Saturday, November 24, 2007

The Zoo

gorilla_group.jpg
This is a compilation of two pages from my sketchbook, drawn from life at Zoo Atlanta which is famous for its gorillas. Willie B was the patriarch of the zoo for years. Here is a quote from the Zoo Atlanta website:
"When Willie B., our magnificent western lowland gorilla patriarch passed away peacefully at the age of 41 in early February of 2000, the Zoo Atlanta family mourned his loss deeply and painfully. He had been more than an important animal in our collection of endangered and fascinating animals. Willie was a hero of sorts, a larger-than-life character who had come to embody the remarkable reinvention and rise to success of our zoo. His graceful transition from solitary caged animal to affectionate patriarch of an expanded family living in the lush Ford African Rain Forest came to represent the institution's rise from the brink of failure to its current status among the nation's finest zoological parks."
These sketches were made in 2006, years after Willie B passed away. But some of these animals are his offspring, and they are a testament to his resilience and adaptability.

8 comments:

Mike said...

Wonderful sketches...great post.

sheree boyd said...

really beautiful!

ELLA ELVIANA said...

great sketches, nice lines!

Anonymous said...

really powerful drawings...

JO said...

Really wonderful drawings.

froggie is... said...

these are really well done, rick! you really watched him, studied him....

wonderful job! :)

elizabeth said...

Beautiful sketches. I love the simplicity of them, and the intensity of the gorilla's facial expressions.

soulbrush said...

very touching, wouldn't you like to see the gorillas in rwanda? i would.