Preview: On the Brink
This is the third preview of our On the Brink collection, featuring a further five artworks.
Night Hunters by Barry Blake
Oil on linen
76.2cm x 45.7cm
Leopard - listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List
Having painted all sorts of wildlife I thought that for this collection, with a little prompting, I should point my brushes at the vulnerable Leopard. Rarely will you see two adults together apart that is for about a couple of weeks a year whilst they mate . Mainly nocturnal their hunting is carried out during the night hours.
I'm self taught , having painted for as long as I can remember. I took early retirement from a 'proper job' in 2002 when they closed the Power Station I had spent 30 years in, and have spent my time since attempting to approve my painting skills - a job still in progress.
Mother Love by Nick Mackman
Ceramic sculpture - mother and baby
Mother: approx. 51cm tip to tail by 15cm height. Baby: 21cm tip to tail by 10.5cm height
Walrus - listed as Vulnerable on th IUCN Red List
The walruses are based on observations made in Svalbard. I was captivated by such huge ungainly animals being so loving and nurturing - a behaviour we all recognise and can relate to.
My art is informed by my life-long love of animals. Most of my animal sculptures are based on observations made in the wild and reflect a concern for preserving endangered species. I grew up with a dog by my side and learned from an early age that every animal has its own distinctive personality. As an artist my work is a continually evolving exploration of animal behaviour. I never start a new piece without making that connection with my subject. I need to understand the animal, its environment, behaviour and personality; know its story and what it's feeling.
Rhino by Tichaona Ncube
Oil on canvas
90cm x 60cm
Black rhino - listed Critically Endangered on IUCN Red List
I am a Wildlife/Portrait artist and the Program Director at Arts for Animals Wildlife Center, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe where I focus on eco-mentoring and conducting art club programs with high school students. Spent most of my lockdown time with family and producing art at my little home studio.
Secretary Bird by Andrew Pledge
Oil and real silver leaf
50x40cm
Secretary bird - listed as Endangered on IUCN Red List
Andrew's passion for painting stems from his love of wildlife. He likes to focus on the more unusual, overlooked species. Often Andrew uses silver/gold leaf in his work allowing the paintings to be ever changing depending on the light. In 2020, his oil painting 'Wood Stork' won him the 'DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year' award.
Penguins by Martin Aveling
Pastel Pencil
King Penguin: 38 x 38 cm (53 x 53 cm in frame) - listed Least Concern on IUCN Red List (shown above)
African Penguin: 20 x 27 cm (31 x 38 cm in frame) - listed Endangered on IUCN Red List (shown below)
The decline in African Penguins is connected to sharing a habitat with humans. They struggle to compete with us for resources and suffer our pollution.
In contrast, at 45 - 55 degrees south, the King Penguin has seen a rise in numbers, momentarily enjoying a sweet spot away from us, but not too close to that big precipitating block of sea ice. Even a status of 'least concern' implies some concern!
Our impact on penguins was most acutely felt when, recently, thousands of young Emporer penguins drowned in freezing waters when the ice gave way beneath them. They never had the chance to develop waterproof feathers.
Mart is an award winning artist, recognised for his work promoting wildlife conservation and helping make the wildlife art space more accessible and diverse. Mart is a global ambassador for Derwent Pencils and his work features on their pastel pencil tins, a favourite medium for over 25 years.
