The Creche

The Aberdare National Park in Kenya, which ranges from 9 to 15,000 feet in elevation, is an enchanted island of montane forest on the edge of the Rift Valley. The elephants that inhabit this Eden are accustomed to their privacy since there is so much cover to protect them from the few people that visit the park. "My inspiration for 'The Creche,'" says artist Guy Combes, "came from a recent visit. As I approached the herd, these three females immediately huddled around their young to protect them. The Aberdare National Park is a very special place for my own family, too. It is where we regularly gather to pay our respects to my grandparents, my uncle and my father, so the family theme seemed particularly appropriate to me."