. They are wildly translated from suburban wastelands to the southern African bush, but I did need sense of formality guiding the design. I collected photographs of Hunting Dogs to use as the subjects for each card.

The patterns and decoration suggest the formality of card design, plus reflect the designs of the San, Matabele and Tswana peoples of Southern Africa.