An unexpected treat this weekend on my visit to Brighton, I am delighted! After a relaxing stroll along the sunny pebbled beach and a visit to the iconic Pier…not only did I find these stunning elephants but I also met the very talented artist, Kevin Hayler. He kindly took the time to explain what inspires him, his experience and adventures around the world, and especially his encounters with elephants in Asia and Africa. We talked about our shared passion for wildlife and my personal interest in elephants and elephant Minds…

I marvelled at many of his prints; jaguars, giraffes, lions, meerkats, crocodiles, and so many other gorgeous animals. I finally left with this one delightful mum and calf.

This is what he has to say about it: “A visit to the Elephant Orphanage is one of the best things to do in Sri Lanka. I don’t know how many Jumbos there are, 40 or so I’d guess. It’s great fun and you can follow them down to the river and watch them bathe. I took a series of bad photos as usual but never mind I had all the info I needed. I drew Mum from one photo and her calf from another. I raised the youngster’s trunk to add intimacy to the scene and finished by giving Mum a flapping ear.”

I invite you to see more of his beautiful work on his personal website. If you wish to learn a little more about elephants and our own elephant Minds story do read this.

By Patricia C Prada Jimenez