Jenny Goulder
​
​ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
​
Jenny Goulder has been creating beautiful images for me for as long as I could remember turning my bedroom as a child into a Beatrix potter wonderland. After admiring her artworks for years I could not think of any one better to add to this collection.Jenny Goulder is an esteemed Australian artist renowned for her evocative and compassionate portrayals of wildlife Australian landscapes and outback personalities.
​
Her dedication to wildlife conservation is exemplified through her active participation in "Orangutan – The Exhibition," a fundraising art event featuring artists from across Australia. This exhibition aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by orangutans and their habitats while generating crucial funding for the International Animal Rescue Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Ketapang, Indonesian Borneo.
In this exhibition, Goulder has undertaken the portrayal of three individual orangutans—Mely, Jojo, and Butan—each with a poignant rescue story. Mely, for instance, was found in October 2010, chained and held captive for an extended period before her rescue by the International Animal Rescue (IAR) team.
Through her art, Goulder captures not just the physical likeness of these orangutans but also their resilience and the urgency of their plight.
ARTIST'S REASON FOR PARTICIPATING
Goulder's involvement in the exhibition is driven by a profound empathy for these "beautiful creatures that need our help." She believes that by looking into their eyes, one can "see their souls" and their silent plea for assistance. Her artistic contributions are not merely visual representations but heartfelt responses to this call for help, reflecting her gratitude for the opportunity to make a difference through her art.
Through her work, Jenny Goulder continues to inspire and mobilize support for wildlife conservation, using her artistic talents to shed light on the pressing need to protect and rehabilitate endangered species like the orangutan.
MELY
15 Years in Chains. Now, a Chance at Freedom.
For 15 long years, Mely lived in chains. Captured from the wild as a baby after a fisherman shot her mother, she was brought home and kept as a pet—until she outgrew her novelty and was left chained by the neck, day after day, on a wooden platform by a river in Borneo.
Fed only scraps and instant noodles, Mely's once-strong body became frail and emaciated. Her limbs weakened. Her spirit dulled.
In October 2010, International Animal Rescue (IAR) finally received permission to save her. When the team arrived, her owner couldn’t even find the key to the padlock around her neck. Bewildered and terrified, Mely was led into a transport crate still wearing the heavy chain.
It wasn’t until she arrived at IAR’s centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, that the chain was cut. The physical wounds began to heal—but her journey of recovery was just beginning.
With time, safety, and enrichment, Mely began to blossom. She made friends with Nicky and was later moved to a larger facility where she could stretch, play, and experience companionship for the first time in years.
Mely likely never learned to climb a tree. She had been denied the very essence of being an orangutan. But plans were made for her to move to a protected island, where she could be closely monitored and supported as she learned the skills she was never taught.
Mely may never return fully to the wild. But for the first time in her life, she has dignity, safety, and the company of her own kind—and a team determined to give her the best future possible.
