Unique Animal Art
Our keepers work to enrich the lives of the animals in their care every day by introducing fun, interesting, and complex activities, such as painting, to the animals’ daily routine. Using non-toxic paint on canvas and a little help from their keepers, our animals create their very own masterpieces. From paw prints to broad brush strokes, each artists’ creation is one of a kind.
Your purchase includes: an unmatted flat canvas, a photo of the animal artist, and shipping & handling (international freight may accrue extra postal fees).
Please note: Due to the holiday season, any paintings purchased after December 15 may not make it to their intended destinations by Christmas. We ship all packages using Priority shipping and tracking numbers are e-mailed.
Artist Profile
Holiday Ornaments
It’s time to deck the halls with our one-of-a-kind holiday ornaments, sure to please even the hardest to buy for family member. Each ceramic ornament is painted by one of our talented animal artists and comes with a printed photo. It’s sure to be a keepsake for years to come.
Ornaments
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Elephant: Baylor 1
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Elephant: Baylor 2
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Ocelot: Genoveve 1
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Rhino: George 1
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Rhino: George 5
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Rhino: George 6
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Rhino: George 7
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Rhino: Indy 1
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Rhino: Indy 2
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Rhino: Indy 5
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Rhino: Indy 6
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Rhino: Indy 7
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Rhino: Indy 8
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Elephant: Joy 1
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Elephant: Joy 2
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Bongo: Marvin 1
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Goat: Primrose 1
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Goat: Sassy 1
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Goat: Sassy 2
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Goat: Sassy 3
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Goat: Sassy 4
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Elephant: Shanti 1
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Elephant: Shanti 2
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Elephant: Shanti 3
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Elephant: Shanti 4
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Goat: Simon 1
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Red Panda: Take 1
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Red Panda: Take 2
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Elephant: Tess 2
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Elephant: Thailand 1
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Elephant: Thailand 2
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Elephant Tilly: 1
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Elephant: Tilly 2
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Elephant: Tilly 3
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Elephant: Tilly 4
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Elephant: Tilly 5
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Red Panda: Willow 1
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Red Panda: Willow 2
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Macaw: Denver 1
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Macaw: Denver 2
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Sea Lion: Cali 2
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Sea Lion: Cali 3
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Sea Lion: Cali 4
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Sea Lion: Kamia 2
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Sea Lion: Max 1
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Cheetah: Dinari 5
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Cheetah: Dinari 6
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Cheetah: Dinari 7
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Elephant: Tucker 1
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Elephant: Tucker 2
Artist Profile
Asian Elephants
Our Asian elephant herd loves to paint, and they each have their own unique style. To make their signature elephant kisses, our elephants (with the help of their keepers) gently press their noses to the canvas leaving the special heart shaped print behind. Everyone gets in on the fun- even our patriarch Thailand. Painting is a great way that our animal care team creates meaningful relationships with each of our elephants and we love to see what creations they come up with.
Art by Elephants
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"Muddy Waters" by Baylor
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"Flowers in Bloom" by Shanti
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"Fireglow" by Thailand
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"Jungle Trek" by Baylor
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"First Light" by Thailand
Artist Profile
Sea Lions
Our Sea Lions are pro painters, and love to work with their keepers to create beautiful art pieces! Using their noses, our sea lions gently press their faces into a canvas leaving heart shaped kisses behind. They also use a modified paint brush that they can hold in their mouths to swipe paint across the canvas with enthusiasm! This activity provides one-on-one interaction time with their animal care team and strengthens the relationship between the sea lions and Zoo Keepers. Plus, it results in a totally adorable painting for you!
