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| Artist Departs on Quest to Capture the Critically Endangered Painted Dogs of Zimbabwe… On Paper. |
8/28/2007 - Vancouver, B.C., CANADA -- (August 27, 2007)— Vancouver-based Artists for Conservation Foundation (AFC) is pleased to announce that New York watercolour artist, Alison Nichols, the recipient of a Fellowship and grant under the AFC Flag Expeditions Program, will be embarking on her scheduled journey to paint the Painted Dogs of Zimbabwe.
Today marks the beginning of Nicholls' journey to northwestern Zimbabwe to the Painted Dog Conservation project (PDC) in the Hwange National Park. Nicholls will create detailed artistic field studies of the dogs and their natural habitat, and other species in the area. (The name Painted Dog is derived from the Latin name for the species Lycaon pictus. African Wild Dog is the more commonly used name, but this has a negative connotation and gives the impression of a feral species, failing to recognize the unique and ancient ancestry of the animal. )
Painting the Painted Dogs – an artistic study of an endangered hunter, will provide an opportunity for Nicholls to continue to exercise her creative talents and support a much-maligned species.
'As a watercolor wildlife artist I find the African bush provides endless inspiration. I only paint the African wildlife species that I have sketched in their natural habitat and my aim is not to paint photographically, but to catch an impression of a scene, an effect of the light and a glimpse of the wildlife. Dawn and dusk are the times of most activity in a Painted Dog pack and this suits my slightly impressionistic painting style which combines atmospheric washes and dusky silhouettes,' says Nicholls.
Painted Dogs are a highly nomadic species that, like many top predators, have been regarded as vermin and eradicated accordingly. Their numbers have dropped dramatically from over 300,000 in 1900 to approximately 3,000 today. They have vanished from 25 of the 39 countries forming their historical range and are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN) list of endangered species. Zimbabwe contains one of the last viable dog populations and the main threats to their survival today are snares intended for other species, disease, and road traffic accidents.
Note: Whilst some areas of Zimbabwe are experiencing political unrest, Alison has been in close contact with the Painted Dog Conservation project and has carefully reviewed travel advisories from the UK and US embassies to confirm that the region in which she is traveling is largely unaffected by the unrest. Obviously safety is a prime concern but tourists are still visiting this area of Zimbabwe so Alison has decided to continue as planned with her Flag Expedition.
Media Enquiries:
pr@natureartists.com
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