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"Painting the Painted Dogs"
Exhibit & Talk by Wildlife Artist Alison Nicholls
For 6 weeks last summer Alison Nicholls stayed at the Painted Dog Conservation project in Zimbabwe searching for and sketching endangered African Wild Dogs.
These dogs are known as Painted Dogs in Zimbabwe for 3 reasons: their Latin name means 'painted wolf-like animal', each dog has a unique 'painted' coat and the name 'wild dog' implies that they are a ferocious and feral species.
Although they may have similar coloring to a German Shepherd, these dogs are not closely related to domestic dogs, jackals or even wolves. They have huge 'mickey-mouse' ears to help them track prey through thick bush. They live in packs and are well known for their ability to care for sick and injured pack-mates by regurgitating food for dogs unable to hunt. They are also Africa's most efficient large predator. Their high success rate when hunting has unfairly given them a poor reputation and led to their persecution.
In 1900 there were approximately 500,000 Painted Dogs in Africa, now there are approximately 5,000. In Zimbabwe their main threats are being accidentally caught in snares set for antelope and being hit by vehicles on the road between dusk and dawn. Habitat loss is the main threat to the species as a whole.
Alison has created a traveling exhibition and talk series about the dogs, the conservation project and other wildlife of the area she visited. The first exhibit is at Audubon Greenwich (613 Riversville Road, Greenwich) for the month of March. There will be an Opening Reception on March 1st at 2pm and a free Artists Talk on March 30th at 2pm. The talk is aimed at adults and teenagers but there will be future talks for younger children. Please visit www.NichollsWildlifeArt.com for future dates and venues or call Alison at 914-939 4023.
Alison Nicholls is a wildlife artist who lived in Botswana and Zimbabwe for nearly 9 years. She returns on a regular basis and paints African wildlife in watercolor. Alison's trip was funded by the Artists For Conservation Foundation. A percentage of sales from exhibitions and talks will be donated to the Painted Dog Conservation project in Zimbabwe.
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