Various artists to collaborate

Photo: Pixabay

Various artists to collaborate for African Painted Dog conservation

Leading artists recently came together in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the endangered African Painted Dog.

Various artists to collaborate

Photo: Pixabay

Over 30 international artists and photographers recently came together to raise awareness and funds globally for the endangered African Painted Dog (also known as Painted Wolves or African Wild Dogs). 

It is said artwork from the global art fundraiser ‘Lycaon – Artists for Painted Dogs’ will be available to preview from 29 September and go on sale at 12:00 on 6 October. The exhibition, organised by renowned UK artist Heather Irvine, includes the work of Karen Laurence-Rowe (Kenya), Patrick Reynolds (South Africa) and Liberty Shuro (Zimbabwe) among many more.

Artists for Painted Dogs

According to a press release, approximately 500 000 Painted Dogs roamed the African continent a century ago. Less than 6 600 including around 700 breeding pairs remain in the wild today, as a result of ongoing habitat fragmentation, snare poaching, road kills and diseases caught from domestic dogs.

Now, artists are donating 50% or more of the proceeds from the sale of their artwork to the Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe and Wildlife ACT in South Africa.

“Art is such a powerful tool to spread awareness and wonderment at the natural world,” said Irvine, the artist and curator for Artists for Painted Dogs. “Touching people both visually and emotionally, it is something which when embraced, can be incredibly transforming. I hope with this exhibition, we will shine a light on the enigmatic but endangered Painted Dog and build a strong pack mentality with our contributing artists to continue working for the plight of all species threatened today.

African Painted Dogs, with their iconic Mickey Mouse ears, is one of Africa’s most threatened predators. They are neither dog nor wolf but a canid in a separate genus called Lycaon – a very distant cousin to our domestic dogs.

“The Painted Wolf Foundation is proud to support innovative initiatives that seek to raise awareness of this highly endangered species and much-needed funds for crucial operations in the field,” said the Chairman of Painted Wolf Foundation, Nicholas Dyer. “Heather Irvine has brought together a group of highly talented and renowned wildlife artists who are offering some of their best work for Artists for Painted Dogs and providing art connoisseurs with the opportunity to purchase some incredible art which supports conservation at the same time. A win-win all round!”

Today, this remarkable species is extinct in 11 African countries and possibly extinct in eight other countries, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. That’s why the aim is to raise funds to support two incredible organisations (@painted_dog_conservation and @wildlife_act) in the field, working hard to save the Painted Dogs and support the communities living alongside protected areas while also supporting artists who are struggling with physical exhibitions being closed.