THE RAMA TEAM
An International Traveling Exhibition of Endangered Species
Dedicated to the Children of the World by Calley O'Neill with Rama the Elephant
AN EPIC JOURNEY OF ART AND SOUL FOR THE EARTH
CALLEY O’NEILL, Principal Artist, Founder, Creative Director in Waimea, Hawai’i
Calley O’Neill is a highly respected artist, muralist, visionary designer and social ecologist from the Big Island of Hawai‘i. Journalists have described her art, which spans four decades, as ethno-visionary, dynamic, symbolic and breathtaking. Calley finds her expression through classical glaze painting in mixed media works, public murals, stained glass and mosaic. Her landmark Healing Gardens of Makahikilua master plan for North Hawai’i Community Hospital in Kamuela received national recognition among top landscape architects in the field of therapeutic garden design. A great team player, Calley’s input raises the bar and sparks innovation toward healing the Earth and its inhabitants. Journalists have described her as ‘a way-finder’, ‘a life giving force’ and ‘a force of nature.’
Calley is known for exceptional quality draftsmanship, a crystalline mastery of glaze painting, stimulating diversity, relentless experimentation, and her love of the Earth and humanity. Her magnum opus is Rama, Ambassador for the Endangered Ones, and she continually works on the exhibition paintings in her Waimea studio and her plein air pop-up studio and tree gallery at the Four Seasons Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, where she is the Artist in Residence. Her paintings are both visual prayers and wake-up calls.
Calley earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, summa cum laude from Pratt Institute, New York (1974) and a Master’s Degree in Social Ecology from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont (1977).
RAMA, Artist Elephant (1983 - 2015), Portland, Oregon
The youngest son of the late Packy and Rosy, Oregon Zoo’s most prestigious pachyderms, Rama was destined for fame. Renowned as the first elephant to be born in the Western Hemisphere in 44 years, Packy was born at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Packy’s rare birth received international media attention, including an 11-page spread in Life Magazine in 1962. At 12 feet tall from head to toe, the handsome Packy was one of the tallest elephants in the United States. He was knighted by the Royal Rosarians as Sir Packy in celebration of his fiftieth birthday in 2012.
His son, Rama was born on April Fool’s Day in 1983. Rama inherited his friendly personality from his mother, Rosy. Rama was the smallest of four bulls in the herd, weighing roughly 8,270 pounds. In contrast, in 2008, his dad Packy weighed over 14,500 pounds.
Rama began painting as a form of enrichment, leading to his career as Oregon’s ‘biggest’ artist and extraordinary abstract expressionist. Highly intelligent, Rama quickly learned how to paint with his trunk freely choosing to paint at every opportunity, his ears coming out as he shook his head, showing interest and excitement. He seemed to relish every moment of the creative interactions. Read more
JEB BARSH - Oregon Zookeeper, Portland, Oregon
As one of a great team, Jeb Barsh is a highly dedicated keeper who loves his work today more than ever. He worked in the elephant barn for years before moving in 2012 to the African Savanna Exhibit. Creative, quick witted and passionate about saving endangered species, Jeb has worked with animals in one way or another since childhood. He is a husband and father and sees the similarities between human relations and relating to animals. Caring is caring. Here’s what Jeb has to say about his relationship with Rama.
Rama was a remarkable animal, and it has been a great pleasure to work with him. I remain his greatest fan and am honored to have come to know him as a partner. His utter abandon and cooperation inspired those that were lucky enough to witness him work. He brightened upon the sight of us. He became a successful artist. We choreographed and he cooperated with enthusiasm. He thrust himself toward the outcome, in faith, so it seems to me, and his paint exploded on the canvas – a dance. I searched for purpose for Rama and found it in this work.
We were human and elephant engaged in a joyous transfer of energy that unexpectedly produced a unique body of work. From the brink of extinction, he joins trunk to hand to canvas to you – to inspire all children to act upon their innate instinct to nurture each other and all the creatures of this planet. Read more
JULIA FAIRCHILD, Web Designer, Seamstress, Girl Everyday, Waimea, Hawaii
Julia Fairchild is the web weaver, research and administrative assistant, official seamstress, social media maven, and more.
