Dear Fellow AFC Artists,
In only the first day of announcing our Silent Skies Mural, approximately 20% of the available species have been "claimed" by 10% of our membership. What an amazing response! Thank you to all who have jumped in head-first!
Several members have inquired about where to find reference material. Others have declared their intent to commit, but are hesitating out of concern about the availability (or possible lack thereof) of reference material on their chosen subject.
Keep in mind - first and foremost - this is an ART project that allows for and encourages artistic interpretation. We are not compiling a reference or identification guide. It's a collaborative fine art installation. It can be impressionistic and not necessarily depict the entire bird. Arguably, the less reference material there is, the more latitude you might give yourself in interpreting.
Also keep in mind that MOST of the species are rare and tend to have limited reference material. Thankfully, these days images on just about any species are readily available through a Google search, Wikipedia and http://www.arkive.org/ - as reference material. Of course, unauthorized copying of protected images is a definite no-no and it is incumbent upon the artist to ensure any required permissions have been obtained for use of reference material in the creation of the artwork (if applicable). Artists who are accustomed to working directly from final photos or from direct observation, should view this project as a chance to take a loosened approach.
Make this project part of your story as an "artist for conservation".
I'd encourage members to see this project as an opportunity to get to know a new species, possibly from another part of the world you've never visited, and possibly a species you've never heard of until now. Learn about that species. Fall in love with it. Then paint it (or sculpt it). They ALL need our urgent attention.
In anticipation of this concern and to preemptively illustrate this point, I took a leap myself by selecting the New Caledonian Owlet-Nightjar as one of my species - apparently it may be the species with the least amount of reference material available on the planet. There are only a few photographs of the only two study-skin specimens in existence, plus scientific descriptions. No live photos and certainly no direct observation. I say "Bring it on!"
My hope is that we have 50% by end of this weekend
and all 678 species spoken for within the next 30 days
. It's been less than 24 hours since launch and we're at 46 artists committed, so I think this is very doable. Not only is there is no fee to participate and no framing required (only the cost of producing and mailing your artwork) but this is a revenue opportunity for every participating artist, while supporting bird conservation and participating in a groundbreaking initiative.
Please encourage your fellow AFC members to throw their hat in the ring and not miss out on being involved. Our one-of-a-kind global community can collectively shine a bright light on 678 fellow species which are on the brink and need to be seen.
