So there’s a video on YouTube* making the rounds of an elephant painting a “self portrait.” The idea that an elephant could have enough self awareness to be able to render it’s own image absolutely blew my mind until I learned that elephants who paint non-abstract pictures have been trained to do so by ear touch. While it’s still pretty fantastic to think that an elephant can somehow be trained to paint an image simply by handling it’s ear, it’s not quite as humbling as thinking it can render it’s own image unaided. Although, there’s still a good short story in there somewhere.
* I actually saw the video on Cute Overload, which I would rather link to than YouTube anyway. Here it is.
Anyway, after I saw the video I started thinking about how cool it would be to buy something an elephant painted. Turns out you can at The Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project. Personally, I fancy this yellow piece by Sela… 
…although I’m sure someone will snap it up before I can save up 500 beans for it.
And here’s the artist at work.
Check out the site, it’s pretty cool.
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