Before becoming a web designer, Julia earned a B.A. in Psychology from Antioch University in 1998.
Julia also practices as a Rapid Eye Technician, Reiki Master, and Clinical Hypnotherapist, where she stresses the importance of integrating physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels of healing by honoring, releasing, and reframing old patterns of being into new choices for vibrant health and vitality.
A sensitive and self-taught web designer, Julia is intent on helping creative people with big dreams move their ideas out into the world. Read more
DR TOM HOHL - Master Woodturner, Seattle, Washington
Dr. Hohl is directing the production of the Wildlife Prayer Wheels. He has been a highly respected oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Seattle for 40 years, including teaching at the University of Washington as an associate professor. His college degree in biology included ecology and ornithology. Tom's studies sharpened his lifelong interest in animals and nature, especially bird life.
Dr. Hohl took his first woodturning class in North Wales in 1973. In 1994, he purchased a custom made lathe and began honing his skills by studying the work of professional wood turners, reading hundreds of wood turning books and magazines, and watching endless DVD’s. Tom's been turning ever since.
J. PHILLIP JONES - Psychiatrist and Cosmologist, Sonoma, California
Philip’s Animal Wheel will be the centerpiece of The Circle of Life Action Room. He is an author, psychotherapist, and rites of passage facilitator. After working as an engineer, Philip became a Hindu monk, where he served for 17 years. He began an intensive study of Carl Jung’s teachings in 1993, and integrates these teachings with the principles of indigenous medicine wheels.
His Animal Wheel features 16 animals, 13 of whom are endangered, which helps individuals to connect with their true nature, as portrayed by their kindred animal spirit.
Phillip is the author of Light on Death: The Spiritual Art of Dying, and is a senior spiritual counselor and teacher for hospice, co-owner of Questing Spirit, and a leader of retreats to sacred sites around the world. Phillip is nearing completion of a new book entitled The Four Seeds of Greatness.
CHRIS MOENCH, Ceramic Prayer Wheels, Bellingham, Washington
Ceramic sculptor Chris Moench founded Axis of Hope: Prayer Wheels in response to a Bellingham, Washington pipeline explosion that destroyed a mile of salmon stream and killed three boys in 1999. Since then, Moench has created more than 500 prayer wheels for restoration, healing, and marking watershed events.
His prayer wheels grace healthcare centers, hospice, memorials, weddings and religious institutions from many traditions. He created prayer wheels for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and President Barack Obama. His wheels reflect the interdependence of all life and ask us to live with compassionate intention, as a prayer among billions on this prayer wheel, Earth.
LAMAR YOAKUM - Master Stained Glass Artisan, Volcano, Hawai'i
Lamar Yoakum is an old-world stained glass and mosaic artisan with amazing color and pattern sensitivity, precision craftsmanship, and skillful installation.
Together he and Calley have more than 50 years of combined stained glass experience. Lamar was a U.S. Air Force Security Service foreign language and voice intercept technician and then developed a wallpaper hanging business over 30 years.
Lamar moved on to organic farming, carpentry, construction, and mechanical repair before turning his full focus to stained glass and mosaic. Lamar's craftsmanship sets the standard for excellence in his field.
THE RAMA TEAM PHOTOGRAPHERS
THE GERMAN AEROSPACE CENTER (DLR) is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport, digitalisation and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space programme. DLR is also the umbrella organisation for the nation’s largest project management agency.
MICHAEL DURHAM, Oregon Zoo Photographer, Portland, Oregon has contributed to each of the eight paintings featured here. From the tiny spaces of an urban yard, to the remote corners of the Earth – Michael Durham has used a camera to document subjects that are often beyond human perception. To this end, he has studied and practiced bat photography, remote nocturnal photography, trail camera photography, extreme macro photography, infrared photography, long exposure photography, and much more. The more elusive a subject, the more interesting it is. Michael brings with this years of experience in the trenches as a commercial photographer where subject, light, and moment are combined to make powerful images that capture an idea or emotion. For years now, video has also been a part of his work.
