Well hello friends Happy belated New Year! I can't believe we are already in the third month of 2018! As I write, it is the one year anniversary of our big move to our new home after 13 plus years living and working in the same place. It has been quite a year, but my son and I have settled in well. Time flies. I had good intentions of getting a blog post out earlier, but 2018 began with a flurry of friends and activities, which are still ongoing. It has been fun, but I have been so busy that I have had little time to make art, let alone write. My New Year got off to a great start because I finally took part in Bring the Elephant Home's BIKE FOR ELEPHANTS event! I have had the desire to do this for years, but it never worked out. Finally, I had the opportunity to make it to this event. What perfect timing as Antoinette Van de Water, the founder is branching out with her research and efforts - not long after the bike ride, she relocated to South Africa to include African Elephant conservation under the BTEH umbrella. Antoinette and I first met in 2004 at ENP, before she even started her Foundation. In the beginning the focus of BTEH was tree planting and reforestation to create natural habitat for captive elephants. BTEH also rescued old and handicapped elephants from working situations and gave them retirement in a safe haven. As time passed, Antoinette began devoting more time to conservation of wild elephant habitat, planting thousands of trees a year and building check dams in National Parks throughout Thailand. Soon it became apparent that BTEH should focus exclusively on conservation of wild elephants, their habitat and on reducing human-elephant conflict in areas where it was an ongoing problem. Antoinette is a very inspiring woman. She sets goals and achieves them. Her dedication and determination are admirable. She has accomplished much in a country not her own and has done so in a way that is respectful of customs and culture, always focusing on empowering the local communities. She is a strong female role model and a humble hero of elephants. I am proud to support her and be her friend. So back to January.... Despite the fact that funds are always limited, I had the opportunity to hang out with Antoinette and other good friends while supporting a great cause - WITH the possibility to observe wild elephants AND enjoy a long bike ride... It didn't take me long to decide that I had to do it. I have always loved to ride bikes. Whenever I do, I immediately feel like a teenager once again and that I am flying, with barely any effort. I also feel that I am really at one with my surroundings. I love that there is no motor, no car body confining me, no air con ... only me, the bike and the view. I am not competitive. I just want to enjoy the ride. I am always paying attention to my surroundings, not focused on the road ahead (well, enough to stay safe) - and since we were in elephant territory, I was looking for signs of elephants - trees worn by their scratching, boluses of dung on the road side - anything to reassure me that they were out there, but well hidden. I didn't give much thought to the fact that I am a bit out of shape and haven't ridden more than 12 miles at a time in about 25 years. This wasn't a race, it was a chance to be part of something special and a great excuse to RIDE! The amount of biking each day was about 35 to 40 miles, with some hills. We stopped for a break every 10 miles or so. There were only about 27 of us riding but we also had road crew and support teams who took very good care of us. The first day was the most enjoyable to me. There was a lot of rural dirt road riding in the HEC (human elephant conflict) zone. We stopped for a break at a farmer's home in a very remote area. He was the latest farmer to try out the bee hive fences to protect his garden. When you see where these farmers live you realise just how vulnerable their homes and gardens are. They are truly at the mercy of the elephants. Most of them have no interest in causing their wild neighbours any harm - but - they also have no wish to lose their crops which they depend on for food and income - or - even worse, their lives. Thankfully, bee hive fences seem to be the answer. Though there are still some difficulties to overcome, for the most part they do work. They also provide the farmer with an extra income by harvesting some of the honey to sell. Once we had our fill of fruit and fresh water, off we pedaled again. The farmer rode along with us for a few kilometers just for the fun of it. He and the others seemed really appreciative that we were there riding in support of and sympathetic to their ongoing challenges. Day one ended at a successful bee hive fence project near a resevoir where the elephants like to frequent each evening. It was common for herds of up to !100! elephants to pass right next to the bee hive fence on the way to have their evening bath and drink. Witnessing such a large herd of elephants had been the highlight of past Bike for Elephant events and we too had high hopes of seeing this herd on the move. The closer we got to the