Elephant Paints a Self Portrait
Friday, April 4th, 2008 by Debra OaklandIf you do not have the courage to draw and paint, but really want to try, watch this video. Try everything you dream to do. If an elephant can draw, so can you. Listen to these quotes from National Geographic and Novica.
The elephants at the art academies in Southeast Asia are taught to hold a paintbrush with the tip of their trunks. Initially, the mahout guides the elephant’s trunk over the canvas and offers rewards for good performance.
“It only takes a few hours to a day to teach them,” said Mia Fineman, an art historian whose book When Elephants Paint is an illustrated history of the Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project.
“But the elephant has to want to learn,” she added. “Elephants in captivity are definitely bored, but it’s a matter of disposition, an innate proclivity. Some will do it and some won’t.”
Stars of the Elephant Art Scene
Not all elephants can paint, and of those that do, some are better than others.
“Ramona in Bali is really a star among elephant artists,” said Roberto Milk, co-founder and CEO of Novica.com. “She’s been painting for a long time, and her work has sold well in earlier auctions so she’s really elevated her market level.”
There’s definitely a learning curve.
“The elephants learn quickly and clearly get better over time,” said Catherine Ryan, vice president of communications for Novica. “‘Better,’ of course is an aesthetic judgment, but you can see the paintings get more complex when you compare an elephant’s early work to later pieces.”
Tags: Catherine Ryan, Conservation Project, Courage, dream, elephant, Elephant Art Scene, Mia Fineman, National Geographic, Novica, painting, Roberto Milk, video, youtube
