***Update December, 2013***
Just in time for the holidays, Elemotion Foundation is releasing our amazing time-lapse video of Mayuka Thais’ life size baby Asian elephant painting. Â Elemotion Foundation thanks the donors, the Tokyo based art students, and Mayuka. Â Please enjoy the video and this artist’s wonderful talent.
***Update September, 2013***
The painting was completed in early September 2013. Â After running out of time in the Tokyo art studio, we transferred the painting to the Elemotion Foundation office. Â It was a tight fit, but we made it work. Â Our cats were very interested in the large painting on the floor. Despite one purple paw print, Mayuka managed to finish in time. Â It has been shipped to Los Angles where it will be used for the school talks and elephant awareness programs.
***Update August, 2013***
Mayuka’s Tokyo based art students have done an excellent job! Â They have helped to prepare the canvas from scratch! Â Once the signature rivets were added and the grid was measured, Mayuka completed the outline. Â The students then applied a green base coat for the baby elephant. It is now time for the artistry to start. Â Mayuka has spent hours on the first applications of color. Now that summer school is over, Mayuka, the students and Laurene, Elemotion Foundation’s founder, met in the studio to see the progress.
About the Artist
Mayuka Thais is an American artist whose passion for education and wildlife conservation creates captivating ‘big-time’ art. Why ‘big-time’ you ask? Well, her elephant themed work includes the hit song, ‘When Elephants Cry’ and an amazing life-size painting of the LA zoo’s Asian elephant Billy.
Her creations inspire people to get involved and discuss the problems facing elephants today. When standing next Billy’s painting, you feel the enormity, the strength, and the power of the elephant. You can also feel the enormity of their plight.
About the Project
This new art project is the creation of a life size baby Asian elephant painting.  Once finished, the painting will be displayed in galleries, used in schools talks, and Asian elephant awareness programs in the United States. The original painting will not be sold for money, but instead, used to ignite educational dialogues about these incredible animals.
Elemotion Foundation supports this young artist in her endeavor to educate and inspire children and adults through art. Because these paintings are so large, Mayuka needed funds to cover the cost of materials. Elemotion Foundation raised $955 US to cover costs of supplies and material for this educational cause.
This project is now completed.