A WILDLIFE artist from Warwickshire has created a surprise elephant tribute, which could go on to help a whole herd.
When Louise Hancox sat down to draw her first-ever elephant, she thought she was creating a tribute to Faa Sai— a rescued elephant lost in last year’s devastating floods at Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand.
But after sending a copy of the finished piece to the sanctuary’s parent charity, Save Elephant Foundation, she received a surprise.
The elephant she’d drawn was not Faa Sai. It was Mintra — another rescued soul at the sanctuary.
What began as a tribute to one elephant became a portrait of two — one in form, one in spirit.
That mix-up became the spark for something bigger. The resulting artwork, titled Unwritten Courage, is now at the heart of a summer-long creative campaign to support Elephant Nature Park.
Created in pastels over several weeks, the portrait honours both elephants — and the sanctuary that gave them a second chance.
Louise, from Tamworth-in-Arden, said: “This is a story of quiet courage — in elephants, in people, and in the act of turning grief into lasting impact, I still don’t know whether it will work.
But when Nicola shared what had happened, doing nothing just didn’t feel like an option.”
The campaign began with Nicola Slator, a supporter from West Yorkshire who had volunteered at ENP and was deeply affected by the news of Faa Sai’s death.
She had first connected with Louise through Sketch for Survival, an art auction supporting wildlife conservation. When she shared the story, Louise — who had never drawn an elephant before — felt compelled to respond.
Nicola continued: “Faa Sai had almost reached safety. But she turned back when she heard the cries of her herd. That choice — that loyalty — broke my heart. Sharing her story felt like the only thing I could do.”
Now, all profits from the sale of the original artwork, fine art prints, and card sets will support Save Elephant Foundation, helping them continue their work in the wake of the floods.
Elephant Nature Park is one of Southeast Asia’s most respected sanctuaries, founded by renowned conservationist Sangduen “Lek” Chailert.
Located in Chiang Mai, it provides refuge for elephants rescued from brutality in tourism, logging, and captivity. The park is also home to over 1,000 other rescued animals — from dogs and buffalo to monkeys and cats.
Limited edition prints of Unwritten Courage will be on display at events across the summer including Warwickshire Open Studios in Rowington from June 27 to June 29 and Art in the Park in Leamington from August 2 to August 3.
Visit www.louisehancoxfineart.co.uk/elephants for more details.
