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).
Virtual Animal Painting Experiences
Join in on this virtual, 20-minute experience and watch your very own animal art creation come to life. You will be able to choose your own colors and interact with our keepers as they assist our animals in creating the art pieces. At the end of the session, the piece will be mailed to you!
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.
Artist Profile

George and Indy- Southern White Rhinos
Meet George and Indy, our two Southern White Rhinos. They can often be found lounging in the mud or cooling off in the shade. To create the unique prints, Indy and George gently press their hips and backside’s into our non-toxic paint and then onto the canvas. These paintings are the result of the strong bond that our keepers and Rhinos share, and would make the perfect gift to share with your favorite Rhino fan.
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. Henry, TJ and Leom, our newest additions, are adding their own flair to their art pieces as well. Each painting is unique, just like our Gorilla family.
Artist Profile

Cheetahs
It’s not unusual to see Dash & Dinari or Kito & Kiburi enjoying early morning walks with their animal care team before the Zoo opens to the public. One-on-one interactions like these walks, along with opportunities to create one of a kind art pieces, strengthens the relationship between our cheetahs and their Zoo keepers. 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

Clark- Green Winged Macaw
Clark has been part of the Houston Zoo family since 2006 and lives behind the scenes in the Natural Encounters department. He isn’t afraid to make friends with anyone and is always saying hello. Clark loves painting, walnuts, and attention from his keepers. He particularly enjoys using different colors in his paintings to make sure each one is unique.
Purchase a Custom Painting
Choose your favorite artist and have a custom painting made just for you based on your color choices. Each painting is unique and each artist has his or her very different techniques. Paintings will be shipped within six weeks after you order.
$250 per painting
16 x 20 flat canvas
*Note: Custom Pieces are not currently available for purchase. Please check back again soon for updates
Choose Your Artist

Tiger
While walking across a canvas, evidence of Berani’s large, powerful paws are found in every piece he creates. The artwork is a true testament to Berani’s strong relationship with his animal care team.

Orangutan
Kelly and the rest of our orangutan family enjoy painting and each work of art represents the temperament of the artists. Whether using gentle brush strokes, bold finger marks or occasionally various mixed mediums – their artwork is guaranteed to be one of a kind.

Elephant
Using their dexterous trunks and an elephant sized artist’s palette, our elephant herd creates paintings that are true works of art.