Live Well Laugh Often Billy & Akaisha Kaderli Lighten Up Love Much

THE ADVENTURER'S GUIDE TO EARLY RETIREMENT A COMMON SENSE APPROACH BILLY AND AKAISHA KADERLI Buy it Now!

ELEPHANT ARTISTS Chiang Mai,Thailand Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

GOLDEN ELEPHANT HEAD WITH VERMILLION TUSK

At first, I couldn’t believe it; Elephants who could paint pictures? There must be some kind of trick here, something akin to a Las Vegas magic show. A quick slight of trunk, perhaps, but no way could it be real. Billy and I spoke of it for weeks as I tried to fit this event into my hectic schedule; the First Elephant Art Exhibition with live demonstrations of the actual painting on canvas. Finally arriving, I spent my time looking at the finished artwork proudly displayed, the souvenirs and trinkets, and wandered about taking some photos of the elephants hanging around. Pondering where I might like to sit in order to get a decent view of the action, I momentarily looked up only to see 6,000 pounds of elephant running in my direction! Flat at me and more quickly than you can imagine 3 tons moving! Apparently elephant artists can have a bout of stage fright as well, and Duanpen, a five year old creative beast, was having second thoughts about this evening's performance. She headed straight away for the small opening between the tables and benches set up for tonight’s viewers and easily knocked them down.  This is no big deal, supposedly, except that the

tables and benches are made of solid concrete and weigh more than I could ever pick up to put back in place. They fell over like empty cardboard boxes. Like it was a nonevent, Duanpen’s mahout gently grabbed her by her ear, and led her back to her enclosure. At this point, I reconsidered my seating placement, deciding to be freelance, and stand up, in case there was a need to escape quickly. Other viewers did not seem nearly as disturbed by this beastly outburst, and they, along with their children, easily took front row seats. As for me, I began to get a bit clammy. These animals are massive. They are children, of course, only five and six years old, but tiny they are not. Their immensity was fascinating. I love animals, and always had a few dogs and cats, turtles, even a monkey while I was growing up. However, my animal care taking history had nothing to compare with this experience, and I surprised myself with my timidity.

DUANPEN'S ESCAPE PATH THROUGH CONCRETE BENCHES AND TABLE

KONG KUM IN INTENSE CONCENTRATION

Soon paint was poured into pools on plastic plates, and brushes were readied. The easel was set up, with art paper attached, and a cardboard frame placed over it to keep the paint inside the lines. Enter the star, Kong Kum, a six year old male elephant, with his mahout at his side. The art instructor who was on the left, loaded up the brush, and Kong Kum eagerly reached for it with his trunk. Over and over Kong Kum took the brush, and the instructor made differing motions on the blank piece of paper so Kong Kum knew where and what to paint. He followed directions impeccably. Placement after placement, color after color, with determined concentration, this little boy elephant was eager to please his teacher. Mesmerized, we watched.  Before we all knew it, a painting was completed, and proudly, he bowed and curled his trunk for us.

Going back a second time, both to take more photos and to see these fascinating gentle giants once again, I was no less afraid, and could not bring myself to sit on the elephant’s knee when it was offered.  However, I was able to feed them sugar cane, and this I considered personal progress. These animals are awesome in their physical presence as well as in potential.  For their size, they are light and gentle on their feet, and can perform exacting tasks.  This attempt to train them to paint is a fairly new enterprise, with great hopes that it will attract income to pay for their pricey maintenance.  There are 2000 elephants still in Thailand today, most living in camps. Only about 20 of these elephants know how to paint, and these are the first in the world to have developed this talent.

ELEPHANT ARTWORK AND SUPPLIES

For more information, or to become a member of  the Elephant Art Club, see elephantartists.com or email maesaele@loxinfo.co.th

Billy and Akaisha continue to journal and photograph their world travels.

HOME