Product Details

Ellie & Bobo -Riding atop her pudgy friend Bobo, Ellie is elated to be a part of the joyful parade. . Retired June 2009.

Long time Blackshear collectors will probably remember that Thomas has always wanted to introduce a child & a baby elephant into the Jamboree Parade for some time. Ellie's rapturous expression & Bobo the elephant's lifelike detail make Ellie & Bobo well worth the wait. An interesting inside fact about Bobo is the position of his right foot. "Many people have told me that having an elephant's right foot up and the trunk raised in a piece of art is a sign of good luck," Thomas explains. Acording to Thomas, "Ellie is just enjoying being on top of the world." In her cute, polka-dotted dress, she is living out many a child's dream of riding on an elephant. In addition to the bright colors of Bobo's blanket, Ellie'`s dress, & the "tag-along" toy elephant, the realistic coloring of Bobo himself adds a lifelike quality to the design. Always looking to the future, Thomas says Ellie & Bobo are just the beginning of the charming designs depicting children with animals in the Jamboree Parade.

Artist Bio

"I always knew I wanted to create Ebony Visions'. As an artist who happens to be black, I had distinct ideas about what I would like to see in the line." The elegant compeling figurines he created for the collection are a blen of both Art Nouveau and African culture, which Thomas calls "Afro-Nouveau." - Thomas Blackshear .Thomas Blackshear introduced Ebony Visions in April 1995 with the release of the first six Ebony Visions designs, The Storyteller, The Protector, The Nurturer, Siblings, Madonna and Tender Touch. Since then, Thomas Blackshear has created many new designs to add to the Ebony Visions collection. Thomas Blackshear's Ebony Visions collection is a master work of romantic symbolism. As with his paintings, these sculptures demonstrate Thomas Blackshear's incredible sense of design, unique eclectic style, and extraordinary mastery of color. Elegant drapery and delicate detail tantalize the eye while revealing each sculpted form. Thomas Blackshear's Ebony Visions depicts a full range of emotions that are both powerful and at the same time subtle. He deliberately portrays his Ebony Visions figures in a timeless setting in order to transcend a specific time, place, or culture. This unique collection of limited edition figurines emphasizes the beauty of the human form and symbolizes universal aspirations and ideals of humankind depicted through images that reflect the unique characteristics of the African American culture. For centuries classical beauty has been portrayed predominantly by white artisans who represent white subjects in their art. In this romantic and subtle tour de force, Thomas Blackshear creates a new vision of beauty and human emotion, an Ebony Vision.