The biggest creatures on this planet move slowly, carefully and with grace - as if our fast human world was some incomprehensible act. Elephants have had a special place in my heart for some time now and I have been waiting for a long time for the moment when I will finally be able to express these feelings on canvas. In a series of paintings dedicated to elephants, I used red pigment form earth, which gives elephants thick skin natural volcanic color.

A sunny valley surrounded by green jungle. One hundred and sixteen elephants live here. Most of them are animals recovered from abusive tourism industry, where they were only used for human profit. After many years of living in captivity, they finally reached a place where they can walk on the grass, form deep relationships, trumpet loudly and bathe in the river - a place where they can just be elephants again.

Elephant Nature Park buy abused elephants from all over Thailand and the surrounding areas to give them well-deserved live without chains. This year I visited the place for the second time, volunteering in this magical place. I was able to experience presence of the elephants in the conditions closest to their natural habitat. This is where the red pigment used for this mini series came form. I hope that with these works I managed to bring to presence a piece of this amazing place and the creatures living in it.

Elephant Tales is the first chapter of my storytelling about the elephants. I hope that this and the next stories will help me to express my deep connection to animals and feeling of peace when I am around them. 

All proceeds from sale of this series goes to Elephant Nature Park.

heart of the jungle

160 x 120

Acrylic and mineral pigments on raw canvas

drops of heaven

110 x 110

Acrylic, mineral pigments and oil pastel on raw canvas

Natural red pigment sourced from the earth I collected in Elephant Nature Park.

red valley between clouds

100 x 100

Acrylic, mineral pigments and oil pastel on canvas

Elephants use this earth to protect their sensitive skin from sun.

“They are the color of the planet.

They are beautiful.

If we want to protect them we have to do it right now.”

Lek Saengduean Chailert

the founder of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation

If you want to learn more about elephants and how to help them please visit Save Elephant Foundation: https://saveelephant.org/how-to-help/

More abut Lek, founder of Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Park: https://mydreamforanimals.com/interviews/lek-chailert/

More about abusive elephant training and why we should not ride on them : https://www.workingabroad.com/blog/the-dark-truth-of-the-elephant-phajaan/

Source: Save Elephant Foundation.

Making of red pigment from red earth. Picture from my studio.