PAINTING ON A REAL LIVE ELEPHANT!!!

Title: Beautiful Sheba
Face paint on elephant skin, 2010
Dimensions: 158" x 109" x 63"

Description: I painted a mural for a wedding (Sept 2010) and was asked to paint something else. An elephant.
-So I said "Surrree. I can paint an elephant. No problem at all."
-And they said "No no no no no no. You see. We don't want a painting of an elephant, we want you to paint on...an actual elephant....for our wedding."

I was so shocked that I didn't complete the final chew of my scone and scone crumbs fell from my mouth onto my freshly dry cleaned pants. Scone.
So, on the day of the wedding I painted Sheba. She's a beautiful and kind elephant from the Bowmanville Zoo.
If any of you attended Nuit Blanche this year in Toronto, you may have met Sheba, as she was there doing a show.

I used Snazaroo paint which is a non-toxic, FDA approved, government compliant and safe for children, adults....aaaaand of course....Elephants :)

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• speed
• painting
• elephant
• animals
• zoo
• art
• wedding

[crxtech1]

This is sad and disgusting, I'm disgusted to see indian people who should know better taking advantage of this elephant and you say the zoos wouldn't make money? Tough! they shouldn't be in business. This elephant could be living in the sanctuary in Tennessee instead it is being used for entertainment for ignorant people. How long did she stand on the concrete that day? Lets put a ratchet strap around your abdomen and see how you like it.

[joncoppola28]

@crxtech1 I can see why some people would be upset with this, but Indian people actually have a high respect for elephants. In India, they still ride them for temple ceremonies & getting around. Its a way of life, not disrespect. Sheba is well taken care of at the Bowmanville Zoo - safe & healthy. There are other more serious problems in this world. Dolphin hunting for ex. Or cheap labour & poor living conditions in China and India. Ever watch the "The high cost of low price" about Wal Mart.

[tonyableson]

this is so fucking sick! i love that shit, good job bro.

[joncoppola28]

@tonyableson heheheh thanksbro

[debbar76]

this made me cry. Elephants are social creatures, Sheba needs large open spaces and other elephants not a city parking lot and idiots who treat her like an amusement park ride! She should be given to the sanctuary in Tennessee rather than subjected to this humiliation.

[joncoppola28]

@debbar76 I understand, really I do. I'm a vegetarian for one thing. And I would never hurt any kind of animal or living creature. But unfortunately, thats the way the world is and it'll be a looong while before it gets better. If it even does. Sadly, the world is run solely by money. If the zoo didn't have elephants do shows and events, they wouldnt make money. And there's no need to call anyone idiots.

[soap7771]

It's art just chill

[janetblue25]

The elephant didn't look like she enjoyed looked like she want to cry. And she has no tusks I that's wat their called seems she's been tortured 4 a long time:(

[crxtech1]

@joncoppola28 Water for elephants used elephants rented out like these people are renting this elephant.You know how you tame one to do tricks and give ride? These is only one way to tame an elephant to give rides and that is to beat it with a bullhook. This elephant in your video was trained to be submissive. Check out the video called "More video evidence of movie elephant suffering" if you want to see how they do it in asia watch "Asian Elephant Captures" You can see the bullhook at 7:19

[crxtech1]

@joncoppola28 Watch the video called "An Elephant and a Dog, An Unlikely Pair: The story of Tarra and Bella! " to see where these bowmanville elephant could have gone as opposed to be locked up in the crap hole called bowmanville zoo. Infact the one Vancouver elephant was not sent to bowmanville because the owners history of abuse. That kind of abuse STILL happens everyday in north america in circuses and zoos and even movies. Do you know the movie water for elephants? Continued:

[crxtech1]

@joncoppola28 I am Indian, I know all about India. Don't let any Indian pull the wool over your eyes. Indians do not give a damn about the abuse of an elephant as they themselves abuse elephants in the name of Religion. Please watch the video on here called "Elephant Cruelty KERALA" search those words. I completely disagree with you about dolphins. Elephants are the most abused animals in north america the asian ele is an endangered species and are just as intelligent as dolphins continued

[Sweetchica817]

Great Job Jon i love the paint job around the eyes you made her look so beautiful =) and i read that comment about how it's cruel....pfft im going to be a vet tech and it looked to me that she was being treated very well and she looked like she was enjoying herself ;) What an awesome experience, where was that? Oh and i watched that speed drawing of that monster thing in ur room OMG come and airbrush something for meeeeeeee on my wall!!! Ooooouuu you could do an EMINEM portrait for me oh please

[BEASYtheGREAT]

whoa u got balls bro, i might need you ta paint my house tho..lol. game on bro