CELESTE ETS-HOKIN of The Xerces Society, Native Beeguiled and WildBeeGardens provided the native bee reference photographed in her backyard in the NW US.
JACK JEFFREY Wildlife Biologist, Volcano, Hawaii
As a long time resident of the Big Island of Hawaii, wildlife biologist, photographer and birder, Jack Jeffrey, is intimately familiar with Hawaii's hidden valleys, remote rainforests and rare birds. He brings to his images the knowledge from over 30 years of observation and study of Hawaii's endemic birds, as well as those from around the Pacific. He combines a naturalist's curiosity with a photographer's patience and technical skill to produce beautiful images. Jack contends' that "Public awareness is the greatest asset to Hawaii's imperiled species". Jack is the recipient of the prestigious National Sierra Club 2002 Ansel Adams' Award for Conservation Photography, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Recovery Champion Award, Nature Conservancy of Hawaii Kako'o Aina Award, Hawaii Chapter Sierra Club Conservationist of the Year Award, and Hawaii Audubon Society Conservationist of the Year Award. Read more by clicking on Jack's photo, or visit his website.
ROBIN MOORE, photographer, filmmaker, author, conservationist, and host of the No Filter podcast, in which he turns the lens on some of the most influential photographers working today.
Robin grew up in Scotland chasing frogs and newts before entering the steamy jungles of West Africa to study chameleons, a life-altering experience that ignited a burning desire to try to protect such incredible places bubbling with life.
In 2014 he published his first book, In Search of Lost Frogs, a 70,000-word narrative wrapped around 400 images depicting his search for some of the most elusive creatures on earth. The book was featured by the Guardian, Mother Nature Network and the Dodo as one of the top nature and conservation photography books of the year.
THOMAS MARENT, Wildlife Photographer, Neuenhof, Switzerlandwas born in 1966 in Baden, Switzerland. During his childhood he developed a strong fascination for nature and wildlife. When he bought his first camera at the age of 16, he became as passionate about photography.
At the age of 23, Marent first set foot into a rainforest in Australia: “It was rainy season and the forest was bursting with life. It was hot, humid, noisy and completely exhilarating, but most exciting of all was the wildlife. I was immediately hooked. There and then, I made up my mind to explore rainforests throughout the world”. And so he did. Since that first expedition, he has explored rainforests all over the world.
PAUL McCORMICK, Photographer/Giclee Master, Waimea, Hawaii
began photographing wildlife as a teenager in the Alaska wilderness. Through his work with bears, moose, caribou, and other species, Paul developed the immense patience needed to capture their essence.
After earning a degree in wildlife management at the University of Alaska, Paul focused his cameras on Hawai‘i, bringing his extraordinary skills and distinctive vision to the endangered species of the islands.
Paul is a master printer with more than 20 years of experience in giclee production. His skillful use of advanced equipment and quality materials create exquisite reproductions for a select group of artists in Hawai’i.
PIOTR (PETER) NASKRECKI) entomologist, photographer and author, currently at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (Cambridge, MA, USA.). He received his M. Sc. degree in Zoology from the A. Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland (1990), and a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (2000). Between 2002 and 2009 Piotr served as Director of the Invertebrate Diversity Initiative at the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science at Conservation International, Washington, D.C. His research focuses on the evolution of katydids and related insects, and the theory and practice of nature conservation.
EARL REININK, Wildlife Photographer, Dunneville, ON, Canada
From the first time I looked through a macro lens, I was photographically hooked. Since that day in 1977, I have devoted all my spare time in the pursuit of the "ultimate image" and fortunately have yet to take it.
My journey has led me to writing and publishing in various magazines, lecturing at numerous camera clubs, and finally a career in wedding, aerial and product photography.
