Perth Zoo beloved icon Tricia the elephant memorialised in Ross Potter drawing acquired by Dunsborough gallery

A tribute drawing to one of Perth’s beloved four-legged long-trunked icons has made its way to a Dunsborough gallery. Indigenous artist Ross Potter’s life-size graphite drawing of Perth Zoo’s elephant Tricia came about after years of studying the animal during her time at the zoo. He started the work in 2018 after looking for a subject which could resonate with multiple generations. Potter said Tricia was an “iconic figure” for many people in Perth after arriving in 1963 from Vietnam. “A lot of the older generations remember her actually first getting shipped in when she was only little,” he said. “It was really interesting to have this one elephant to be this sort of connection point for all these people in their childhood. “That was the main reason we picked her — because she had such a lifespan across Perth and different generations and it always sort of brought people back to their childhood, and also had the children coming through, remembering her in the present as well.” Tricia died in July 2022, with an outpouring of support from the WA community. Potter told the Times he felt lucky to have spent time with her while drawing. He was able to eventually gain exclusive access to Tricia after building up a relationship with the zoo, its keepers and the elephant. “They basically let me go in as often as I wanted throughout the year to just go and do live drawings at the zoo, just watching her move and getting to know the zookeepers,” he said. “That was a pretty amazing experience. (The) first time meeting an elephant ... meeting an animal of that size. It was really special. “I felt really well connected to her after that, after getting to meet her, having a lovely little session with her, and had a chance to feed her some snacks. “You have a preconception of what she will feel like, or what she would be like to be up close. Then actually getting up close and being near her, she’s almost like being next to a really lovely person, quite a nice personality and a lovely soul.” The 2.7m by 4m artwork is now on display at the Yungarra Gallery and will also be accompanied by a donation box. Proceeds will go towards the International Elephant Project.