Distressed
mixed media on wood
20 X 23″
2017

I have never painted an elephant before, but the spread of the eye whorls physically embedded in the wood grain brought this majestic creature to the fore.

The danger to this wondrous animal (so close to us in maternal feeling, intellect and emotions) seems a stand-in for the greed and violence of our times. The hands originally were about mutilating the elephant for the tusks, but then the petting aspect of how humans want to touch animals came into play. How we can hurt even when we want to help. How complex every problem is to solve and how the clock seems to be running out.