Never Forget

"Never Forget"

Elephant in Watercolour

No preliminary sketch.

I love wildlife. I always have and my heart is often  broken by news of unnecessary cruelty. This morning I watched a recording of an amazing programme called " Animals in Love". During the programme there was an incredible story about a herd of elephants who never forgot the man who had helped them. On the day that he passed away the herd  walked to his home and stood in silence outside for two days. From then on they made an annual pilgrimage to his home on the exact day of his death to stand silently. Could this be a coincidence? Or do elephants possess the ability to store memories and carry emotions. I believe they do.

Cruel acts by poachers for the ivory trade are effecting these gentle giants. How can their evil trade be stopped?

To close my studio painting session today I decided to paint an elephant. And the minute it started coming to life my heart ached. I don't feel this painting belongs to me. So I will look into having cards printed to raise funds for a wildlife charity that can help elephants. And donate the painting.

Sometimes as an artist, the action of creating is much more than for the pleasure  of painting alone or personal gain. Sometimes we can achieve far more by giving a finished piece away or by donating it to charity.

This is such a piece.

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