Elephant Trumpet...

Lynchee holding the necklace/zipper pull created in her honor. Photo by Carol Stevenson

Lynchee, Dah, Mongkul, Deang Moo, Tawan. Baby Phil, Phu Khi, & Pumpui - no I am not talking in tongues! These are the names of some of the elephants under John Roberts care on the Golden Triangle, that Knight&Hammer has immortalized in jewelry.  

Baby Phil Ring, gold over bronze

I have loved & been in awe of Elephants my entire life.  As a child my faithful teddy, Jiggalee shared playtime with King Baber. I even inherited my Oma's childhood stuffy, a well worn and loved Asian Elephant farmer, missing an eye and one suspender button these days. So I guess some of my Ele-love is genetic. 


Four years ago watching a documentary about the orphaned elephants of Thailand I discovered, John Roberts, Director of Elephants & the charity, Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (www.helpingelephants.org). I was saddened to see elephants at the side of the road doing tricks for food. They are such soulful and special creatures. "The aims of the Foundation are to set up a safe haven for abused elephants or those that cannot work, to provide employment for good mahouts and allow them to continue working with elephants and to help ensure the survival of Thailand's wild herd."  The next day I contacted via email Mr. Roberts and asked if I could help GTAEF with a limited edition collection of jewelry where a potion of the sales benefit the charity. The GTAEF Collection is part of the Knight&Hammer Jewelry with a ConscienceTM initiative. An initiative to donate to not-for-profit organizations through financial donations and jewelry especially designed for their fundraising benefit.

Core of the GTAEF Collection created with Mey-Mey Lim

After two years of collaborated with artist Mey-Mey Lim (www.meymeylim.com), we created the four zipper pull/necklaces that are the core of the collection. They capture the grace, strength and elegance of these gentle giants. I have further collaborated with sculptor, Donna Dodson (donnadodsonartist.blogspot.com) to create a series of modern Elephant totem inspired baubles; loving nicknames by photographer Carol Stevenson (www.carolstevenson.com) as 'Flat Eles.'  My love of all things elephant has lead me to create a series of elephant and Ganesha jewelry to support GTAEF. 


The Golden Triangle Elephant Foundation Collection will premiere at a group show opening June 3rd at Ven & Vaida,  18 Third Street, Olde City, Philadelphia and run through the end of July 2011. The group show will included works by Carol Stevenson, Donna Dodson, Knight&Hammer, Mey-Mey Lim and the Elephant Bottle from Kiva Ford's Endangered Species series (www.kivaford.com).

'Flat Els' created with Donna Dodson

You can walk among these magnificent beings at the Golden Triangle's tented camps; www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle and elephant-tails.anantara.com.