The artists participating in the Artists for Nature Foundation’s Jubilee Project

4th to 16th May 2011.

The international non-profit organisation Artists for Nature Foundation, ANF founded in 1990 in The Netherlands, have chosen the beautiful and unique, car-free Channel Island of Sark as the location for their fifteenth project. The ANF are a unique organisation who draw the attention of policy-formulators and decision-makers to the natural world by enabling groups of influential and talented artists to capture the spirit of endangered landscapes and species in their natural habitat through art.

Since the summer of 2009, Sarkee and artist Rosanne Guille (a graduate of the Royal College of Art) has been working with the ANF, planning and fundraising for a project which will bring 15 of these “Artists for Nature' to paint, draw and sculpt in Sark for ten days from 4th May 2011.

The project named 'Art for the Love of Sark' will involve the artists recording all aspects of island life from its rich and unspoilt natural history to the human aspect. The artists will come from all parts of the world, from Russia and the USA to Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, and among them the award-winning President of the Society of Wildlife Artists, Harriet Mead. A full list of the participating artists can be seen at www.sarkpaintings.com under 'current projects blog'.

During the artists visit, from the 3rd day on, there will be daily showings of their work to the public and some of the artists will work with the children of Sark school encouraging their own interest in art and nature. As with other ANF projects around the world, it is hoped that there will be sufficient funding for a project book to be published, and a film and travelling exhibition to raise awareness of what a special and unique, though fragile island Sark still is.

Donations from the residents and businesses of Sark and Guernsey have enabled the first artists visit in May to go ahead. The artists will be staying at Stocks Hotel where rooms have been kindly donated for their stay. What better way of celebrating nature than through the eyes of some of the world's most talented contemporary artists.

KIM ATKINSON (UK)

Studied at Falmouth School of Art and The Royal College of Art in London. A painter/printmaker and member of the Society of Wildlife Artists. She lived for many years on the island of Bardsey off the coast of Wales and her work has been exhibited widely in Wales and England.

PETER GABRIEL BYRNE (IRL)

Singer/songwriter living and working on the Island of Sark. In the ’90s he played regularly on the London folk scene, including gigs at Ronnie Scott’s and the Twelve Bar Club. His work has featured on albums along side Martin Stephenson and Clive Stubblefield (James Brown’s drummer)

JAAP DEELDER (Netherlands)

A self-taught artist working in wood and stone, his carvings are inspired by nature, especially birds. Jaap was awarded the best sculpture prize by the Society of Wildlife Artists in 1991.

PIET EGGEN (Netherlands)

Studied at the Art Academy of Maastricht. Works as a freelance illustrator for nature magazines and advertising. Lives in the Netherlands where he runs a gallery specializing in art inspired by nature.

ROSANNE GUILLE (UK)

A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London. Works mostly in watercolour. Published work includes English Nature, Usborne children’s books and BBC Wildlife Magazine. Teaches art and runs La Maison Rouge gallery on the island of Sark.

ANDREW HASLEN (UK)

Works as a painter of wildlife and domestic animals. During his career Andrew has won several awards for his work. He runs the Wildlife Art Gallery in Lavenham, Suffolk.

ANNA KIRK-SMITH (UK)

Anna Kirk-Smith, a graduate of the Royal College of Art, takes her inspiration from the natural world particularly from coastal and marine environments. In 2010 she won a grant from The Wildlife Trusts in association with The Society of Wildlife Artists to learn to scuba dive. She is a director of an arts development company and lectures in Fine Art at Hull School of Art and Design.

DAVID LYNN-GRIMES (USA)

Writer and musician living and working in Alaska. Has worked on films as co-producer and wildlife film guide with the National Geographic, Survival Anglia and BBC. He has participated in ANF projects in Alaska, Spain and Israel.

HARRIET MEAD (UK)

Has won major awards for her sculptures of animals and birds which she makes from scrap steel and disused tools. Elected President of the Society of Wildlife Artists in 2009. Works mostly to commission.

BRUCE PEARSON (UK)

Worked for RSPB film unit and British Antarctic Survey before becoming a full-time artists and illustrator. He has written and presented two television series. Former president of the Society of Wildlife Artists.

XAVIER PICK (UK)

”I have been diligently keeping a visual diary for 15 years now, everyday a page or two of notes and drawings. These books have been a passport to many worlds, a living portfolio for others to see who you are. Unlike taking a camera which shuns people away, folk are drawn to someone working in their book.”

JOHN THRELFALL (UK)

John has worked with the British Geological Survey, he paints wildlife and birds ‘in the field’ and has undertaken commissions for the RSPB, The National Trust for Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. His book ‘Between the Tides’ documents his response to Britain’s estuaries in pencil, paint and poetry.

MATTHEW UNDERWOOD (UK)

Matthew Underwood produces eye-catching works in collage, mixed media and oil. He finds that it is often a tiny piece of information, which may trigger an idea for a work – at the 2002 SWLA exhibition, Matthew won the RSPB Fine Art Award.

WOLFGANG WEBER (GERMANY)

Draws from his personal encounters with wildlife, travelling often with just a sketchbook. Has exhibited widely including London, Frankfurt, Berlin, Zurich and Nairobi. Two successful films have been made about his work, ‘A brush with nature’ and ‘Drawn to the Wild.’

DARREN WOODHEAD (UK)

A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London and one of Britain’s leading watercolour artists. His work has won many major national awards including ‘Birdwatch magazine artist of the year 2009′

JONATHAN YULE (UK)

A self-taught painter inspired by nature, birds in particular. Most of his work is privately commissioned. He has been involved in several ANF projects and narrated the film for Pyrenees and the promotional film ‘Unspoilt Sark’

CHANNEL ISLAND OF SARK TO HOST
JUBILEE PROJECT
ARTISTS FOR NATURE FOUNDATION'S

The international non-profit organisation Artists for Nature Foundation, ANF founded in 1990 in The Netherlands, have chosen the beautiful and unique, car-free Channel Island of Sark as the location for their fifteenth project. The ANF are a unique organisation who draw the attention of policy-formulators and decision-makers to the natural world by enabling groups of influential and talented artists to capture the spirit of endangered landscapes and species in their natural habitat through art.

Since the summer of 2009, Sarkee and artist Rosanne Guille (a graduate of the Royal College of Art) has been working with the ANF, planning and fundraising for a project which will bring 15 of these “Artists for Nature' to paint, draw and sculpt in Sark for ten days from 4th May 2011.

The project named 'Art for the Love of Sark' will involve the artists recording all aspects of island life from its rich and unspoilt natural history to the human aspect. The artists will come from all parts of the world, from Russia and the USA to Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, and among them the award-winning President of the Society of Wildlife Artists, Harriet Mead. A full list of the participating artists can be seen at www.sarkpaintings.com under 'current projects blog'.

During the artists visit, from the 3rd day on, there will be daily showings of their work to the public and some of the artists will work with the children of Sark school encouraging their own interest in art and nature. As with other ANF projects around the world, it is hoped that there will be sufficient funding for a project book to be published, and a film and travelling exhibition to raise awareness of what a special and unique, though fragile island Sark still is.

Donations from the residents and businesses of Sark and Guernsey have enabled the first artists visit in May to go ahead. The artists will be staying at Stocks Hotel where rooms have been kindly donated for their stay. What better way of celebrating nature than through the eyes of some of the world's most talented contemporary artists.