American lady trains India Elephants to paint for a living

[Guest guest]

An American in love with Asian Elephants brought them some paint and

brushes and now they are learning art lessons: IBN

 

www.ibnlive.com/news/elephants-turn-painters-for-a-cause/31136-13.html

 

Elephants turn painters for a cause

Kundur Sathya Narayanan

CNN-IBN

 

Pallakad: It looks like modern art, all right. When New York-based

Barbara Gerard decided to help elephants, she thought, why not hone up

their artistic skills first. After all, nothing sells like a mix of

good cause and art these days.

 

" My project is an artistic one. I am hoping to give these animals a

paintbrush to create products that are worn, fashion products and

products that are for use at home, " says Director of Grande Gesture

Limited, New York, Barbara Gerard.

 

Seven-year-old Chirakkal Parameswaran has learnt to use the brush and

Barbara is clearly not afraid of standing and instructing him.

 

" People were saying that she's trying to teach an elephant to draw.

It's a very unusual idea and I'm wondering what technique she'll use, "

says a tourist from Germany, Dr Mihaela Paina.

 

Barbara plans to use the funds for the welfare of Asian elephants,

especially the elephants of Kerala.

 

The arrangement is going fine, but for one small problem. While she

thinks that the elephant understands her instructions in English, the

poor mahout cannot and wonders what all is going on.

 

(With inputs from Manasi Tewari)