Cody & Chrissy, Land of Enchantment (Santa Fe Collection)
Cody & Chrissy, Land of Enchantment (Santa Fe Collection), 20 x 20, acrylic on canvas, unframed, 2024
The Santa Fe Collection was created primarily by survivors of the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act.. These rescued chimps are now living in sanctuary at Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce, Florida. Just like humans, a few of these survivors enjoy the practice of painting, and find art therapeutic in healing from a traumatic past.
About the artist, Cody: I was born in 1999 at the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act. I was taken from my mother at birth. When I was very young, I was sold into the entertainment industry. I lived with three other chimps, including Sable (who lives with me at STC) and Angel (who now lives at the Center for Great Apes).
From the beginning, everyone knew that our days in “entertainment” were numbered. Only very young chimps can be coerced into performing, often by physical intimidation and abuse. By the time chimps are seven or eight years old, they are simply too big, smart, and strong to control, and usually end up in biomedical laboratories or roadside zoos, where they spend the rest of their lives confined to cages.
In 2005, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on our behalf alleging violations of the California anti-cruelty statute and federal Animal Welfare Act. As a result of the lawsuit, Sable and I were returned to Save the Chimps (STC), where we both became members of Freddy’s family.
I was not yet a teenager when I first arrived in Florida, but since then I’ve grown into a striking adult with thick black hair and a handsome face. I am a rowdy, fun-loving guy who is full of energy and a bit of a goofball. I am very athletic, and enjoy painting and hanging out with my friends. Most of all, I love to run. One of my favorite games is to hide on my island waiting for the humans to drive a golf cart down the road. When they go by, I burst out of hiding and run along my island shoreline as fast as the golf cart. I always win the race!
About the artist, Chrissy: I was born December 20, 1994, at a facility once known as “The Chimp Farm.” I was taken from my parents at the age of two and sold to an animal trainer. I was shipped to New Zealand, where I was thrust into the production of Babe 2: Pig in the City. The sudden separation from my mother, the long overseas journey, and the stress of being forced to behave in abnormal ways took an extreme toll on me. I became ill, to the point where even the trainer felt I might not survive.
When filming wrapped, I made the arduous journey to a private zoo in Alabama that had taken another of the trainer’s chimps, Freddy. At the age of 3, my acting career was over. I likely would have been dumped by the age of 8 anyway; chimps quickly become too dangerous to be handled by humans. Given that chimps live 40+ years, a chimpanzee who can no longer earn her keep becomes an expensive liability.
The zoo’s owners nursed me back to health and treated me as a pet. However, they also closed their zoo and found themselves with two chimpanzees who would outlive them. They contacted STC for help, and in 2007, Freddy and I became part of the STC family. My birth facility, the Hollywood trainer, and the private zoo had all failed to commit to my lifetime care. But Save the Chimps is different—this is my forever home.
I am a very spirited and strong-willed chimpanzee who has little patience for humans. I prefer the company of my chimpanzee friends and love being outdoors on the island home that I share with my family. I have a large oak tree to climb and a lovely covered bridge that offers shade and privacy. I like my creature comforts and enjoy lounging in a hammock or snuggling up to soft toys and blankets. Thankfully, my acting days are long behind me. I will never again be forced to be someone who I am not.
This collection is part of the groundbreaking show, Interspecies: Human and Chimp Art Collaborations, July 13 - August 25, 2024
Learn more about Save the Chimps here.
100% of proceeds go to Save the Chimps. The gallery takes no commission on sales.
Cody & Chrissy, Land of Enchantment (Santa Fe Collection), 20 x 20, acrylic on canvas, unframed, 2024
The Santa Fe Collection was created primarily by survivors of the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act.. These rescued chimps are now living in sanctuary at Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce, Florida. Just like humans, a few of these survivors enjoy the practice of painting, and find art therapeutic in healing from a traumatic past.
About the artist, Cody: I was born in 1999 at the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act. I was taken from my mother at birth. When I was very young, I was sold into the entertainment industry. I lived with three other chimps, including Sable (who lives with me at STC) and Angel (who now lives at the Center for Great Apes).
From the beginning, everyone knew that our days in “entertainment” were numbered. Only very young chimps can be coerced into performing, often by physical intimidation and abuse. By the time chimps are seven or eight years old, they are simply too big, smart, and strong to control, and usually end up in biomedical laboratories or roadside zoos, where they spend the rest of their lives confined to cages.
In 2005, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on our behalf alleging violations of the California anti-cruelty statute and federal Animal Welfare Act. As a result of the lawsuit, Sable and I were returned to Save the Chimps (STC), where we both became members of Freddy’s family.
I was not yet a teenager when I first arrived in Florida, but since then I’ve grown into a striking adult with thick black hair and a handsome face. I am a rowdy, fun-loving guy who is full of energy and a bit of a goofball. I am very athletic, and enjoy painting and hanging out with my friends. Most of all, I love to run. One of my favorite games is to hide on my island waiting for the humans to drive a golf cart down the road. When they go by, I burst out of hiding and run along my island shoreline as fast as the golf cart. I always win the race!
