Art Going Wild at Rolling Hills Zoo

Immersing their guests in the artistic experience is all part of this year’s Art Gone Wild Plein Air Event at Rolling Hills Zoo this weekend. Regional plein air artists, along with the Zoo’s own animal artists, will be in the park showcasing their artistic talent during Salina’s only plein air event.

Plein air is a unique art form as artists create their works of art in the “open air” and take their inspiration from the beauty of nature. From an artist’s perspective, nature’s beauty is reflected in art, from the literal – through breathtaking landscapes, brilliant sunrises, cascading waterfalls, flowering foliage and amazing wildlife; to the abstract – inspiration provided by the textures, colors and sounds of the natural world.

Rolling Hills Zoo’s animal artists create art as a form of animal enrichment. Enrichment enhances the animal’s quality of care and improves their physical and psychological health. Many of the Zoo’s animals paint on canvas boards, ostrich eggs and cloth using various methods. The Zoo’s animal artists include Frank the mandrill, the African painted dogs, Zuri the giraffe, Millie the chimpanzee, the reptiles, Gobi the snow leopard, the ostriches, Japura the Andean bear and Darius the Amur leopard. The animal’s art will be available for purchase at the Zoo.

This event will feature:

Over 30 regional plein air artists in the zoo
Chalk art stations
Children’s art stations
Performing artists
Rolling Hills Zoo’s animal artists creating their signature art

All of the art created at the event will later be unveiled at the Art Gone Wild Gallery Show in the Earl Bane Gallery, and will be available for purchase.

For additional information about Art Gone Wild go to: www.rollinghillszoo.org.