ELEPHANT SCULPTURE AT NORFOLK ZOO, VIRGINIA

This was taken on a visit to the Norfolk Zoo in Virginia, in September 2012.  Another favorite animal of mine, I was delighted with the life-size sculpture of the elephant at the entrance.  The person who created this masterpiece is Matthew Gray Palmer, who received its commission after competing with 70 other artists in 2008.  He called it "All Things Within All Things".

A butterfly on the end of the elephant's trunk can be made out quite clearly, and its wings are shaped like elephants.  If you look closely at the sculpture, there are 10,000 butterflies that make the shape of the elephant.  It stands 10 feet tall, 16 feet long and 7 feet wide and weighs 800 pounds, and took more than 2,000 hours and six months to complete.  It really is amazing to look at.

A fun website, Roadside America, can be found at this link where you will see another picture of the elephant.

I will leave you with two whimsical quotes.

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant, an elephant's faithful one hundred percent."

~Dr. Seuss~

and my personal favorite

"I have a memory like an elephant, in fact elephants often consult me."

~Noel Coward~

Thanks for looking and enjoy your week.