In keeping the spirit of the Holiday Season going, we decided to visit the craftiest tree in NYC! The Origami Holiday tree housed at the American Museum of Natural History is truly a work of art. Every year, a holiday tree is crafted out of beautiful Origami figures based on a chosen theme. This year the theme was “Proboscideans on Parade” to coincide with the museum’s new exhibition The Secret World of Elephants. Created in partnership with Origami USA, the American national society devoted to origami, the art of paperfolding, this tree is made of over a thousand of intricately crafted models of elephant and elephant-relatives such as the Woolly Mammoth. Lucky for all holiday decor and origami lovers out there, this exhibit is still open to see until Jan 15!
"Our Herd of Hope" Presented by Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
During a weekend stroll in London, we experience déjà vu when we came across lifelike bronze statues of elephants gracefully adorning Spitalfields Market. They reminded us of the herd in Berkeley Square. But these magnificent sculptures are the creation of Gillie and Marc, celebrated for promoting love, equality, and conservation worldwide.
This artistic exhibit, titled "Our Herd of Hope," is inspiring in that it serves a vital purpose - to generate support and awareness for the conservation of elephant species. Each smaller sculpture symbolizes a real elephant herd, emphasizing the importance of their protection. Partnering with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, this installation plans to migrate to various locations across London, making a powerful impact on its journey. We will be following along!
Elephants in London
Wildlife in London is usually limited to squirrels, pigeons, and ducks – the usual urban fauna. Londoners don’t generally expect to navigate around elephants while they walk through the public parks. For the last six weeks, however, that is exactly what they did. The elephants, of course, were not real, living beasts, but life-size sculptures installed in the Royal Parks by Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective as part of the CoExistence initiative. In an attempt to raise awareness of the increasing numbers of elephants living in human-dominated landscapes, these 100 Asian elephant sculptures were placed in the UK’s largest urban center. The sculptures are handcrafted by communities in Tamil Nadu, India, many of whom coexist with real life elephants. At the end of their time in London, the elephants, which are each unique, will be sold, with the proceeds benefiting Elephant Family.