All art photographs © MaryAnna Coleman.
I first came across MaryAnna's work via the #Elegram Project, where one of her gorgeous watercolour elephants (the one just below) was showcased. I was thinking of trying to contact her via the Nature Conservancy to see if I could feature her work on this blog, when she contacted me herself.
MaryAnna says she grew up doing art, earning a BA from Gettsburg College with a major in Studio Art. She also spent a semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy, with a significant focus on art.
Although MaryAnna says that, after her graduation in 2010, she hadn't been as active in art as she would have liked, she began doodling again this past winter, "which turned into drawing and painting. I started drawing dogs I ran into around New York City, and started to get requests for portraits/commissions of friends' pets."
MaryAnna is highly experimental—a quality I greatly admire, as you can well imagine. According to MaryAnna herself, "It's been fun trying out different subjects, styles, and mediums. Before this, I had mostly just worked with acrylic/oil painting, so watercolour has been a fun challenge and experiment as well."
In addition to her wonderful watercolour elephants, MaryAnna has produced a wide range of sensitive images featuring wildlife and domesticated animals in mediums from pen-and-ink to paint.
To see more of MaryAnna's work, check her out at MaryAnnaColeman Design on Instagram. To get in touch with her directly, contact her at Maryannacolemandesign@gmail.com.
Elephant Lore of the Day
We all know by now that elephants are highly sensitive creatures, and that they form strong emotional attachments. This, however, is one of the most poignant little stories that I've ever read.In May 2014, a female elephant named Cherie died of an infection on Kenya's savanna. Rangers had been monitoring her condition over a number of days, hoping that she'd rally. Sadly, she died of a twisted gut, despite all attempts to help her. After her death, her heartbroken calf refused to leave Cherie's side. The five-month-old baby clung to her throughout the night, even after the rest of the herd had left.
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| Throughout the night, Sokotei refused to leave his dead mother's side. Photo: ©DS2/Barcroft Media Source: www.viralspell.com |
The story has a happy ending, however. The following morning, keepers from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Kenya Wildlife Service and Save the Elephants were able to tranquilize the calf and separate him from his mother. He was then moved to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage near Nairobi.
Tragically, orphaned elephants often pine away, even with the best of care, and sometimes die of what can only be described as a broken heart. Luckily, Sokotei, as the calf was named, eventually rallied with the support of dedicated keepers and other elephants, and hopes are high that he can be returned to the wild one day.
To read more about Sokotei and other orphaned elephants available for adoption at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, please click here.
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| Sokotei with a new friend at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage, Kenya. Photo: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Source: www.Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.org |
To Support Elephant Welfare
Beautiful images and paintings!
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