This June 1971 photo shows an example of artwork done by Topeka orangutan Djakarta Jim in the 1970s. (The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP)

Topeka ? Five Topeka artists challenged their creative spirits when they collaborated with Topeka Zoo animals to craft artwork that was featured at a local gallery during March’s First Friday Artwalk.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports work of the artists and their animal painting partners were featured Friday, March 3, at the NexLynx Gallery of Art.

Lee Ryan, president of NexLynx, said the idea for zoo animals to create a base painting that would then be enhanced by local artists was born last year as he talked with zoo officials. His business has been active in supporting the zoo.

The five artists and animals they paired with are Staci Dawn and Tembo the African elephant; Bob Hayes and the Madagascar hissing cockroaches; Alexander Lancaster and Tiffany the gorilla; Jessie Logan and Patrick the red-tailed boa; and Nicole Maddox and Rojo the Sumatran tiger.

The unique project was a lot of fun, Ryan said.

“I was there during all of the painting sessions with the animals, except for the gorillas,” he said. “I was really intrigued with the whole process. The artists really got into it. They were all pretty excited. One in particular, Jessie Logan, really does not like snakes, but she selected the boa. At the end, after they cleaned off the snake, they had her actually hold him.”

Logan laughed about her reaction to the snake.

“That was feel the fear and do it anyway,” she said.

The project challenged Logan, who was able to take the painting to new levels after her first rendezvous with Patrick at the zoo.

“The first day, I went out when our time was scheduled, the boa was shedding its skin that day, so we couldn’t paint,” she said. “We rescheduled it, and when I went back they had the skin that he had shed. I asked if possibly I could use it in my painting.”

Logan’s painting does indeed include that snake skin. She said she chose the background and selected the colors the snake would “paint” on the canvas, although she might have chosen differently had she planned around that skin.

“This is one creative piece of artwork,” Logan said. “As it turned out, it’s just great. It’s just really unique. All is good. It was fun to be creative. He did such a good job that it’s really a contemporary piece of art. After the boa got through with his crawling across it, all it needed was a little enhancement and his skin to add to it.”

Dawn, who worked with Tembo the African elephant, loved the experience.

“It was so much fun to be a part of this project. Such an amazing opportunity as an artist to be able to collaborate with an animal,” she said. “I was so humbled. I have had some pretty amazing opportunities over the last few years. This one is at the top of my list.”

Jared Bednar, the zoo’s guest services manager, said there has been “some really neat artistic inspiration” around this latest project. Along with the five primary pieces in the NexLynx showing were other animal artwork, including paintings done by everything from a swan to a bear.

In addition, historical artwork done by Djakarta Jim, a popular orangutan artist at the Topeka Zoo in the 1970s, was on display, Bednar said. The orangutan was well-known for his artwork and even won first place in a statewide art contest when the judges didn’t know he was an animal.

After the paintings were done, Ryan said, they worked with Art Print Express to take photos so the zoo can make prints to use in whatever way it sees fit. Frame Warehouse framed the paintings, which were shown at the NexLynx gallery and then auctioned at the Friends of the Topeka Zoo’s Roar and Pour Wine Fest on April 29. Proceeds will benefit Friends of the Topeka Zoo.