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Tembo and Becki
Location
Topeka Zoo
Date
January of 2024
Event
Topeka Zoo's Roar & Pour 2024
Tembo the Elephant & Artist Becki Waugh: A Wild Collaboration for a Good Cause
Art is for everyone — even elephants.
Tembo, a 53-year-old African elephant at the Topeka Zoo, is known for her intelligence, creativity, and weekly painting sessions. In January 2024, local visual artist Becki Waugh had the rare and inspiring opportunity to collaborate with Tembo on a one-of-a-kind artwork.
Together, they created a powerful piece that blended instinct and intention — an expression of interspecies creativity. The finished artwork was auctioned as part of the Topeka Zoo’s annual fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting animal care and community programming.
This unforgettable collaboration was a beautiful reminder that creativity knows no bounds — and that art can inspire, connect, and give back.