Art by Sea Lions
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"Twilight Waters" by Calypso
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"Beautiful Dreamer" by Ariel
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"Starlight" by Ariel
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"Copper Glow" by Kamia
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"Making Waves" by Cali
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"Hide and Sea" by Cali
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"Daybreak" by Jonah
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"Tropical Waters" by Jonah
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"Holly Jolly" by Cali
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"Beautiful Morning" by Jonah
Artist Profile
Goats
Everyone has a favorite goat when visiting the Houston Zoo. Now you can take home your very own, one-of-a-kind creation. Our goats paint using a modified paintbrush while their keeper holds a canvas. The goats will move the paint brush back and forth across the canvas creating beautiful streaks of color and movement.
Art by Goats
Artist Profile
Gorillas
The keepers at the Houston Zoo work to enrich the lives of the animals in their care every day by adding interesting and complex activities to their daily routines. Enrichment activities are fun for both animals and keepers, and painting is an engaging activity that our Gorillas enjoy. Mike is known for leaving his signature circular wisps on the canvas, while Chaka sweeps his paintbrush from side to side filling up the space with his bold strokes. Each painting is unique, just like our Gorilla family.
Art by Gorillas
Artist Profile
Red River Hogs
Nothing is more unique than a piece of art made by one of our Red River Hogs. Using their noses, they gently push the paint around the canvas, creating beautiful watercolor scenes on every piece they create. No two creations are alike, making this a one-of-a-kind gift for even the hardest to please.
Art by Red River Hogs
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"Super Nova" by Neptune
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"Sunshine Day" by Luna
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"Celestial" by Neptune
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"Fields of Love" by Luna and Pinto
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"Sweet Treats" by Luna
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"Galaxies" by Luna
Artist Profile
Meerkats
Introducing Dottie, Mae and Kit! Our fiercely cute meerkat mob will keep you smiling as you watch them snuggling in a pile, furiously digging burrows or searching for food, and comically wrestling with each other. Meerkats paint after their keepers spread pools of paint and blank canvas on their bedroom floors. You can see tiny paws tracking across every piece they create.
Art by Meerkats
Artist Profile
Rhinos
Meet George, our 9-year old southern white rhino. George lives with our other male, Indy, and these two can often be found lounging in the mud or cooling off in the shade. To create the unique prints, George gently presses his body into the non-toxic paint and then onto the canvas. Each skin print is unique- just like our Rhinos.
Art by Rhinos
Artist Profile
Chimpanzees
Our chimpanzee art is as diverse and dynamic as the chimpanzees themselves. Whether painting as a group, as an individual, each painting reflects the personalities and relationships of these social primates.
Art by Chimpanzees
Artist Profile
Tapirs
Noah was born in Nashville, TN, but has been at the Houston Zoo since 2011. Baird’s tapirs, like Noah, are currently endangered. There are only about 5000 Baird’s tapirs left in the wild. Noah has played an important part in saving his species by fathering two calves at the Houston Zoo. He creates his paining’s by using his dexterous nose to move paint around on a canvas for some very expressive artwork.
Art by Tapirs
Artist Profile
Fossa
Riana is 14 years old and has lived at the Houston Zoo since 2009. Her keepers describe her as spunky and sassy, and you can often find Riana playing with enrichment and climbing around her exhibit. Riana is a bit of a unique painter because she is very quick on her feet and excitable. She doesn’t paint for food, but will instead paint by moving across the canvas to chase a toy or a feather.
Artist Profile
Cheetahs
It’s not unusual to see Dash & Dinari enjoying training sessions with their keepers each day. One-on-one interactions like these along with opportunities to create one-of-a-kind art pieces, strengthens the relationship between Dash & Dinari and the staff that cares for them. Beginning with a blank canvas, the brothers walk through the non-toxic paint and create dynamic paintings with their large paws (and the occasional tail swipe).
Artist Profile
Rainbo- Eclectus Parrot
Born here at the Houston Zoo in 1991, Rainbo is a wonderful ambassador to his species and is often seen during special events at the Zoo. He uses a paintbrush, held in his beak, and moves his head to create streaks of paint on the canvas. He is very deliberate about where he places the paint on the canvas and often leans away eyeing it critically before adding more paint to his masterpieces.
