Horsham’s Artists for Painted Dogs exhibition goes online

Spokeswoman Lizzie Hide said: “Because of the success of the first Artists for Painted Dogs, we plan on holding another exhibition next year. “In the meantime we have not closed this year’s exhibition entirely. We have decided to keep the cards, special limited edition prints and photographs on the site up until Christmas. “In addition we will be showcasing some of our artists (one or two a week) who will offer up to three new pieces (that haven’t been on the AfPD website before), again with a donation to wildlife conservation.” The exhibition organiser is wildlife artist Heather Irvine, who lives in Copsale, Horsham and is a member of the Horsham Artists Open Studios. She has been the winner of the BBC Wildlife Artist of the year Award, features regularly in the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London and is known for her equine and canine artwork. Heather is the founder of Artists for Painted Dogs, a collaboration of international artists and photographers who raise funds for the conservation of the endangered African Painted Dog, supporting two field organisations: Painted Dog Conservation and Wildlife ACT. With only around 6,600 left in the wild, painted dogs are Africa’s second most endangered large carnivores. The species was the subject of the Painted Wolves episode in the 2018 BBC Dynasties series with Sir David Attenborough. The programme’s director Nick Lyon is one of the members of Artists for Painted Dogs The exhibition featured nearly 40 artists, including Karen Laurence-Rowe (Kenya, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) Wildlife Artist of the Year, 2012), Emily Lamb (art patron DSWF), Nick Dyer (co-author of Painted Wolves: A Wild Dog’s Life), Liberty Shuro (Zimbabwe), Livia Gomez (Brazil), Stephen Rew (DSWFWildlife Artist of the Year, 2019), Nick Mackman (DSWFof the Year, 2015). Additionally, wildlife artists Lin Barrie and Leslie Johnson from Zimbabwe were invited as guest artists. Painted dogs (also known as painted wolves or African wild dogs) are one of Africa’s most enigmatic yet threatened predators. They are neither dog nor wolf but a canid in a separate genus called Lycaon – a very distant cousin to our domestic pooches. They live in packs of up to 50 adults and can be as small as just two. The packs are led by an alpha female, who is their supreme leader and effective commander, as well as their caring mother. Their reputation for being Africa’s most efficient predator is well deserved, and it is generally accepted that 80 per cent of their hunts result in success. Yet unlike other predators, their kills are precise and efficient, resulting in a quick death for their unfortunate victims. The Horsham exhibition officially closed after a two-day extension, and to date has sold more than 800 artworks and raised almost £35k for the benefitting conservation organisations. Limited edition prints and photographs, as well as some of Heather Irvine’s own work, will continue to be available on the exhibition website until Christmas. https://www.facebook.com/artistsforpainteddogshttps://www.instagram.com/artistsforpainteddogs Steps announce Brighton date and new album West Sussex man reveals "truth" about his sister's murder in 10 Rillington Place Why pre-booking might be here to stay at Weald & Downland Living Museum Loxwood Drive-In Movies set for 2021 return IN PICTURES: Eastbourne Pier turns film star! IN PICTURES: Images of lockdown across Brighton and Hastings