Wildlife Art and Wildlife Conservation ... Why the Gap?

I have been a supporter of the National Wildlife Federation since I was a teen (and that was a long, long time ago!). I've subscribed to their magazines for eons. I've purchased many a gift item from their catalogs and contributed to many of their fund raising efforts. I'm sure there are many, many other wildlife artists who contribute to their favorite conservation funds, too.

It seems only natural, right? And yet, I scratch my head and wonder why there is so little wildlife art offered by wildlife conservation organizations. Browse the online catalogs of organizations such was National Wildlife Federation or The Nature Conservancy and you will find all sorts of nature items, from books to bedspreads, but you will find surprisingly few wildlife art prints or posters and absolutely no original artwork.

I almost feel betrayed.

This lack of artwork is most puzzling to me since wildlife art and conservation seem a natural partnership. Wildlife artists have done so much for conservation efforts. Artists such as Robert Bateman have made huge contributions to conservation awareness and efforts. He was been honored with the Governor General's Award in Quebec City for his contribution to conservation in Canada, the Perkin’s Partner in Conservation Award presented by The Wild Canid Center, the U.S. National Audubon Society One of 20th Century’s 100 Champions of Conservation, and the Roland Michener Conservation Award presented by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, among others.

And yet, I have never once seen a print of his work offered in a conservation organization's catalog. Why?

Of course Robert Bateman is not the only wildlife artist who contributes to wildlife efforts. There's a whole group of wildlife artists dedicated to this effort, Artists for Conservation. As of this post member artists have pledged $13,943,109.79 to conservation funds. And yet, no conservation organization that I know of offers even a reciprocal link to this website.

Am I crazy, or is something wrong here?

Artists for Conservation

Whether you're a wildlife artist or just someone interested in wildlife art here's an organization you should know about, Artists For Conservation (AFC) (formerly Worldwide Nature Artists Group).

If you a wildlife art collector this is a great place to look for your next purchase. Artist membership to this group is limited and requires a review process. Only artists whose work is of high quality are accepted and allowed to display their work on this site so you can be sure you will be browsing some of the best wildlife art out there.

If you're an artist it's a great tool to help increase exposure, sell your art to a targeted market, and help contribute to wildlife conservation in the process. They advertise their website regularly in publications such as Wildlife Art Magazine. They keep a listing of upcoming events of interest to member artists as well as offering opportunities to participate in co-op advertising, member shows, and their Flag Expeditions.

Artists For Conservation is launching its fifth Flag Expedition this month with artist Alison Nicholls who will head off to Zimbabwe where she'll get to spend 6 weeks drawing and painting African Wild Dogs:

"In late August 2007, Nicholls will embark on a six-week expedition to Hwange National Park in northwestern Zimbabwe to locate Painted Dogs and create a detailed artistic field study of the dogs and their natural habitat. 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 ...."

For more info on the expedition visit their expedition page here.

Penguins, Polar Bears, and Global Warming

If you liked the movie March of the Penguins you might be interested to know about another film by the same team called Arctic Tale coming out next month that I just recently found out about. I really enjoyed their other films so I'm definitely be looking forward to this one!

"This summer, from National Geographic Films and Paramount Classics—the team who brought you March of the Penguins and An Inconvenient Truth—comes Arctic Tale. Narrated by Queen Latifah, this inspiring documentary chronicles the epic journey of a walrus pup and a polar bear cub in the icy world at the top of the Earth. The film highlights the beauty of the far north and the urgent danger its animals face as their habitat continues to vanish.

"In conjunction with the release of Arctic Tale, Paramount Classics has created an Arctic Fund to support four organizations working to protect the Arctic and its inhabitants. The Wildlife Conservation Society is proud to be among those chosen to share in a portion of the movie’s box office sales.

"Arctic Tale opens in New York on July 25 and nationwide on August 17. For more information about the film, visit www.ArcticTaleMovie.com"

It's amazing to me how many people still believe that global warming is not an issue despite all the signs such as wild weather patterns, glacial meltings, and rising sea levels. I hope films like these will do more to raise awareness that global warming is a real issue we need to start adressing right now, before it's too late.

Find out more about global warming at the Union of Concerned Scientists website.