HOW THIS CAME TO BE:
Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion
to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
Albert Einstein
Their Magesty:  The Elephants by Calley O'Neill, c 1988
Injured in youth, infirm and slow, Rama was a bull without purpose until four years ago when keeper Jeb Barsh got the idea to train Rama to paint.  Rama soon showed exceptional interest and exuberance for skillful spray and brush painting and has become a cherished and famous elephant at the zoo in Portland, Oregon.

Rama is a creative force – a phenomenon!  He amazes people.  His paintings sell even before they dry to a growing number of his enthusiastic fans.

As fate would have it, in the summer of 2006, Calley and her children  arrived at the elephant barn at the exact moment when Rama began his weekly Sunday morning painting demonstration. 
The most important thing we can do
is realize that  everything we do matters.

Jane Goodall,  Reason for Hope
During his painting, Calley envisioned this collaborative exhibition to help build a life support system for endangered species.  The wave of energy that went through her changed the course of her life forever.

A year later, Calley was a summer Oregon Zoo volunteer working full time in the elephant barn. She calls it a fantasy she never knew she had!  Calley brought a wealth of new color harmonies, ideas and aquamedia to Rama’s works.  Everyone who sees these strikingly beautiful works is deeply moved and quite simply - amazed.  An elephant did this?  Rama’s art certainly gives rise to wonder.
HOW DOES AN ELEPHANT PAINT?

Just outside the exhibition, you will be greeted with large-scale portraits and live footage of Rama painting demonstrating his six painting techniques. *  (This symbol throughout indicate opportunities for Student Apprenticeships.) 

Seeing Rama work opens the heart and touches the soul with one sweep of a brush.  Other elephants around the world are painting, yet none like this. 

Born April 1, 1983, Rama is the youngest son of the Oregon Zoo’s famous elephants, Packy and Rosy, Rama was destined for fame.  Of the three bulls, Rama is the smallest at about 9,000 pounds. 
A FANTASY REVEALED!
Rama began painting as a form of enrichment leading to his career as Oregon’s “biggest” artist.  Highly intelligent, Rama learned how to paint using his trunk and brushes. The idea was born from a routine health test for TB.  To administer the test, a keeper puts a sterile saline solution into his trunk to collect a sample.  This is how Rama learned the technique.  Rama liked the game and began following keepers around, blowing air out his trunk.  One keeper’s mind began turning and, after careful thought, keeper Jeb Barsh introduced safe non-toxic children’s paints into his trunk.

When the paint is put into Rama’s trunk, he takes a breath and blasts the paint onto the canvas.  Afterward, he washes his own trunk.  Once Rama had mastered spray painting, it was time to work with a brush.  Rama reaches out with his trunk as Jeb loads a brush with paint.  When Jeb signals Rama to move his head, “Shake it up, Rama!” Rama brushes the paint on the canvas.  Brushing is a way to involve his strong trunk muscles and give Rama creative freedom.  As Rama brushes, his ears come out and he shakes his head.  The keepers believe he is showing his excitement. When finished, he hands the brush back to Jeb.   Rama can walk away at any time and choose not to paint. He freely chooses to participate.  Rama is truly an amazing elephant.