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| Join Alison in August, 2007 as she works with the Painted Dogs Conservation project and studies Painted Dogs in-situ at Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.
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I am English but have traveled extensively my entire life. My travels have taken me to Nepal and Namibia, Hong Kong and Poland, Italy and New Zealand, to name a few. All these destinations are beautiful and varied but it was southern Africa which captured my imagination and this is where I began to paint in earnest.
Between 1994 and 1996 I lived in Zimbabwe and then moved to neighbouring Botswana until late 2002. I now live in New York but return to Africa on a regular basis. My years in Africa allowed me to travel widely, camp in remote areas and gain a thorough knowledge of the numerous wildlife species. As far as I am concerned there is nothing quite like camping in the African bush, falling asleep in your tent listening to hyaenas whooping, elephants breaking branches nearby and the calls of distant lions. It is pure magic and as a result I paint the African wildlife I have come to know through hours of observation and sketching.
In 2007 I completed the AFC's 5th Flag Expedition titled "Painting the Painted Dogs - Artistic Study of an Endangered Hunter". I spent 6 weeks at the Painted Dog Conservation project near Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, traveling with PDC staff searching for elusive African Wild Dogs. I also spent a great deal of time learning about the community involvement and educational aspects of the project.
The Flag Expedition was a wonderful opportunity and it was great to spend time in the bush with such endangered and beautiful dogs. On my return I created a traveling exhibition & talk series, with the aim of raising awareness of the dogs' plight and funds for their conservation. The exhibition visited 5 separate venues and I have since given numerous lectures about the project. To read my expedition journal, see sketches, photos and video from the trip, please click on the AFC Flag (on the left). I also write monthly email newsletters showing my latest works and giving details of upcoming events. To receive your copy please join my Mailing List by clicking on the link.
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Support for Conservation:
Even before I began to paint I was intrigued by the natural world and interested in conservation issues but as a professional artist I now have a means of raising funds for conservation on a much more personal level by donating my artwork.
There are so many deserving projects and conservation groups that deciding which ones to support can be a daunting task. As an African wildlife artist I have a special relationship with the southern African region which I know best. I try to support small, grass roots conservation groups focusing on that region, especially those which involve local communities, giving them a stake in the future of the wildlife and habitat that surround them.
Donating artwork is one means of raising funds and I frequently donate pieces for silent auctions at fundraising events. However, raising awareness is just as important so in 2004 I began a series of slide talks about southern Africa which I hope will help to highlight some of the misconceptions held about Africa, it's people and it's wildlife. If you live in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area and are interested in having a slide show for your group please feel free to contact me.
The AFC fellowship grant which I received in 2007 allowed me to continue to support conservation in the southern African region and I continue to donate 25% of sales from Painted Dog artwork to the Painted Dog Conservation project. To read my expedition journal, see sketches, photos and video from the trip, please click on the AFC Flag (on the left).
Special Achievements:
- 2008 - Medal of Excellence
September 2008. My painting "Sable Drinking" was awarded a Medal of Excellence at "The Art of Conservation", the 1st Annual Juried show of AFC artists, held at the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum in New Jersey.
- 2007 - AFC Flag Expedition Fellowship Grant
http://www.natureartists.com/flagexpeditions
February 2007. Alison Nicholls is awarded a fellowship grant to conduct the AFC's fifth Flag Expedition. The expedition, titled "Painting the Painted Dogs - Artistic Study of an Endangered Hunter" involves a 6 week visit to Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Alison will be based at the Pianted Dog Conservation project where she will sketch and paint African Wild Dogs. One of the main aims of the project is to draw attention to the plight of this highly social and highly endangered species.
- 2005 - AFC Conservation Artist Award
December 2005. Awarded for artistic excellence and extraordinary support of conservation causes.
Collections:
- 2005 - Botswana Mission to the United Nations
Publications:
- Wildscape Magazine (2008)
- June 2008 edition featured Alison's Flag Expedition.
- Wildlife Art Magazine (2007)
- The March/April 2007 issue featured Alison's work.
Organization Membership:
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All rights reserved. All images and text © Copyright 2024 Alison Nicholls - Member of the Artists for Conservation Foundation (Formerly
the Worldwide Nature Artists Group) www.natureartists.com.
This site represents the original artwork (nature art and wildlife art) of nature
artist and wildlife artist of Alison Nicholls and is protected by international copyright laws. Use
of nature art, wildlife art or any other images or text from this site, requires
permission in writing from Alison Nicholls (Nicholls Wildlife Art).
This site is part of the Artists for Conservation (AFC) Web site. (Wildlife
Art - Nature Art - Conservation) Artists for Conservation is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to
nature art, wildlife art and conservation. On this site you will find world-class
nature art and wildlife art by today's leading nature artists & wildlife artists.
The AFC site is the Web's premier location for nature art, wildlife
artists
All content appearing in pages featuring Alison Nicholls is the sole responsibility of Alison Nicholls. The opinions expressed on these artists' pages are those of Alison Nicholls and do not necessarily reflect those of the Artists for Conservation
Foundationi (AFC).
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