Credit: Clay Elephant - Serafine Lilien

Elephant Clay Herd

Northwest

When

June 4–27, 2026

Days vary, Times vary

Free

Where

imperfecta gallery

809 NW Flanders St
Portland, OR 97209

The following description was submitted by the event organizer.

The Imperfecta Gallery is excited to present Elephant Clay Herd, a fundraiser featuring works by Portland-based artist Serafine Lilien. Created to honor elephants’ matriarchal family structures and to raise awareness about their precarious future. 20% percent of the proceeds will go to organizations that rescue, care for, and rewild orphaned elephants and protect wild lands, including Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya. These groups milk-feed and nurture orphaned calves, socialize them with peers, and, when ready, return them to wild herds—where elephants often remember and revisit those who raised them. These organizations take care of the orphans for about 10 years.

Artist Serafine Lilien created a herd of off-white tusk-colored ceramic sculptures that deliberately lack tusks as a symbol of what’s being taken from them—both literally (by poaching for ivory) and figuratively (by habitat loss and exploitation). As the artist explains: “Sculpting these animals is my way of urging viewers to see elephants as wild, sentient beings that deserve space, freedom, and respect rather than entertainment or captivity.”

Elephants face steep declines: roughly 415,000 wild African elephants and 40,000–50,000 wild Asian elephants remain, and both species confront poaching, habitat loss, and climate-related pressures. Some elephants are now born without tusks, an alarming biological change whose causes are still being studied; meanwhile, demand for ivory continues to drive violence and hardship in communities where people have few alternatives to poaching. Elephant tusks are their molar teeth. Serafine Lilien’s herd bluntly asks whether you would kill for molar teeth? to provoke empathy and action – not pity. Her inspiration grew from visiting African parks and witnessing the transformative experience of seeing elephants in the wild, contrasting with the sadness of elephants confined in zoos or used in tourism. Responsible tourism choices and advocacy (including recent moves by travel guides away from animal exploitation) help, but lasting change also requires empowering local communities to protect their wildlife and landscapes. Education and access—bringing children and local families into parks and sharing stewardship knowledge—builds long-term coexistence.

By adopting one of Serafine’s elephants, collectors will support the lifecycle of rescue, rehabilitation, and return, helping ensure these magnificent animals continue to thrive.

Portland-based Serafine Lilien works in clay to create whimsical, yet realistic/stylistic sculptures of dogs, cats and other animals. Her art background is classic, shaped by studying and sculpting the figure at the National Academy of Design in NY and at Artida Arts Inc. in Italy. She has an undergraduate degree in Medical Illustration, which explains her realist style. Serafine has been creating art since she was in the 6th grade.

Debuting on June 4, with an Opening Reception from 5 to 8 p.m.