flagship bee hive fence project, I began to see the telltale signs of elephants. The first being a destroyed spirit house - and then - finally - what I had been waiting for... WILD ELEPHANT DUNG!!!!! I was so excited I decided I needed to collect some as a souvenier. Wild ele poo is like golden treasure to me. Being that this was a high HEC zone, the area is patrolled by rangers who track the elephants and alert the locals of their wherabouts so that everyone can be safe. There is a precarious balance between nature and agriculture in this region. There are mainly plantations of palm oil and rubber trees. People also plant some fruit trees. There is a protected forest for the wild elephant population, but unfortunately they prefer the habitat outside the protected area. They do not damage the palm oil or rubber trees, but their presence can be dangerous when workers come to tap the rubber trees, which is usually done at night. People have been killed when they happened to be in the right place at the wrong time and caught elephants by surprise. It is difficult enough to allocate protected land for wildlife and then another thing altogether to expect the animals to understand that they must not cross the boundaries. When we arrived at our destination, the rangers informed us that there were no elephants in the area today. This news was good for the farmers, but not good for us as far as observing them. We took the news in stride as with wild animals there is never a guarantee that they will be in a certain place at a certain time - which is exactly the way it should be. The next day of riding took us on a scenic route which mostly followed the shoreline of the gulf of Thailand. There were some big hills in the beginning which I needed to walk up and some very hot stretches, but the ride went fast and ended early at a beach front bar and restaurant. The celebration continued into the evening after which we all slept well. I must say that I was really proud of myself for being able to complete the ride. Though I didn't doubt I could do so, I hadn't trained at all. There were some of us who still had elephants on our minds though! Not sure when we would make our way back down to that region, a few of us arranged to go back to the bee hive fence project in hopes of catching a glimpse of the wild eles. It was a 2 hour ride back to the site and no guarantee we would see elephants but we were determined to try! We set out early the next day, hoping google maps would help us to locate the remote area not big enough to rate on most maps. The route was very scenic and we made a few stops at points of interest along the way. As we got closer to our destination, it became unclear which direction we should take. The roads weren't marked and often seemed more like jungle trails. We ended up on an incredibly exciting yet stressful road which resembled an off road roller coaster with very steep inclines both up and down. We dreaded travelling the same road to return if we left after dark. Here we were, a group of Westerners on an adventure to see wild elephants and we had the audacity to think that we could keep to a preferred schedule!! Our driver, 'Fearless Phil' was not keen on driving back on unfamiliar roads after dark so we planned to leave the site by 3:30. As you can imagine, that is not how it worked out at all... but as you can see, I am here to tell the tale so all's well that ends well. After the roller coaster ride, things started to look more familiar. Soon we happened upon a group of rangers parked on the side of the road. We stopped to ask if they had spotted any elephants and they informed us that there was a group of 40 resting in a plantation just beyond a grove of trees not far away. Our excitement was overwhelming. We would see the elephants! For the moment, all we could do was wait; So that is exactly what we did. Elephants take their time ... and the day was still hot. They were enjoying the privacy of a shady plantation, dozing off while the babies alternately played and napped. A half hour was soon an hour and a half. A few locals showed up to watch the elephants pass as well. In the meantime, it was time for kids to be coming home from school. Knowing the elephants were in the area, the rangers had all traffic stopped until the elephants crossed both roads on their way to the water. We waited expectantly, certain we would get our elephant filled happy ending, but Mother Nature cut it short. Despite the fact that it was the 'cold' season and rarely did it rain, we watched with concern as the sky grew dark and ominous. All we could hope for is that the elephants would start moving before the rain began to fall. Finally, just in the nick of time, the first elephants emerged crossing the first road ... two young tuskers! Following them was a steady stream of mothers, infants, aunties, juveniles, another bull - all very healthy looking. Tears streamed as I watched the herd, framed by concrete electric poles. We all had mixed emotions ... We were happy to see how healthy they were and how many babies they had, but also concerned as their