In 1999 this fascination in image making brought me to the Dundas Valley School of Art, where I have taken numerous courses in drawing and painting, and ultimately, the opening of my gallery - "Canadian Art Sales." Photography remains for me, the vehicle for my art inspiration.
DOUG PERRINE, Wildlife Photographer, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost marine wildlife photographers. His photographs have been reproduced in virtually every major nature magazine in the world, as well as in thousands of books, calendars, greeting cards, posters, etc., including more than 100 covers. His photography has won a number of awards, including the prestigious BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition as the overall winner (2004), and also winner of the animal behavior category and the Nature's Best/Cemex competition in the Professional Marine Wildlife category.
He is also the author of seven books on marine life and numerous magazine articles. Doug founded SeaPics.com as a venue for his own photography, and later expanded it to represent a growing number of other photographers as well. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Doug was educated at the University of Hawaii and the University of Miami, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in marine biology. He has lived in Morocco and Micronesia (as a Peace Corps volunteer) and the Cayman Islands (as a dive guide/instructor). Since finishing graduate school in 1986, he has been self-employed as a naturalist/photojournalist.
SUSAN DOMREIS - Oregon Zoo Photo Team, Enrichment Team, Animal Talker, Past Photo Team Co-Chair, Past Primate Enrichment Liaison, Past ZooDoer Graphic Designer and Layout Artist.
Susan is currently retired, working only when she wants to, and we feel so lucky to have had her expertise in capturing Kutai's likeness for this painting.
RAMA: AMBASSADOR FOR THE ENDANGERED ONES
Artists Speaking Passionately on Behalf of Those who Cannot Speak
KEOKI STENDER is a native Hawaiian photographer, educator, diving industry specialist, and owner of marinelifephotography.com, a popular species identification resource for Hawaii and beyond. He studied marine science and botany at the University of Hawaii and shares this passion as a guest speaker and volunteer educator for many organizations. Keoki is a PADI scuba instructor with more than 25 years of experience in the dive industry.
YUKO STENDER, Animal Lover, Surfer, and PADI Divemaster is originally from Tokyo, Japan and earned a BA in Liberal Studies-Marine Science from the University of Hawai'i at Hilo and Masters degree in Geography at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She has experience as a Assistant Dolphin Trainer and Bilingual Interpreter at Sea Life Park in Waimanalo, O'ahu, Finfish Aquaculture technician at the Oceanic Institute, and Environmental Lab technician, and Educator with Rapture Marine Expeditions,Waikiki Aquarium, Marine Option Program, and 'Alu Like. Yuko was Scuba certified in 1987 and began taking underwater photos in 1992. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Geography at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
DALE WALSH, Photographer, Ardent traveler
We fell in love with Dale's photograph of a breaching whale while surfing the net for one. The photo was a stock photo, and it took some effort for Julia to track him down and call him. She was so excited, she didn't realize it was 9:30 pm at his house. Dale graciously agreed to sharing the 2006 Maui photo, which was also a winner of the 2006 Pacific Whale Foundation Photo Contest! Dale's photography is widely varied, and covers 62 galleries in his online photo base.
Obviously well traveled, Dale says, "A picture is worth a thousand words but an experience is worth a thousand pictures!"
CHAD YOSHINAGA, NOAA Fisheries’ lead man in the Pacific Region
Chad's journey started out in Hawaii, where he was born and raised, involves a chemistry set he received in 4th grade that got him hooked on science and continued as he graduated from Roosevelt High School and later from University of Hawai`i.
His love of animals and his time spent in the ocean growing up in Hawai`i also played a key role in his career path. He worked with University of Hawaii's Marine Options Program as an undergraduate, volunteered with the Hawaiian monk seal program and was hooked. Eventually he worked his way up to a paid position he’s worked ever since to study and protect one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals.
CHARLIE RUTKOWSKI, Zoo Photographer, Oregon Zoo
Charlie's photo of Rama as a baby inspired this painting depicting the "Birth of Rama."
