Bold as Love – Martina

Martina, chimpanzee
Bold as Love, 2026
Tempera paint on stretched canvas
30 × 24 inches

Rich magenta, raspberry pink and turquoise sweep across this large canvas in broad, overlapping strokes. Some colors blend into softer lavender tones, while others remain bold and distinct. The layers of vibrant color create a wonderful sense of movement, with moments of softness among the more dramatic brushstrokes.

Martina knows how to make her presence felt. As the alpha female of Primate Rescue Center’s chimpanzee troop, she’s confident, assertive and never shy about letting the others know when she’s had enough of their antics. But there’s also a wonderfully affectionate side to Martina. She can be every bit as sweet as she is bossy, showing warmth and tenderness toward the companions she’s shared her life with for decades.

Like Martina herself, this painting doesn’t have to choose between being bold and being beautiful.

Fellow chimpanzee Donald also contributed to this colorful original.