presence in this area was dangerous for both them and the humans they shared it with. And then, bringing up the rear - a magnificent bull in full musth, temporin streaming! His pheremone filled scent was pungent and drifted towards us on the wind, which was getting more intense. The storm was approaching quickly. I inhaled deeply with a huge smile on my face. One of my favourite scents in the whole world is the aroma of a bull in full musth and here I was, privileged to be smelling not a captive bull, but a WILD one. No chains restrained him, he was in his full glory amongst his herd. The only restraint was the dwindling habitat. Following the big bull came the rain. The elephants would stay put until the storm passed. We stayed out as long as was possible, but soon there was no other choice but to go back to the car. By now it was also getting dark, but we couldn't leave. There were vehicles backed up in three different directions waiting for the herd to pass. The rain continued as night fell. We weren't sure we would be able to make our way out alone. With a rented car, we surely didn't want to run into any elephants! We were able to arrange for a ranger to lead us out to a main road for a small fee - and so very thankful for his guidance. Two hours later we pulled in to the Villa Bali Eco Resort and found Antoinette and crew in the dining area. We excitedly told our tales, proudly showed our photos and then danced the night away. Our mission was complete. The next day, the participants started to disperse, going their separate ways. For three of us the next destination was Elsie Evans Art Retreat in Rayong. My dear friends Phil and Moira treated me to this stay, which would not have been in my budget otherwise. Elsie Evans is an accomplished artist and teacher. With the help of her sons, she has made an oasis of creativity and relaxation. She hosts visiting artists and workshops as well as running a B and B. Even if you are not taking part in her classes or workshops, for a modest fee she offers day access to her studio and all of the mediums she has available. Though I have my full studio set up at home, Phil and Moira insisted I got creative while there, so I did. As of late I have been doing more intuitive painting than figurative so I just started making marks with no real plan. I couldn't really let go, as we had a time limit and the paint had to be dry by the time the canvas needed to be rolled up. By the time I had to stop, the painting was a hot mess. There would have been a time when I would have been filled with disappointment and despair over this, but I have learned so much over the last few years and am now able embrace the ugly stage, confident I can work past it. Being at Elsie Evans' place was very inspiring for me in many ways and I am truly thankful to Phil and Moira for taking me there! On the evening of our arrival we went for dinner at the most strange, quirky, tacky and unique place I have been to in almost forever. I can't remember the name but it was a giant theme restaurant which was part of a resort. The restaurant was pretty much a cross between Jurassic Park (minus the dinosaurs) and Indiana Jones. It was rambling and humongous, with ropes and vines everywhere and the most over the top bathrooms (complete with stalagmites!) I have ever been in. The ridiculous extreme of it brought out the child in me and I couldn't resist doing a goofball glamour photo shoot. Laughter is good medicine and I definitely laughed alot while acting a fool! The day after arriving back home, I had a bit of time to myself so I unrolled the painting to have a look with fresh eyes. I saw some potential and set to work. I quickly fell into the FLOW state and trusted my intuition. All of the marks were starting to make sense. Before I knew it, the afternoon was gone. As I stood back and looked at the piece from all angles, I was thrilled to see that it represented the fragile ecosystem in which the elephants had to live within. Art is magic... it is always a thrill to see how even unconsciously your experiences can influence your creations. Originally my intention was to give the painting to Phil and Moira as a thank you gift for my stay.Instead they suggested that I auction the painting and give the funds to BTEH to help support the ongoing efforts of all who work so hard to maintain safety and harmony between the elephants and humans in the conflict zone. I agreed that this was a wonderful idea and put the painting up for auction for a week, but sadly received no bids. At this time, the painting is still available with 100 percent of the proceeds going to BTEH, so if anyone reading is interested, please contact me and let me know! The bidding will start at 8000 baht. I would like to thank everyone who joined me and helped to finance my bike ride. It was a pleasure to share such a great experience with you - Antoinette, Phil, Moira, Jenny, Chandra, Jackie, Zabe and all the other participants. A special thanks go to Hazel and Martyn who won a painting that I auctioned to help cover the expenses. It wouldn't have been the same without any of you!
