Elephant was pasted into high grass.

This Elephant named Toby was drawn long ago. He was a circus elephant all his life, since he was a pup. But last week, I cut him out with a pair of scissors...out of the piece of paper where he lived, and the circus and his comfortable zone.

Today I pasted Toby into the African savannah. I could see, in his eye, the look of fear and surprise at first, and then it turned to wonder, as he saw his first mountains, and felt the pads of his elephant foot touch moist grasses.

Toby is probably worried about making new friends. I am hoping one of those cleaner birds will land on his back soon and keep him company.

Make Time for Nonsense

I went to the Los Angeles zoo. A small boy was playing by the elephants. Her mother was tugging his hand "Let's Go". It was time to leave, but the boy did not want to go. He stayed with his hand on the fence. His mother yelled "I don't have time for your nonsense." After she said this, an elephant walked to where the boy was standing and waved his trunk up. He made his elephant noise and looked at the boy. I understood what the elephant was saying. He was letting the boy know that he had plenty of time for nonsense. I like that elephant.
After the boy and his mom went away I stayed and played a game of elephant charades. I didn't leave until the final closing announcement.
It's important to make time for nonsense. If I ever forget about that, I will go back and visit that elephant.

Acrylic ink and watercolor on rag paper (Elephant is actually longer but he would not fit in the scanner.