orn in Butte, Montana, and now living in the state of Washington, John Banovich has painted the drama of wildlfie since he was ten years old. Lions were the first thing to capture his youthful imagination when he visited an attraction called "Lion Country Safari. "Historically, lions have been used to symbolize the human traits that we admire such as cunning, intelligence, agility and nobility", he observes. His admiration for the species deepened in the ensuing years and he went on to study art and zoology at the University of Montana followed by graphic design at the Art Institute of Seattle.

frica has continued to call to him as has the magic of the lion, drawing him back to that continent many times. "The diversity in Africa is incredible", he says, "Everyday we are surrounded by cars and by concrete and carpeting. We are never really in touch with the planet. When you live life like that, so far removed, you loose the senses you were born with; what it is to be a living creature in touch with planet earth. Seeing Africa brings you back to the basic design of a human being - spiritually, emotionally - however you describe it, you become more alive.

assionate about Africa's wildlife, Banovich is equally passionate about his own work. His studio has skylights in its 12' ceilings and is surrounded by woods. It is a place where he can get in touch with himself, where can become completely absorbed in his work, loosing all sense of time and all association with the commotion of the rest of the world, getting into that perfect rhythmn, what he calls "the dance" - that creative uninterupted flow that artists often get caught up in. When that happens, he says, "You don't have to look at your palette; you just know where the paint is. It's like the rhythmn of figure skaters or like ballet. It's phenomenal.

anovich compares painting to another creative endeavor he would like top explore because of their many similarities - film-making. Both set a stage, introduce characters and tell a story. "A painting tells an emotional story - art begins where photography ends. A film reads as a good observation' it's another medium used to convey emotion.

ike an expert film-maker, Banovich knows exactly what to include in his paintings, and what to eliminate. He makes incredible use of space to effectively frame his subjects. Completely familiar with them, he knows their environment and their behavior. He knows when to pull back to create mood and atmosphere and when to zoom in tight to establish presence. With acrylics and oils, Banovich creates memorable scenes from the drama that play themselves out daily in the natural world, just as they have for millions of years. Like stills from classic movies, his paintings freeze the action and, like all great works of art, they linger in the imagination.