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We are fast approaching the end of 2017. The cold season is now upon us. Long ago, it seems like another lifetime - I lived in Michigan - a place of long hard winters. I never really got used to the bitter cold and never enjoyed cold weather outdoor activities like many Michiganders do. When I was a child, my parents weren't really 'outdoorsy' types. We never went hiking or camping. So now, as an 'adult' I am making up for that. I think I was born to live in the tropics, where one can pretty much live outdoors all year long. Since 2003 I have lived in various forms of bamboo hut/houses. None have ever had solid walls or glass windows. In my current residence, which is the most permanent style home I have had - there is nothing between me and the stars each night except a mosquito net (and sometimes some clouds). Think 'Tarzan' or 'Swiss Family Robinson' ... only slightly fancier. Each year the cold season begins as a novelty - one is excited to wear long unused scarves and polarfleece jackets, snuggle under big comforters - all of which are very unnecessary for most of the year. The cold season is relatively short and there are only a few bouts of true bitter cold. Because of this, these moments are memorable. While trying to drink your tea before it gets cold - all bundled up on a 50f or 10c morning, you can't help but recall events of past cold seasons.... I feel I am cheating a little bit as I wrote and posted this story on facebook after I finished this painting back in May. But - since it is now cold and the memory surfaces yet again AND this is one of my favorite paintings of 2017 - I think I can break my own rules. Crisp mornings always bring old elephants to mind. Elder elephants lacking a sufficient layer of fat to help insulate and thermoregulate often succumb to the cold. Some elephants will tolerate wearing a blanket - some even liking it. Some can't stand it and will rip it off. Though most elephants are wary of fires - when done correctly - a well placed and tended fire can save an elephant's life. JANUARY 2012 - It was a week of brutal night winds.. Ashii had went down the night before and within 12 hours had given up and let go. The following morning, while Mae Lanna mourned her lost love at his fresh grave site, vocalizing intermittently, there were other vocalizations going on. Sounds of distress. At first it seemed they were in response to Mae Lanna - but - upon closer observation (and I DO observe closely) it became obvious that something else was going on. Something was very wrong with Mae Perm. Jokia was beside herself with worry. Mae Perm could barely keep her balance, her eyes round with fear and confusion. She shivered uncontrollably, stumbling around. Though the sun was out, the winds still whipped bitterly. Mae Perm was dangerously cold. The mahouts failed to see the gravity of the situation. I urged them to quickly build a fire and go get bananas, unsure if Mae Perm and Jokia would even stay close enough to the fire to help; both girls being quite wary of fires. Jokia was so distressed and protective of Mae Perm that it was almost dangerous to approach them. Finally a fire was blazing and the bananas arrived. The pair were convinced to stand near the fire, Mae Perm on the warmest side by being fed the bananas.. Within 10 minutes Mae Perm began to return to normal, though still her skinny thighs trembled. At that moment I made a promise to her (and to Jokia) that I would make sure she stayed warm until the windy cold season passed. Starting that evening I built a fire around 9pm and woke up every 2 hours to make sure it kept going all night. This went on for the next 6 nights. This was easy for me at that time as the girls slept right behind my house. I could peek out of my split bamboo walls and see my elefriends as well as hear every move they made. At first Mae Perm was wary of the fire, but as she was such an intuitive being and she knew she could trust me... she began to trust the fire I built as well and soon understood that it was helping her. Sometimes when I went out to tend the fire she and Jokia were awake. Sometimes Jokia was sleeping and Mae Perm was quite interested in what I was doing. During the wee hours, both girls would be fast asleep as I tiptoed around them carefully, marvelling at their peaceful slumber and light snores. On one night, I knew for sure that Mae Perm understood when I came out and she was laying about 10 feet away from the glowing bed of coals, which were placed in relation to the best direction of the wind so that the heat blew right at her and warmed her back. Finally the cold season broke and the fire was no longer necessary. Mae Perm made it through safely. I felt it a great honour to perform this labour of love..... This is one of my most precious memories, this week of fire tending for a good friend - to keep her safe and warm. Mae Perm died in 2016 while I was away in USA, leaving Jokia on her own. With her passing a little piece of my heart died as well. She was a true friend. Thankfully after a period of mourning, Jokia joined Sri Prae, Mae Bua Kham, Mae Kham Paan and ... Navann ... - who just so happens to be the son of Hope - who Mae Perm and Jokia looked after when he was young. PRINTS ARE AVAILABLE OF THIS IMAGE. I got off to a very ambitious start with this blogging, but now it has been a while since I