Pollyanna to join Conservation Delegation to China

Pollyanna to join Conservation Delegation to China

Wildlife Artist Pollyanna Pickering will be travelling to China later this month, as part of an official delegation of conservationists in a bid to encourage protection of threatened species worldwide.

 A selection of Pollyanna’s original paintings will be included in the Artist for Conservation Society’s International exhibition at the Lanwan Art Museum which forms part of  a 50-acre ecological park art village and public gallery, located in one of China's most beautiful and important coastal cities - Qingdao City

 A delegation of 12 artists and conservationists will be in attendance for a formal opening week of events, including talks and official banquets.  Pollyanna is the only artist to have been invited to attend from the UK or Europe – her fellow delegates will all be travelling from Canada or North America.

 “It is a huge honour to have been invited to take part in this ground breaking International Festival of Wildlife art – the first of its kind in China.” Pollyanna commented “It is a wonderful opportunity to promote a message of conservation and animal protection – with paintings there is no language barrier.”

 Pollyanna, who lives and works in Matlock,  will also be demonstrating her artistic skills throughout the event – sketching birds of prey from life while chatting to guests about her work.  One of the resulting sketches will be auctioned during a closing gala event to raise funds to support youth education and wildlife conservation efforts in China

Pollyanna, who has won numerous International awards for her artwork has made several previous visits to China in order to study and paint their unique wildlife.  In the early 1990’s Pollyanna and her daughter and business partner Anna-Louise were first westerners ever to travel a remote area of the Tibetan Borderlands of China where they worked in a clinic for rescued pandas, helping to rear a six month old panda cub.  During the expedition they also trekked into the mountains to be rewarded by a sighting of a wild Giant panda – at a time when fewer than 50 westerners had seen this iconic species in the wild.  Since then Pollyanna has returned to search for wild Amur tigers in the remote North Western Siberian borderlands of China, visited giant panda breeding facilities in the Southwest, and through her charitable Foundation raised funds to support the Animals Asia sanctuary for rescued moonbears.  Paintings inspired by sketches made in the field during these journeys are included in the exhibition, which will run until 30th September 2017.Anna-Louise will also be joining the delegation acting as official photographer to the event – she will also complete a blog and write press articles on behalf of Artists for Conservation.

 Artist For Conservation  President and Founder Jeff Whiting explains, "Lanwan Eco Art Park represents a unique nexus between art and nature. Through this partnership, we are excited at the possibilities of maximizing the positive impact of AFC's art exhibition”

With a population of over 9 million, Qingdao is a major seaport and industrial center located between Beijing and Shanghai and connected to the world's longest sea bridge. The sailing events of 29th Olympic Games were held in Qingdao in 2008. Qingdao has been repeatedly named China's most liveable city.

Find out more at www.pollyannapickering.co.uk or follow the journey on Anna-Louise’s instagram account - @annalouisepix

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