Wild Things Artwork |
| "Giraffe in a Box" |
17" H x 24" W Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord, washed with black gouache.
My husband and I have friends in Houston, TX. A visit with them is a grand opportunity to explore any number of fabulous wildlife refuges and state parks full indigenous creatures and migrating birds. It's also an opportunity to visit the Houston Zoo, home to a number of African mammals that I've never yet had the opportunity to see in their natural environments. While the zoo has numerous species, and some beautiful garden areas, most of the animals are "housed" in enclosures rather than habitats. The giraffes are one of my favorites, but I woo that they have such a limited exhibit area and spend their evenings in a tall barn enclosure. Regardless, you have to smile when you see them peeking out through openings in the gates to watch the zoo visitors heading towards the exits at the end of the day. My husband and I both probably shot some 30 or 40 frames apiece a few years ago on our way out, making a last stop back by the giraffe exhibit. They all had what we perceived as goofy expressions as they peered out at us. I guessed we looked goofily back at them, since the giraffes' heads looked as if they were suspended in air, since their elongated bodies and necks were hidden behind the closed barn door, and the barn in which they stood was dark. The "floating" giraffe heads reminded me of those jack-in-the-box toys I had as a kid.