posted. September was a busy month for me. I ran out of TIME - and I want to talk about that. I have been blessed with the gift of creativity. But - there have been many periods in my life when my creative ability took a back seat so that I could pay the bills or devote myself to caring for and being the voice of animals. Though I tattooed full time for 13 years and created many custom designs during that time, my schedule and other interests left no TIME to just create for ME. Though I ignored my gift for months on end... my creativity was always there waiting for me whenever I needed it, guaranteed to boost my self esteem better than any relationship ever could. I took it for granted for many many years and wasted much TIME when I should have been nurturing this precious gift. So often our career defines our identity. It is easy to hide behind this persona and neglect ourselves. Responsibilities and obligations keep us busy at our jobs ... We tend to lose sight of who WE truly are. Many of you who have met me over the last 14 years knew me as the voice of elephants, someone who was devoted to elephants every moment of every day. That became my identity and I basked in it. I LOVE ELEPHANTS. I loved working for them. And... doing so was the perfect escape - from ME. Sure, I was still a creative.. writing, taking photos, sometimes tattooing and painting - always ELEPHANTS... I gave their personalities and stories a voice. It felt effortless. As an empath and intuitive I could feel their feelings easily, which was both a good and bad thing. Coming to terms with yourself, your TRUE self - not your occupational identity - can be rather overwhelming and even a bit terrifying. Re-establishing yourself as just YOU after years of being defined by your occupation is a very daunting task. As I entered my 50's, which in itself is a bit traumatic ... I had to experience this very thing. It was TIME to move on. I had to start over. I will spare you the gory details but is was quite intense. I hit some new lows. I considered giving up completely but couldn't do that to my son. It was impossible to just pick up and leave with a kid, rooster, hen, two senior citizen dogs and a cat. So I had to stay in a place where I no longer felt comfortable until I could manifest a new life. It was incredibly depressing. What was my coping mechanism? ART! My creativity was there, once again waiting in the wings ready to pick me back up. Painting, drawing, collaging, journalling... I immersed myself and thank goodness I did. Creating gave me the sense of self worth and satisfaction that I needed to get through that rough time. Now that I am relatively settled in my new life and consider myself a full time artist, there are still days when i feel lost and aimless. Sometimes I am not sure what I should be doing. Ironically, I can get overwhelmed by NOT having a schedule - yet elated at the same time. But when I complete a piece of art, I feel a sense of accomplishment. So back to September... why was it so hectic? As I am now choosing to devote the majority of my TIME to creating, I am constantly looking for free art courses on line and also taking some workshops that fit within my budget. There is a great creative community online I am so thankful for, which really helped me get through those rough patches. I had been hearing about this '30 paintings in 30 days' challenge that many artists around the world were participating in and how helpful it was for one's practice. I decided to take part in the recent challenge that began September 1st. Ironically, the end of August was very productive for me. Thanks to an amazing and inspiring artist named Mystele and her recent offering, I was doing a painting a day without even thinking about it. So... Sure! Why not try doing one painting a day for the month of September - No problem, right? What I learned from taking part in '30in30' As I mentioned earlier. I no longer have a 'job'. Of course I still have obligations and go off and do things from time to time. BUT ... I have NO IDEA how people who actually DO have a regular job could ever complete this challenge! As it was, I found it difficult to keep up and I am sure I had way more time than most of the other artists. There is a completely different feeling when you know you need to complete a painting in one day, than when you are just painting and it doesn't matter when you finish - it added an element of stress and made some of the paintings feel forced or rushed. Though I did create some things I am really happy with, the TIME limit was distressing. I couldn't enjoy the process as much. This challenge made me realise that I have a pretty strong creative practice already and a relatively steady output - without having to make that end of day deadline. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I have learned the importance of taking breaks and stepping back to be able to see a work in progress with renewed eyes so that it can evolve organically. 