Exotic World Gifts' Famous Video of an Elephant Painting with his Trunk? Now 7 Million YouTube Hits

Exotic World Gifts' Famous Video of an Elephant Painting with his Trunk: Founders took the video, sell the elephant painting and provide a sustainable income for villagers

(Vocus/PRWEB ) April 29, 2008 -- Founders of Exotic World Gifts, Inc., an e-commerce import company, said that during a recent visit to northern Thailand to identify distinctive gifts, they discovered elephants who could paint realistic art with their trunks. They took an 8-minute video of an elephant painting, posted it on their Web site, Exotic World Gifts, and last month posted it on YouTube. In the next 30 days, it became the most viewed video in YouTube's Pets and Animals category and the company has received thousands of individual and press requests for information about the elephants' unique talents. Today, the company sells the elephant paintings on its Web site and the founders say there is a much deeper story to be told.

The deeper story to be told is the connection between the elephants' gifts of art and our connection to them and the villagers who train them

Liz Allen, CEO and Mark Fangue, COO of Exotic World Gifts make frequent visits to developing countries, including Thailand, Africa and others, to identify artisans with a variety of unique gifts, including hand-made jewelry, paintings, and one-of-a-kind home d?cor items to be distributed through their business, operational since December 2007. Both left their corporate jobs to pursue a lifestyle they say is "from their heart." Their trip to Thailand not only produced a video of great interest, but allowed them to purchase the exquisite paintings of elephants, flowers, and abstracts to sell on their Web site.

"The video is, for many, unbelievable but is nevertheless true," said Allen. "The deeper story to be told is the connection between the elephants' gifts of art and our connection to them and the villagers who train them," said Liz Allen, CEO. "We were honored to observe elephants painting and were moved deeply. We also learned much from the villagers about the lives of each elephant and the need to preserve the Asian elephant from extinction."

"This experience had a huge impact on us," said Allen. "We realized there was no other decision to be made but to pay the villagers sustainable wages and help their conservation mission by expanding US distribution of this amazing art." Allen and co-founder Mark Fangue stand strongly behind the tenants of the Fair Trade Federation-fair wages, environmentally sound practices, safe working conditions, and the prevention of child labor.

Fangue says the world is ready for a new way of purchasing items?"Compassion Shopping™." We empower people to make a difference in other people's lives. He explains that each item has a personal story of the artisan's life, so purchasers know they are connecting to a greater good. "Whether it's a finely crafted ceramic/woven bowl from Africa or an exquisite silk scarf from Thailand, when we sell these gifts it is an exchange of the heart?from artisan to buyer?we're a conduit to make it happen and connect our cultures consciously."

Exotic World Gifts is a privately-held Web-based import company and the founders reside in Del Mar, California. They import more than 350 unique gift ideas from eight countries.

(Thailand, Bali, Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Central & South America and India) The items are aesthetically rich and authentic, resembling works of art with every day utility. For more information, visit the Web site at: www.ExoticWorldGifts.com.

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