I am Elephant

Graphite on Arches paper ($POA)

42 cm W x 63 cm H
The African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana)  is considered endangered,  threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching for the illegal ivory trade. African elephants have grey folded skin up to 30 mm thick that is covered with sparse, bristled dark brown to black hair. The trunk is a prehensile elongation of its upper lip and nose, manipulated by about 40,000–60,000 muscles and so strong that elephants can use it for lifting about 3% of their own body weight. They use it for smelling, touching, feeding, drinking, dusting, producing sounds, loading, defending and attacking. This artwork focuses on the skin, trunk and tusk of a large bull and attempts to convey the immense size and strength of these magnificent creatures.