30in30 doesn't allow for that luxury. Though I am glad I participated in this challenge, I won't bother to do so again. Which also brings me back to the issue of TIME. We spend most of our lives on the go - working that job, losing ourselves, trying to make ends meet, saving for our futures, our kids ... we are so incredibly busy thinking of tomorrow, we rarely enjoy TODAY. Though I don't have a regular job or steady income (but am a single parent with a son to provide for and monthly living expenses) ... I am happy to say that my time is my OWN now. I have the time to enjoy my son, my animals, the clouds, the birds singing, to feel that I am the last person on earth, to surround myself with nature, to do my art, make healthy delicious food, go on bike rides. I don't regret my choices or where I am at now. Sure it can be difficult, but I am pretty darn FREE. My feelings were reinforced when I recently visited a former co-worker. We had worked for the same organization for 9 years. I always liked her, but we never really had the TIME for a true friendship to develop. Her hours were long and she is a mother as well. Days off were devoted to family. She had always invited me to come to visit her place, but my dedication to the elephants and my own parental obligations kept me from ever getting there as TIME was limited - until recently. In August 2016, she finally decided to stop working and spend more time with her kids and on her land. Only 7 months later she found out she had cancer, which is now spreading through her body at a devastating speed. She is weak and needs assistance. I drove out to her place with another good friend. When we arrived we couldn't believe the paradise she had created. Her place was remote, beautiful with a breathtaking view. She had planned ahead and planted fruit trees, herbs and many flowers. I found myself feeling so sad because she had worked so hard and so much to save for her children's future and create such a beautiful home ... but while doing so, she never actually got a chance to enjoy her home or get much time with her children. TIME had gotten away from her. There wasn't enough time in the day - and now her time was running out. Her prognosis is not good. I pray that she will have some level of comfort and the simple joys of being with her children, on her land. She deserves this. Today's world doesn't allow us much free time. As I get older I realize how precious TIME is. Everyone is always trying to get ahead ... but I think I am going to try harder to stay behind. Yes, I do still need money to survive, but I am glad that I have learned to live with less. If my art can bring me income that is a plus, but I now create because it is necessary for ME. With every creative output I feel a bit richer. It may not fill my belly but it feeds my soul. I remain hopeful that one day my creative efforts will bear fruit. We all must strive to devote more time to doing what we love. Don't take TIME for granted or soon you will find that your time is up. Take the time to notice the simple beauty in nature, you never know when it may be too late. The TIME is NOW. The Elephant....
an enigmatic animal symbolising strength, wisdom, prosperity and loyalty has been portrayed in many art mediums throughout history, including the ancient art of tattoo. The experience of observing elephants in the wild or volunteering to help benefit elephants (captive or wild) can be a life changing event for many, one they want to commit to memory. Elephants and tattoos may seem an unlikely pairing but in some cases they go 'trunk and hand'. Tattoos are often much more than pretty pictures. The thought that goes into them and what they symbolize for the wearer make tattoos talismans which can declare love, protect, inspire confidence and even help to heal emotional or physical wounds. Getting tattooed is a rite of passage. A tattoo can commemorate an important journey or experience in one's life. I am a passion driven tattoo artist who had everything. But - I decided to give it all up to move to the opposite side of the world, live in a small bamboo hut and devote my life to caring for captive elephants - as a volunteer - for more than 13 years. For the first few years, I only tattooed when I made my yearly trip back to Michigan and my tattoo shop, Ink for Life. But while working for the elephants, I met many people who had tattoos or were interested in them. When it came up in conversations that I was a tattoo artist, there were many a request for elephant related tattoos. As much as I loved my new life of living outdoors and doing manual labour, I did miss tattooing! When I returned from my next visit to USA, my tattoo equipment came back with me. Since then I have tattooed elephant lovers from many countries as well as a handful of mahouts. All over Asia, mahout traditions are dying out. For the majority of men and boys who work with this emotionally complex endangered species, being a mahout is just a job. To find a mahout who really cares and has a bond with the elephant he looks after is sadly a rare thing. When I observed mahouts who were patient and kind with the elephants in their care, I offered to give them a tattoo of said elephant as a gift. The look of pride on their face when gazing in the mirror at the finished product was priceless. To get an indelible image of 'their' elephant emblazoned on their flesh, was true declaration of dedication. That elephant would now be with them wherever they went - never forgotten, always a reminder of the unlikely relationship between our two species. Individuals with a desire to learn more about Asian and African Elephants and help look after their needs, journey from all corners of the globe to volunteer at many far flung places around the world. During their stay people often fall in