It Started With An Elephant

It Started With An Elephant Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from It Started With An Elephant, Arts & Crafts Store, 5681 Oak View Court, Savage, MN.

Finished making my third frame. This one for Respite.
07/12/2026

Finished making my third frame. This one for Respite.

Just finished my second handmade frame, built specifically for Determination.This floating frame is crafted from Purple ...
07/10/2026

Just finished my second handmade frame, built specifically for Determination.

This floating frame is crafted from Purple Rain poplar with an oil-rubbed finish, carefully mitered corners, and all the details that make a piece feel complete. There’s something incredibly satisfying about taking a painting all the way from a blank canvas to a finished, ready-to-hang work of art.

Determination felt like the perfect subject for this frame—the strength and focus of the badger paired with the warmth and character of the wood. Every frame teaches me something new, and I’m excited to keep refining the craft.

What do you think of the pairing?

BelongingAcrylic on Canvas • 2026The leaf sheep is a tiny sea slug that gathers energy from sunlight through the algae i...
07/07/2026

Belonging
Acrylic on Canvas • 2026

The leaf sheep is a tiny sea slug that gathers energy from sunlight through the algae it consumes. A quiet reminder that even the smallest creatures have extraordinary stories.

Belonging reflects the peace that comes from finding where you are meant to be. Sometimes home isn't a place we discover, but a place we grow into.

Artist: Mark Rupp

07/05/2026

🎨 Another happy family is heading home with some incredible artwork! ❤️

Our featured artist It Started With An Elephant has been creating some truly amazing pieces, and seeing families light up when they find something they love is one of the best parts of what we do.

If you haven't stopped in lately, grab your favorite coffee, check out the artwork, and support a talented local artist while you're here. You might just find the perfect piece to take home!

☕🎨 Thanks for supporting local artists and local businesses—it means the world to our community.

RespiteAcrylic on Canvas2026In a world that rarely slows, this moment of stillness offers a quiet breath. With eyes clos...
06/26/2026

Respite
Acrylic on Canvas
2026

In a world that rarely slows, this moment of stillness offers a quiet breath. With eyes closed and body at rest, the monkey finds refuge atop a weathered stone ledge. Respite is a meditation on rest, reflection, and the healing power of pause. Reminding us that restoration is not idleness, but an essential part of enduring, creating, and moving forward.

Artist: Mark Rupp

✨ A milestone in the studio! ✨I just completed my very first handmade floating frame for one of my paintings, and I'm pr...
06/22/2026

✨ A milestone in the studio! ✨

I just completed my very first handmade floating frame for one of my paintings, and I'm pretty proud of how it turned out.

This frame was crafted from Purple Rain Poplar, finished with a hand-rubbed oil finish to bring out the wood's beautiful grain and natural color variation. Every corner was cut with precise miter joints, reinforced with V-nails, and finished with leveling dots and a sawtooth hanger so it's ready to display right out of the studio.

The rhino painting inside is a nod to the wildlife subjects that continue to inspire my work and the journey that began with a single elephant painting.

As much as I enjoy painting, there's something deeply satisfying about creating the frame as well. It feels like giving the artwork the home it deserves.

What do you think? Should I start framing more of my originals this way?

🦏🎨🪵

— Mark Rupp
It Started With An Elephant
📧 [email protected]

Promise of FlightAcrylic on Canvas2026Clinging quietly to the edge of a leaf, the caterpillar embodies transformation be...
06/17/2026

Promise of Flight
Acrylic on Canvas
2026

Clinging quietly to the edge of a leaf, the caterpillar embodies transformation before it is visible to the world. Though grounded in its present form, it carries the unseen promise of what it will become. Through rich texture, layered color, and intimate scale, Promise of Flight reflects the patience, vulnerability, and quiet potential found within every stage of growth.

Artist: Mark Rupp

06/15/2026

From our featured artist Mark Rupp - It Started With An Elephant collection... the dragon is on its way to its new home! 🐉

We're grateful to showcase local talent and love seeing these incredible pieces find their forever homes.

Don't worry, another creation will be arriving soon!

Happy to be partnering with Sandbox Coffee Co. to show and sell some of my artwork! They soft open in Kasson, MN this c...
06/05/2026

Happy to be partnering with Sandbox Coffee Co. to show and sell some of my artwork! They soft open in Kasson, MN this coming Monday. If you're in the area you should go check out their new shop and grab a drink.

Between WorldsAcrylic on Canvas2026Suspended in stillness, the dragonfly exists between motion and rest, earth and air, ...
05/16/2026

Between Worlds
Acrylic on Canvas
2026

Suspended in stillness, the dragonfly exists between motion and rest, earth and air, the tangible and the fleeting. Long regarded as a symbol of transformation and renewal, the insect becomes a quiet meditation on change itself. Through layered color and luminous wings, Between Worlds invites the viewer into a moment of reflection. Where beauty is found in transition and impermanence.

Artist: Mark Rupp

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5681 Oak View Court
Savage, MN
55378

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