Rudi takes time to choose his colors and prefers cardboard tubes instead of paint brushes. Kelly likes to apply paint to canvas using lengths of bamboo or ginger. Cheyenne and Elok will use brushes but have developed an intriguing finger painting style. Solaris usually ends up wearing as much paint as ends up on the canvas. Despite his blustery demeanor, Doc's images seem to indicate a gentle soul hiding behind all the bravado. The artists have two things in common: they all create their images at the Houston Zoo's Wortham World of Primates; and they are all orangutans.

See these amazing works of art during the single night exhibition of Pongos Helping Pongos 2008 on Saturday, March 29, 2008 in a fine arts setting, including a wine and cheese reception at G Gallery in the Heights, 301 E. 11th Street from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The exhibition will feature not only unique orangutan art but also paintings by the Houston Zoo's elephants and siamangs as well as collaborative works with prominent local artists. At the close of the evening, all paintings as well as photographic portraits of the featured artists will be sold by silent auction. The evening's proceeds will be donated to the preservation of orangutans and elephants in their natural habitats.

Since 2004, Pongos Helping Pongos has raised more than $35,000 for the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Program and more than $20,000 for Indonesia's Gunung Palung National Park. Both projects are on the island of Borneo and represent some of the last remaining habitats for wild orangutans.

Click here to meet the artists and learn about Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Program and Indonesia's Gunung Palung National Park.

Click here for more information on the Houston Zoo!