love with the amazing elephants who reside there, leaving a piece of their heart behind when they leave. The experience one has while spending their days working for elephants can often inspire the desire to acquire an indelible image of the pachyderms whose stories and personalities captivated them. By doing this, one does not just leave a piece of their heart, but takes a keepsake with them as well. Not only does the tattoo offer a lasting memory, it also acts as a vehicle for raising awareness regarding the Elephant's plight. Tattoos are often conversation starters. If asked about their elephant tattoo, the wearer can share their elephant knowledge and personal experience. As a result, elephant inspired tattoos can be powerful tools which help to educate scores of interested individuals, who are willing to listen. There are many elephants who could tell quite a story if they could speak our language. Still, their tales do unfold; told by their handicaps, scars, body language and especially their eyes. Through careful observation we can learn their stories, if we take the time to do so. Elephants are similar to humans in many ways. Some are more sensitive than others by nature. Some are more resilient, more forgiving. Many captive elephants have been victims of abuse; some have been able to recover from those past traumas. A few are emotionally damaged beyond repair. I have known elephants that are blind or have severe physical handicaps who were amazing examples of perseverance, acceptance and forgiveness. Their stories can give us humans a clearer perspective on our own circumstances, helping us to realize that things may not be as bad as they seem. We can learn from them that despite all obstacles, we must keep pushing forward. Some resilient elephants have deeply affected many who have met them, often bringing them to tears. As a result, their images have been inked into the skins of numerous admirers. Through the people who chose to get a tattoo to honour them, these elephants travel the world as icons - not being ridden, but riding - upon the shoulders, arms, feet and other body parts of those who committed to wearing their image proudly, sharing elephant tales of sadness, strength, recovery and freedom .... for the rest of their lives. So.... here we go! I will explain how this work of art came about, what I now see and what it means to me. BUT - Before you read any further, take a good look at this creation and leave a comment to let me know what YOU see... I don't want my interpretation to pollute your experience of seeing. I have already found that this work can be perceived in many different ways. This piece may be considered a bit controversial and may not be liked by many people. I am ok with this. Art is not always meant to be pretty or to make you feel comfortable. In a way, this piece came out of nowhere. I had no plan or intention when I started. All I knew is that I felt the need to use a deep olive green and I wanted to add elements of collage. I had no idea where it would go, I wanted to let the process lead me and see what evolved. I chose my collage elements based on colours that would compliment the background and placed them without too much thought, intuitively balancing them. Once the first stage was finished, it was pleasing enough to my eye that I almost wanted to leave it. This happens to me often. I want to stay in the 'safe zone'. But I have learned, that you can't just settle! You must be brave, push forward and explore. So I decided to grab my oil pastels and do some mark making, balancing the colour a bit more. I have also learned that giving pause is important. When I am in 'flow' mode I can sometimes hardly wait for the paint to dry so I can keep moving forward! But stepping back and giving yourself time to see things more objectively is really worthwhile. So I left it alone overnight. The next morning I eagerly rushed down to the easel to give it a good long look. I turned it in all directions. And then, there it was.... the elephant. If you know me, you know that after 13+ years of living with, working for, drawing, painting, observing and writing about elephants, I very well might see elephants in EVERYTHING I look at. But lately I haven't been doing much elephant or activist related artwork. Now that I am no longer surrounded by elephants and constantly exposed to all aspects of their life in captivity - the good, the bad and the UGLY.... I am not filled with as much stress, anger and disillusionment as I was then. Ironically, those emotions are potent creative fuel which help an artist to give birth to powerful, sometimes disturbing or poignantly beautiful imagery that carries a strong message, even without words. Now that I am happier and have other things to focus on, the activist art ideas still in my head have a harder time coming out. I vacillate between wanting my art to have a strong message and just making art for the sake of making art. Sometimes I wonder, is my art less valid if I am just enjoying myself? If it has no meaning? Getting back to the 'elephant in the room'.... So there it was. I struggled. Do I acknowledge it or not? How will it dictate where this piece will go? I was leaning towards abstract, so was bringing the elephant to life going to make the art too literal? Was it too random? How would it fit into the overall composition? WHAT WILL IT MEEEAAAANNNN? But it was