Making an Impact

Artists for Conservation festival highlights wildlife art and supports environmental efforts.

The top conservation-themed art exhibition in the world, Artists for Conservation, returns to the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for its 12th annual festival. The leading artist group supporting environmental efforts and wildlife conservation, AFC represents 500 of the best nature/wildlife artists across the globe.

The 2022 Artists for Conservation festival opens to the public this September 22 to 25, featuring 200 juried artworks by 179 artists, coming from nearly 20 countries. Among these works, upwards of 85 will be on display during the festival. All 200 pieces are represented in an online exhibition as well as a hardcover book produced as a companion to the show.Martin Ridley, Winter Sun, Red Foxes, oil on fine Belgian linen, 24 x 36”Among the artists featured in this year’s event are Agnieszka Elliott, Lynden Cowan and Anne Schroeder, to name a few.

Schroeder’s The Queen is a circular composition of a fish painted in acrylic on naturally shed bird feathers. “I was blessed to call the Florida Keys home for most of my life. There, as I grew up, I spent time exploring and learning about the magnificent coral reef and surrounding ecosystems. The vibrant colors and patterns
I found in the ocean are repeated in the feathers of even the most mundane appearing domestic birds. Their humanely sourced feathers became my canvas to showcase the hidden gems of my ocean bound home. My beautiful old boating charts have become matting to showcase the ocean life I paint.”Cher Anderson, Gladiators (Steller’s Sea Eagles), acrylic on gesso board, 36 x 48”

Anne Schroeder, The Queen, acrylic on naturally shed feathers, 24”

Another depiction of marine life is the oil One Turtle’s Journey by Elliot, a self-educated wildlife artist. Born in Poland, the artist now resides in Colorado and hopes her artwork will inspire conservation and education of the many beautiful fauna on our planet. “In selecting a wildlife piece, the advice I would present to the wildlife art collector is to dive into the artist’s story and the inspiration behind the artwork. This will enable the buyer to assess the extent of their emotional attachment to the piece, which is critical to their lifelong appreciation of it,” says Elliot.Martin Ridley, Howling Wolf, oil on fine Belgian linen, 36 x 36”

Martin Ridley paints the majesty of North American beasts, from bull moose to American elk to red foxes and wolves. He says, “Recently I’ve been developing a series of major works; complex compositions with a narrative any camera would struggle to record…Always enthusiastic about wildlife encounters, ribbons of mist and the final half hour of sunshine, I prefer to depict the wildlife in a setting that records the ‘whole’ experience—featured rocks and branches are likely to be given as much attention as animal content. I derive huge satisfaction from exploring the possibilities of composition, using lighting and weather conditions to create atmospheric situations then enhance this.”Agnieszka Elliott, One Turtle’s Journey, oil on Belgian linen, 20 x 30”

Martin Ridley, Antlers Down, oil on fine Belgian linen, 30 x 60”

“My hope is that with my work, people will become more environmentally aware, and avoid wastage,” says self-taught artist Cowan, who works primarily in oil. Her paintings are meticulously rendered in layers of thinly applied paint and small brushstrokes to pick up the preferred natural light. “Wild landscapes and highly detailed scenes are my subjects of choice and I strive to include the viewer in my visual journey and interpretations of the natural world and human nature.”Agnieszka Elliott, Hero of Ndumo, oil on Belgian linen, 44 x 30”

While she loves all wildlife, African animals especially captivate artist Joyce Trygg. Her show piece Above the Crowd depicts a giraffe raising its head high above the rest of the animals against a stark black backdrop. Trygg took the reference photo at a local zoo. “[This giraffe] delighted me with his antics, going so far as trying to steal my hearing aids! He did stand out ‘above the crowd’!” she says. “After learning about Artists For Conservation,
I felt I had found an organization that suited my need to help. A portion of all sales go towards the particular artist’s cause, mine being the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.”Lynden Cowan, Fishing, oil on canvas, 30 x 24”

Joyce Trygg, Above the Crowd, acrylic on canvas, 20 x 16”

A painter and wildlife photographer, Cher Anderson has traveled the world exploring its various ecosystems. Over the years, her art has evolved into photorealistic representations of her subjects, rendered in acrylic and watercolor. “My passion for nature’s beauty, chaos and wonder has lead me to create images that bring to life the spirit of what I see in quiet places, and try to make you feel the awe and the essence of its beauty.”

In addition to the main exhibition, the festival will also have live music, films, art demonstrations and even wildlife encounters. And for the first time since 2019, AFC hosts a special ticketed “Meet-the-Artists” and awards evening reception on September 22. —

Artists for Conservation Festival
September 22-25, 2022
VanDusen Botanical Garden 5151 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1
www.vandusengarden.org