OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO ANIMALS DISCOVER ARTISTIC SIDE

I REALLY REALLY wanted this painting. its $325.

the artist and his artwork

by: Carrie Coppernoll
July 30, 2011

Animal trainers at the Oklahoma City Zoo are coming up with creative ways to help animals put paint on canvas to support wildlife conservation efforts around the world.
The second annual Art Gone Wild art show kicks off next week in the Paseo Arts District.
Artwork has been created by elephants, flamingos, grizzly bears, snakes, a rhinoceros and other animals.
Zookeepers have devised clever plans for teaching the animals to paint, said Diana Jones, a spokeswoman for the zoo. For example, turtles trot through paint and over a canvas to reach sweet strawberries.
The paintings are part of what zookeepers call enrichment, Jones said.
“It creates problems for them to solve,” Jones said. “It creates challenges of them. ... It stimulates the animals mentally and breaks up their daily routines in a way that's really healthy for them.”
The animal artwork will be for sale at In Your Eye Gallery during the Art Gone Wild show, and proceeds will benefit the zoo's conservation work. In addition, artists at In Your Eye Gallery will sell works based on the animal artists. Ten percent of those proceeds will be donated to the zoo.