Jane Goodall’s mission was to observe and document. She is a teacher and conservationist. She is an anthropologist who made an impact on humanity by studying primates, and telling us what she found out about all of us.

This painting is of her, not observing or communicating with the chimp, but observing with him.

The story in this painting has three protagonists in conversation: Jane, the chimp, and the rainforest. Jane is most prominent and striking in her brightness. The chimp is subdued, comfortable in its companionship with Jane. The rainforest is primarily represented by the tree and leaf that form the third “presence” in the foreground of the composition. The foliage and clouds of mist in the background provide the rainforest setting they observe.

I always keep my color palettes limited, and find multiple uses for individual colors where I can. Making these color choices allows me to create visual connections between different elements in the composition. Notably in this portrait, Jane’s shirt reflects the greens of the trees, and her jacket repeats the grays of the chimp’s face, signifying that they are a part of her.