Jerry Green Jade Elephant Postcard

The Jade Elephant is one of a growing number of small friends who inhabit or visit my studio. Jerry is a 6-inch tall Carved Jade Elephant who found un-cataloged life in museum storage stifling. He had been shipped in tucked into a corner of large crate which held very large jade carvings, and the staff missed him inside what they thought was extra packing material. Unlike the creepy stowaway in the supremely entertaining book and movie The Relic, Jerry has a kind soul and no desire to wreak havoc on anyone. With most people looking only at their cell phones, it was easy for Jerry to find his way out of the maze in the storage room, to get into the elevator, and to stride purposefully out the back door. Although he was in a hurry, he stopped at the snack bar for cotton candy for an energy boost. He made his way to a small park in the center of his city, and has made friends with the local squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits who find his trumpeting helpful because its high pitch frightens their predators. Elephants don't ordinarily hibernate, but he has been invited to spend the winter in a den with a large family of rabbits who find his markings amusing. Jerry is 6x9 inches. He was painted on 140# Arches hot press paper with my new favorite Raphael Martora 8424 sable brushes, 00 and 2. These brushes hold a lot of paint and are stiff enough to go into small spaces and to make tiny lines. Find more information about Jerry and other small friends at http://www.susangainen-nanoscapes-smallfriends.com/.