About the artist, Chrissy: I was born December 20, 1994, at a facility once known as “The Chimp Farm.” I was taken from my parents at the age of two and sold to an animal trainer. I was shipped to New Zealand, where I was thrust into the production of Babe 2: Pig in the City. The sudden separation from my mother, the long overseas journey, and the stress of being forced to behave in abnormal ways took an extreme toll on me. I became ill, to the point where even the trainer felt I might not survive.
When filming wrapped, I made the arduous journey to a private zoo in Alabama that had taken another of the trainer’s chimps, Freddy. At the age of 3, my acting career was over. I likely would have been dumped by the age of 8 anyway; chimps quickly become too dangerous to be handled by humans. Given that chimps live 40+ years, a chimpanzee who can no longer earn her keep becomes an expensive liability.
The zoo’s owners nursed me back to health and treated me as a pet. However, they also closed their zoo and found themselves with two chimpanzees who would outlive them. They contacted STC for help, and in 2007, Freddy and I became part of the STC family. My birth facility, the Hollywood trainer, and the private zoo had all failed to commit to my lifetime care. But Save the Chimps is different—this is my forever home.
I am a very spirited and strong-willed chimpanzee who has little patience for humans. I prefer the company of my chimpanzee friends and love being outdoors on the island home that I share with my family. I have a large oak tree to climb and a lovely covered bridge that offers shade and privacy. I like my creature comforts and enjoy lounging in a hammock or snuggling up to soft toys and blankets. Thankfully, my acting days are long behind me. I will never again be forced to be someone who I am not.
This collection is part of the groundbreaking show, Interspecies: Human and Chimp Art Collaborations, July 13 - August 25, 2024
Learn more about Save the Chimps here.
100% of proceeds go to Save the Chimps. The gallery takes no commission on sales.
Cody & Chrissy, Land of Enchantment (Santa Fe Collection), 20 x 20, acrylic on canvas, unframed, 2024
The Santa Fe Collection was created primarily by survivors of the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act.. These rescued chimps are now living in sanctuary at Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce, Florida. Just like humans, a few of these survivors enjoy the practice of painting, and find art therapeutic in healing from a traumatic past.
About the artist, Cody: I was born in 1999 at the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act. I was taken from my mother at birth. When I was very young, I was sold into the entertainment industry. I lived with three other chimps, including Sable (who lives with me at STC) and Angel (who now lives at the Center for Great Apes).
From the beginning, everyone knew that our days in “entertainment” were numbered. Only very young chimps can be coerced into performing, often by physical intimidation and abuse. By the time chimps are seven or eight years old, they are simply too big, smart, and strong to control, and usually end up in biomedical laboratories or roadside zoos, where they spend the rest of their lives confined to cages.
In 2005, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on our behalf alleging violations of the California anti-cruelty statute and federal Animal Welfare Act. As a result of the lawsuit, Sable and I were returned to Save the Chimps (STC), where we both became members of Freddy’s family.
I was not yet a teenager when I first arrived in Florida, but since then I’ve grown into a striking adult with thick black hair and a handsome face. I am a rowdy, fun-loving guy who is full of energy and a bit of a goofball. I am very athletic, and enjoy painting and hanging out with my friends. Most of all, I love to run. One of my favorite games is to hide on my island waiting for the humans to drive a golf cart down the road. When they go by, I burst out of hiding and run along my island shoreline as fast as the golf cart. I always win the race!
About the artist, Chrissy: I was born December 20, 1994, at a facility once known as “The Chimp Farm.” I was taken from my parents at the age of two and sold to an animal trainer. I was shipped to New Zealand, where I was thrust into the production of Babe 2: Pig in the City. The sudden separation from my mother, the long overseas journey, and the stress of being forced to behave in abnormal ways took an extreme toll on me. I became ill, to the point where even the trainer felt I might not survive.
When filming wrapped, I made the arduous journey to a private zoo in Alabama that had taken another of the trainer’s chimps, Freddy. At the age of 3, my acting career was over. I likely would have been dumped by the age of 8 anyway; chimps quickly become too dangerous to be handled by humans. Given that chimps live 40+ years, a chimpanzee who can no longer earn her keep becomes an expensive liability.
The zoo’s owners nursed me back to health and treated me as a pet. However, they also closed their zoo and found themselves with two chimpanzees who would outlive them. They contacted STC for help, and in 2007, Freddy and I became part of the STC family. My birth facility, the Hollywood trainer, and the private zoo had all failed to commit to my lifetime care. But Save the Chimps is different—this is my forever home.
I am a very spirited and strong-willed chimpanzee who has little patience for humans. I prefer the company of my chimpanzee friends and love being outdoors on the island home that I share with my family. I have a large oak tree to climb and a lovely covered bridge that offers shade and privacy. I like my creature comforts and enjoy lounging in a hammock or snuggling up to soft toys and blankets. Thankfully, my acting days are long behind me. I will never again be forced to be someone who I am not.
This collection is part of the groundbreaking show, Interspecies: Human and Chimp Art Collaborations, July 13 - August 25, 2024
Learn more about Save the Chimps here.
100% of proceeds go to Save the Chimps. The gallery takes no commission on sales.