Artist Profile
Cougar
Celebrate your University of Houston fan with a painting made my Shasta himself! Like his counterparts in the wild, Shasta loves to climb and can often be seen high up on the rocks basking in the sunshine. Shasta’s unique relationship and trust in his animal care team makes for dynamic paintings, full of movement, paw prints and swirls.
Art by Shasta
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"Watercolor Memories" by Shasta
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"Pretty Prints" by Shasta
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"Hometown Heroes" by Shasta
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"Feeling Feisty" by Shasta
Artist Profile
Okapi
Kwame is 22 years old and has lived at the Houston Zoo since 2002. He loves attention from his animal care team and has never met a stranger. Kwame participates in painting experiences by gently rubbing his face (and sometimes tongue) in the paint on the canvas, creating beautiful swirls of color.
Art by Kwame
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"Holiday Memories" by Kwame
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"Rainy Day" by Kwame
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"Twilight Sky" by Kwame
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"Winter Wonderland" by Kwame
Artist Profile
African Lion
Each piece of art reflects the personality of our lion pride and their special bond with their animal care team. Mattie, largest of the sisters, loves swimming in the moat and playing with enrichment. Uzima is the feisty one in the group and she likes to start games of chase with her sister. Hasani, with his big, beautiful mane, is sometimes a scaredy cat. With their unique style of painting, it’s not unusual for these masterpieces to have paw prints, tail swipes and the occasional lick mark from their tongue.
Art by Lions
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"Singing the Blues" by Hasani
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"Through the Tall Grass" by Mattie and Uzima
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"Power and Grace" by Mattie and Uzima
Artist Profile
American Black Bear
Claud came to the Houston Zoo in 2022 after he appeared to be orphaned in Reno, NV. US Fish and Wildlife rescued him and asked the Houston Zoo if we could offer him a home. Claud has been settling in well over the last year, and he loves to play with enrichment and has been seen spending time in the pools in the hot summer months. His artwork is dramatic and eye-catching, with full paw prints that can be seen across the canvas.
Art by Claud
Artist Profile
Jaguars
Jaguar paintings are full of pawprints from our resident love birds, Tesoro and Vida. To make their striking creations, keepers spread pools of paint on the floors of their bedrooms, and when Tesoro and Vida walk across the canvas, they leave behind a beautiful trail of pawprints. Each piece is unique and special, just like our jaguars.
Art by Jaguars
Artist Profile
Malayan Tiger
Berani is 11 years old and joined the Houston Zoo family in 2016. A favorite of guests, he can often be seen snoozing under the bamboo or taking a dip in his pool. Evidence of Berani’s powerful paws are seen in every piece of art he creates. By walking through the paint, he leaves a trail of beautiful paw prints, and the occasional tail swipe.
Art by Berani
Artist Profile
Red Pandas
Willow and Také are guest favorites at the Houston Zoo. They create their works of art by walking across the canvas. Thick fur covers red panda’s entire bodies, even the soles of their feet, which means you’ll see imprints of all that fur in every Red Panda paw print masterpiece. Their favorite activity, besides interacting with the Zookeepers, is sleeping. Red pandas can sleep 16-18 hours a day! They need to rest from being so cute.
Art by Red Pandas
Artist Profile
Clouded Leopards
Tarak and Suksun came to the Houston Zoo in 2012 and as natural climbers can often be found high up in their exhibit. They are pros at painting with their paws to make unique shapes and patterns. Their delicate paw prints can be seen in every piece of art they create.
Art by Clouded Leopards
Artist Profile
Rainbo: Eclectus Parrot
Born here at the Houston Zoo in 1991, Rainbo is a wonderful ambassador to his species and is often seen during special events at the Zoo. He uses a paintbrush, held in his beak, and moves his head to create streaks of paint on the canvas. He is very deliberate about where he places the paint on the canvas and often leans away eyeing it critically before adding more paint to his masterpieces.
