The Elephant Parade 2010


I first blogged about the life-sized fibreglass baby elephant I was about to paint here, back in January. Basically, I've offered my services to help raise funds for The Sumatran Orangutan Society(SOS) who are taking part in a huge art event called The Elephant Parade this summer. 
Harapan the SOS elephant
So now, after what turned out to be a very cold start and several weeks, he is finally finished. And tomorrow he is being collected. I won't see him again until he appears in some (as yet unknown) location in London.  



We have named him Harapan, which means 'hope' in Sumatran. He is 1.48m in height and he carries all our hopes for an end to illegal deforestation and pet trade poaching, which are currently the main causes of the orangutan's rapid decline.
So here is Harapan in all his glory! If you click on the images they will enlarge.

 
I must mention The Elephant Family, as it is their hard work and ingenuity that organised the event. They work tirelessly to help asian elephants in developing countries through great fundraising events such as The Elephant Parade 2010.
For more pictures and how I painted Harapan look here.

All 250 elephants taking part in the parade will inhabit the capital soon, then they will be auctioned off to the highest bidder in the Summer.
Posted by Rebecca Sutherland at 19:30
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Location: London, UK

11 comments:

  1. N.L. Lumiere28 March 2010 at 21:33

    What a marvelous festival of colours, shapes and "Save an orangutan" while you're about it!
    Lovely work! I hope someone very rich buys your elephant and saves a lot of live ones.

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  2. Rebecca Sutherland1 April 2010 at 23:51

    Thanks for those lovely comments Nora. Yes, it has been likened to the Goan festival of colour already. It might not be clear in the pictures but I've also used gold and copper paint in the design.

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  3. Juana Martinez-Neal1 April 2010 at 23:54

    wow! gorgeous!! Love it!

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  4. jon2 April 2010 at 12:15

    I'd love that in the garden.. :D
    Don't have lots of cash tho.. :(

    Great work :)

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  5. Rebecca Sutherland5 April 2010 at 22:34

    Thank you for both of those lovely comments. I hope those bidding for him are generous in the auction, as all profits go to charity.

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  6. Lauren11 April 2010 at 13:31

    Aw this is fantastic! As above, love the colours, shapes & everything!
    What did you paint it in?

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  7. Rebecca Sutherland12 April 2010 at 14:40

    Hi Lauren, Thanks for that!

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  8. Elephant Family18 April 2010 at 23:50

    Hi Rebecca, it's Ruth and Mary Powys from Elephant Family here. We've watched your film three times and absolutely love what you have created. As much as we love elephants we're also so happy that we can help the orangutang. He will be in Green Park, happily socialising with all of the other elephants helping other endangered Asian animals. thank you for embracing our project with such flair and originality. Hope to meet you soon!! xx

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  9. Anonymous20 April 2010 at 22:34

    The elephant really is stunning! The urangotang (sp?) on the front is cheeky! I love the greens.

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  10. Jane Monk30 October 2010 at 21:09

    Your Elephant is wonderful ... I love the joy and exhuberence it exudes - thank you for sharing ....now where did they get that lovely fiberglass elephant ... I would love to do a Zentangled one (black and white - showing the starkness of what will be left without these beautiful forests and animals) Jane in Tasmania - Australia.

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  11. Rebecca Sutherland17 November 2010 at 09:36

    Hi Jane, really sorry I've only just noticed your lovely. lovely comment. I could have done so many things in my design, but I only had one elephant! I might get asked again, in which case I'll have to do something quite different.
    Becky x

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