Scottsdale artist chronicles African adventure

Africa is perhaps the most fascinating continent on Earth.

With a rich and colorful history dating back to the beginning of civilization, the land, the people and the many beautiful wild animals of Africa have long been the object of much curiosity and fascination. 

Scottsdale wildlife artist Fred Krakowiak has taken it upon himself to capture the spontaneity and movement of the wonderful animals that inhabit the untamed wilds of the vast continent in a new book entitled “Africa: An Artist’s Safari,” written and self‑published by Krakowiak and his newly founded Maverick Brush Strokes, LLC.

The volume is a first‑person account of his three week trip, beautifully illustrated, providing a perfect compliment to the story of his travels.

Krakowiak said he became intrigued by African animals after attending a safari convention in Las Vegas with a friend, who is a hunter.

“The conventions are for professional hunters, guides, photographers. Anyone who requires a guide go to the conventions,” Fred says. “I would sit around and listen to the stories guys told of going to Africa and what they saw. It made me want to go too.”

That first convention was more than a decade ago, Krakowiak says. During that time he continued to paint and dream of a trip into the wilds of the Dark Continent.

Along with a desire to visit Africa was a desire to write and illustrate a book about his adventure. Both dreams have come true, and in a big way.

He finally made the trek into the wilds of Africa, along with his wife Diane and his 80‑year‑old aunt.

“I went to experience everything I could,” he says. “It wasn’t just about art. I wanted to see what those guys at the conventions were talking about. I feel very fortunate to have gone. We’re planning on going again.

“When I went, the book was an ambition, I never realized all the work that goes into writing a book.

“If you’re going to do a book and do it right, it’ll take you all over the world,” he says of his first writing experience. “I talked with people everywhere about different aspects of the book. The decision to publish it myself was very difficult. I thought, ‘Do I want to have control over what I have in my book?’ If someone else publishes your work they have editing power. I couldn’t see myself being handcuffed.”