Last fall, Trisha Mae Samuel of Emmaus attended a march to support her sister, Jen Samuel, in Washington, D.C. It was the International March for Elephants, to advocate on behalf of endangered elephants around the world, to the legislators on Capitol Hill.

Samuel saw a connection since her 18-month-old daughter Adaline's nursery was painted a design of yellow elephants.

Samuel's awakening experience continued as she began to research and study the life of elephants.

Her research led her to understand how elephants are hunted and killed for their ivory tusks by poachers. Even if an elephant is not killed and its tusks are removed, the animal tends to bleed to death, she notes. This leaves an elephant's calf an orphan in the wild to die without a family to support it.

"This is a tragedy," Samuel says in a thoughtful tone, "how we treat the animals without a voice."

Samuel felt hopeless at first, but thought that she could bring a voice to animals through her artwork.

Samuel provides a voice for endangered species in her exhibit of charcoals as part of "The Red Show," 6 - 9 p.m. March 14, the Banana Factory, 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem.

In one of her works, an elephant, with its white tusks, stares right from the paper. In a closer look at this magnificent elephant, one sees the dark charcoal painted eyes staring. A step back and the elephant's eyes suddenly seem sad.

Is this image a remnant of what is to be left for future generations?

"There exists the great possibility," says Samuel, "that by the time my daughter has grandchildren there will be no more elephants."

Samuel's charcoals include the black rhinoceros, hammerhead shark and other endangered species hunted for their horns and dorsal fins.

The black rhino drawing depicts the grandiose horn that symbolizes its beauty. Samuel wanted to express the power and strength that represents the rhino.

The charcoal painting of the shark leaves one with a chilling sense of being too close to this species.

The black and white charcoal works well with the theme. As an element of surprise, Samuel will add the color red to her collection. She does not say where the red will appear but each endangered species will be marked for the exhibition.

As a preview, Samuel displays a poster with words written in red overlapping with black charcoal. The red symbolizes the abuse and violence inflicted on these hunted species.

Samuel's studio is located in the Banana Factory. She teaches part-time at The Swain School, Salisbury Township.

She received a Bachelor's Art Education from Kutztown University. She lives with her husband, Mark Taylor, and their daughter.