On Exhibit at the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum Until December 21st, 2009

Opening Weekend: September 25-27, 2009

Following the great success of its inaugural show, the Artists for Conservation Foundation (AFC) is proud to announce its second annual juried exhibition –"The Art of Conservation - An International Exhibit of Nature in Art" – featuring the nature art of its members. The Art of Conservation celebrates artistic excellence in the depiction of nature, raises awareness of conservation issues and directly supports organizations dedicated to addressing them.

The 2009 exhibition was officially launched on September 27, 2009 at the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum (HBAM) – one of the world's leading museums for nature and wildlife art – situated half an hour from New York City – and will remain open until December 21st, 2009. The HBAM will host this four-month, inaugural exhibition along with some exciting associated events, including a special weekend reception. 

An important part of the exhibition will be to serve as a public relations and fundraising vehicle for a leading conservation organization.  In recognition of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and their cooperation in helping to launch our first annual show, they have been designated the beneficiary again for 2009 and accordingly will receive a share of the revenues resulting from the sale of artwork in the show.

The purpose of the exhibition is three-fold: i) To support conservation through fundraising and education; ii) To showcase the extraordinary pool of artistic talent in the AFC; and iii) To expose the nature art genre to new audiences. Since its first annual exhibit in 2008, The Art of Conservation has become one of the most highly anticipated events in the wildlife art / nature art genres.

The exhibition features 74 original artworks selected by an independent jury and includes 60 paintings and 14 sculptures. Most artworks are for sale, ranging in price from $400 to $48,000 US. A total of 67 artists are represented in the show, from 8 countries, including Austra, Australia, Canada, Germany, Kenya, South Africa, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, USA. Many of the exhibiting artists were present to meet collectors and media during a special invitation-only opening reception at the Blauvelt Museum on Sunday, September 27th.

Conservation Beneficiary - Wildlife Conservation Society
An important part of the exhibition will be to serve as a public relations and fundraising vehicle for a leading, internationally-oriented conservation organization. The exhibition will educate the public and highlight the projects and initiatives of our annual conservation beneficiary partner. In addition, the beneficiary will receive a share of the revenues resulting from the sale of artwork in the show. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), based in New York City, has been selected as our beneficiary for 2008 and will be actively promoting the exhibition to their membership.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide.  We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo.  Together, these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

They uniquely combine the resources of wildlife parks in New York with field projects around the globe to inspire care for nature, provide leadership in environmental education, and help sustain our planet's biological diversity. Today WCS is at work in 60 nations across Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America and the world’s oceans, protecting wild landscapes that are home to a vast variety of species from tiny toads to tigers.

Their pioneering environmental education programs reach millions locally, nationally and internationally. They also produce the magazine Wildlife Conservation six times per year, which is distributed widely.

For more information about WCS, please visit their website.

Accompanying the exhibition is a beautiful hardcover coffee-table book reproducing in color all the works selected for the exhibition.

Show Companion Book
The show companion book, as it is being called, merits much more than being labeled merely as a show catalog. It is a true coffee-table book – 10-1/4” square, 144 pages, hardbound, and in printed in full color. The book is printed on FSC-certified stock. The contents feature not only every single artwork from the show, but additional  chapters about the show, the AFC Flag Expeditions program, the Simon Combes Conservation Award and a photo essay on the 2008 show opening weekend. The book sets a new standard in quality as a show companion and is testament to the quality of the show and the dedication of the organizations involved. Proceeds from the sale of the book support the AFC. The cost is $US 39.95, plus shipping and applicable taxes. A limited number of copies of the book are available for order online, directly from the AFC.

We also have remaining stock of The Art of Conservation 2008 show companion book.

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2008 Show
For details including slideshow and video clips from last year's the Art of Conservation 2008 show, please read the full report or visit the 2008 Awards page.