Why does Kathleen Zimmerman think that zebras are Rising Stars?
Kathleen Zimmerman’s latest drawing, Rising Star, is the fourth in her Star Series. The idea behind this series is to portray a variety of animals that have for some reason or another grabbed our attention and become stars, in a sense. Stars, in that they have become icons that are used widely in stories and popular culture.
Star Series - Rising, drawing, created and copyrighted by Kathleen Zimmerman
Zebras have long been featured in African folktales but in recent times have found themselves front and center in American popular culture. Most notably in films such as, Madagascar, Racing Stripes and Khumba. This is why Zimmerman sees them as rising stars. She believes these iconic animals are featured in popular culture due to their inherent design and sociability. The fact that they exhibit the ultimate mastery of design, both in their coats and their form, is one reason. It is hard to imagine a more distinctive and pleasing coloration. Each zebra has its own unique patterning much like each human has its own unique fingerprint. Their physical form is strong and fleet. Their sharp hooves and muscular build are used to ward off predators who get close but its their ability to run full out in large groups that captures our imagination. The other reason they have become “stars”, their social nature. They choose to live in groups, from small family-sized groups to large-scale herds, bonding to whatever group they find themselves in. When they are not being threatened, they live quite peacefully helping each other by loosening matted hair with their teeth or fanning flies away from their herd mates with their tails as they graze the grasslands or mountainsides. These aspects endear them to us. So, when thinking about the Stars of the animal world, it is no wonder Kathleen Zimmerman chose them for inclusion.
For those who have not seen our related post concerning Kathleen Zimmerman’s Star Series, we are sharing images of her first two serigraphs from that series, Evening Star and Morning Star. These intense portraits of the wild versions of the cat and the dog, or tiger and wolf, integrate the aesthetic beauty of these animals with hints of their jungle and forest habitats. While these carnivores have long been feared and even hated because they were seen as rivals to humans, this is changing in today’s world as it should be. They are no longer our rivals but worthy fellow creatures that deserve our respect and allowed the space they need to live their lives. They are after all, essential members of healthy wild ecosystems. When left alone in the wild, they create a balance that is beneficial to both the plant and animals’ worlds. In Zimmerman’s serigraphs, she used orange in reference to the evening sky and the tiger’s coat while she used blue in reference to the early morning sky and the wolf’s melancholy song.
An image of Zimmerman’s third serigraph in this series, Star Series - Midday is shown above. Here Zimmerman portrayed the iconic Panda Bear, an undeniable star of the animal world. This masked sweetheart has a way of stealing everyone’s hearts away largely due to its distinctive coloration, gentle nature and clumsy yet adorable way of moving. In Zimmerman’s serigraph, she used green to reference its bamboo forest habitat and its harmonious, optimistic personality.
While the limited-edition, hand-pulled serigraphic prints of Star Series - Rising have not been created yet, the image above shows its design. Along with the depiction of a zebra, hints of its savanna and mountainside complete this composition. Zimmerman plans to use a golden background to symbolize the rising sun, grasslands and enlightenment that is needed to protect them from endangerment and extinction.
Kathleen Zimmerman’s digital print edition is now available, but we will let you know when the serigraphic prints become available on this website and through our emailing list. If you are not on our email list, go to the contact page on this website and sign up to get periodic emails about Kathleen Zimmerman’s latest creations!
Zimmerman Fine Art Studio