"LOVE AND PROTECTION"

The persecuted but majestic Elephant appears to a popular choice of many wildlife art collectors. Gary has also said that it is his favourite animal and his favourite to draw. This is perhaps reflected in the fact that Love and Protection is one of seven prints that feature the African Elephant and Asian Elephants are the subject in five more. It was released in 1991, as was The Orphans, another lovely African Elephant study.

This print is quite an unusual one in that it is the only picture of a land-based animal to include the subject's environment i.e. the tall grass in the foreground.

It is though unusual for another reason - Gary drew it for a particular symbolic purpose. In 1989, as a result of undercover work by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the proof they obtained, the ban on ivory trading was secured. Within a couple of years, a period that Gary equated to the Elephant's gestation period, some African countries wanted the ban lifted. [This is of course a terrible problem that continues to rumble on.] His aim in drawing such a picture at that time, showing a very young calf under the protective cover of its mother, was to show how criminal it would be to lift the ban.

Initially the print was sold through an advertisement in the BBC Wildlife Magazine. However, the issue went to the EIA to sell, all proceeds going to support their "Save The Elephants Campaign". Prints were sold for £38 each including postage and packing and raised over £30,000 towards the campaign. The EIA also appealed to people to support the cause and to give it publicity by running in the 1992 London Marathon and sponsoring them.

In May 1993 Gary was awarded "Best Foreign Exhibit" for this picture at the Second International Festival of Animal Art in France. The original drawing was amongst those for sale at his 1994 solo exhibition at London's Mall Galleries (which benefited the EIA and Born Free), the asking price being £3900.

Thanks are due to Tony Belcher, who has kindly contributed this article and to Peter Wilde for putting this page together.