undeniable. The more I looked I could see the ear, the neck and part of the front leg. I decided to go for it. The elephant would stay. I made the commitment by using a deep adobe red to emphasize the shape a bit. At this point it was time to step back again because I had no idea what was next and how this would end up making sense. The blue shape on the bottom looked like some kind of animal, maybe a hyrax or a baby elephant reaching up, but I wasn't feeling it. Once again I left it over night. The next morning as I contemplated my next move with eyes refreshed, it all started to fall together. When this happens it almost feels like magic - to see an image appear where before was just a shape and then to watch as the image becomes more clear, with barely a line or a brushstroke. Before you know it - you can't un-see it! Fate and the subconscious work in mysterious ways. Though I've been feeling pretty upbeat lately, I recently experienced renewed feelings of frustration and disappointment in regards to how so many people assume that captive elephants enjoy excessive touching and up close interaction. These feelings can be triggered easily when scrolling through the newsfeed on fb. Little did I know that I would end up working out these feelings with this creation. The blue animal became a torso, arm outstretched. The strange white shape became a human head. I added an eye, then a mouth and a hand. There was now a powerful message. But what I found incredible was that it came to be so organically. The words came a day later. I felt they were necessary to add more emphasis, but had to come up with the right way to say what I needed to say. Finally the perfect phrase came to mind and pulled the piece completely together. So, without any advance planning I ended up creating an authentic and (admittedly rather disturbing) piece of activist art. My first in a long time. I was surprised and pleased. The feeling of satisfaction overshadowed the negativity I had felt from seeing the pictures that upset me. Art IS therapy. Maybe not for everyone, but definitely for me. I am guessing most of you understand the meaning, but for those who may be new to me, my beliefs and my art - here is a (kind of) brief explanation: Though you may mean well, when you touch and engage with captive elephants - whether working or 'rescued', you are doing so against their will. They are not there because they want to be. Most elephants have suffered greatly at the hands of humans, to make them too afraid to question their keeper's authority. They have accepted that it hurts less to tolerate than to react. We would never dream of trying to touch or take a selfie with a wild elephant. It could end in grave injury or death for us. There is no such thing as a domesticated elephant. They are the same animal as their wild cousins, except they are not allowed autonomy. By engaging in touching, feeding or bathing elephants in captivity, you are taking advantage of their oppression and the breaking of their spirit. There is a good chance that each time a person touches them, they are reminded of that moment when they were stripped of their dignity and their lives were changed forever. What feels good to YOU... may NOT feel good to THEM. I have been procrastinating long enough, so here I am, FINALLY writing my very first blog post for my new website! I had been stalling because i really didn't know where to start, but thanks to a conversation with my MOM, I got the inspiration that I needed to get going.
As we talked this morning she reminded me of something that I had recently realised but failed to see the importance of. My mom is great for this kind of thing and I am always grateful for her point of view. We were speaking of a piece of art I had reposted on social media a few weeks back. I could not recall the piece she was talking about, so we both went to search for it. Once we were both looking at it, I was amazed to find out that my mom had completely missed the central image. To me it was plain as day. It never occurred to me that someone might NOT see it. She suggested that I post it yet again and ask people what they see, which I thought was a really good idea. But - this whole conversation gave me an even better idea FOR THIS BLOG, which had been hanging over my head.... I have decided that I will dedicate a blog post to some... maybe all? of my works of art. People do like the story behind the image, yes? I know that I do. Though it can be good to leave art open to interpretation by the observer, to understand the artist's meaning can be powerful in a completely different way. What do you see in the photo above? I would love to know! Now that I have hopefully captured your attention, I think this first blog post is long enough. Stay tuned for the next post where we will dive into the explanation of one of my latest works! Until then.... look for faces in the trees and elephants in the clouds. |
AuthorMy name is Jodi. I am an Artist, Vegan, Activist, Nature Worshipper, Animal Lover, Idea Person, Strategist, Writer, Intuitive, Empath and Mom. Life can be exciting and complicated. I am easily distracted by horizons filled with fantastic mountains and cloud formations. Archives
March 2018
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#elephants #artists #vegan #mixed media #art therapy #animal activism
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