Upping the Ante

*There was only one valuation in my mind. £48,000 - the price of a single rhino horn on the black market*

In recent years I have become increasingly concerned about the rate at which we are losing our rhinos. By ‘our’ I mean collectively, as sentient beings on this planet. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were half a million rhinos roaming the world. As it stands, there are fewer than 30,000 (all species combined). If we were rhinos, all of us would fit in Leicester City's football Stadium, and there would still be room to spare. 

Since 2014, South Africa alone has lost almost 3,500 rhinos to poaching. That’s over 3 a day. Each time we all sat down to a meal in the past 3 years, South Africa lost another rhino to crime. Our species has driven this dramatic decline, and we will be the poorer if we drive them to extinction. 

As a trade, rhino horn has always baffled me. Outdated beliefs in horn possessing medicinal qualities have been unequivocally quashed by science. A rhino horn is made from Keratin - the very same protein that makes up our fingernails, hair and the outer layer of our skin. Consuming large quantities of it will, at best, give you an upset stomach. 

South Africa recently made legal a domestic trade in rhino horn, in the hope of crushing the illegal trade and bringing down the value of horn. I am not so optimistic. Legitimising the trade only gives poachers and traffickers a veil to hide behind when illegally laundering  horns, and it sends out mixed messages to the rest of the world which overwhelmingly backs a ban. Do we really want to set a precedent where rhinos are farmed like cattle? And for what? The horn is of no benefit to humans, only rhinos. It is up to us to act as guardians not owners, and it has been shown that we can still protect rhinos in the wild if we set our minds to it.

Many artists do what they can to help protect wildlife. I drew this piece to draw attention to this brutal trade, and create something that could shock and make people think twice. When it was shortlisted for the final of the DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year exhibition, I was asked to put a price on it. There was only one valuation in my mind. £48,000 - the price of a single rhino horn on the black market.

Any purchaser of the Wildlife Artist of the Year exhibits is supporting the conservation work of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. Any purchaser would be investing in conservation and creativity as an antidote to those purchasing rhino horn and fuelling the decline of rhinos across the world.

Mind boggling figures get banded about so readily these days that the impact of £48K for a rhino horn gets lost in 10 figure divorce settlements for Brexit, or the price of Kim Kardashian’s new earrings. I want people to be shocked when they see the price of this artwork, no bigger than an actual rhino horn. The harsh reality is that there are many people in this world who will happily pay that to acquire a horn. For whatever delusions of grandeur or medical immortality, ultimately all you end up with is another dead rhino. In a rapidly growing online world, where the speed at which we consume our news is ever on the rise, visual content is key to grabbing people’s attention. While few could purchase this piece at this price, everyone can help spread the word and give the plight of rhinos the oxygen of publicity. We can all spread the word, provoking thought and discussion about the value we ascribe to wildlife dead or alive. My hope is that this piece will earn its value from the awareness it generates about this bloodthirsty trade.

Exhibition details:
Venue: Mall Galleries, SW1, London
Dates: 28 June - 2 July 2017
Further details: https://davidshepherd.org/wildlife-artist-year-2017

Listen to the Young Voices

A couple of months back I was visiting friends and sat making playdough rhinos with their 6 year old son, Frankie. We talked about the northern white rhinos and the fact that there are only 3 left in the world. Some weeks later Frankie’s mum got in touch to say that it had been on his mind and he wanted to do something to help. In his words, he wanted to help "make a baby rhino". So he came up with the ‘Rhinos UP’ project to try and raise funds for the Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s ‘Most Eligible Bachelor’ campaign.

Frankie's vision is to build a huge flowerbed in one of their local parks, designed in the shape of Sudan - the last male northern white rhino on earth. The proposal to his council in Cambridge involves planting native bee-friendly flowers and he is currently out knocking on doors in the community to gather support for his idea.

I am backing Frankie on this project because the only positive result for rhinos relies on the next generation taking up the mantle and being the wildlife guardians of the future. Witnessing such passion and understanding in someone so young must only be encouraged. Frankie is my Young Wildlife Champion of the Year! 

Watch this space for more about #RhinosUP and ways to get involved.

Frankie’s petition letter to the public:

DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year 2016

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation's 2016 edition of 'Wildlife Artist of the Year' will take place at the London Mall Galleries between 28th June - 2nd July. 

I was thrilled to learn that 2 of my works have been shortlisted for this year's prize.

DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year 2015

I'm very pleased to have been shortlisted for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation's 'Wildlife Artist of the Year 2015' exhibition with this piece, 'Virunga's Fragile Future'.

I am always humbled by the standard of work at this exhibition, and in this year of record entries, it promises to the a spectacular event!

June 30th - July 4th at the London Mall Galleries.

Photos from 'TRUNK CALL' exhibition

Post by Martin Aveling Art.

TRUNK CALL: Wildlife Art Exhibition

'TRUNK CALL' is an exhibition of my most recent artworks, brought together in aid of elephant conservation.

18th November - 14th December 2014

Love Brand & Co. 5 Park Walk, London, SW10 0AJ

30% of all sales will go to support the following 3 elephant charities:

Elephant Family
Tusk Trust
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Ol Pejeta Online Auction

The Ol Pejeta charity auction goes live today and will run for the month of August. A host of internationally renowned artists and celebrities have donated artwork to raise money for the Ol Pejeta anti-poaching Dog Unit.

Over the past year White Paw Training has been assisting the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in training up these dogs to perform a number of different roles, outlined here in this short film:  

In addition to all the artwork up for auction, there are other lots. Among them is an opportunity to name a rhino at Ol Pejeta, and an original 'Breaking Bad' pilot script, signed by the cast. To browse all of the auction lots, click here.

I have donated two pieces of art to the auction; this Limited Edition Print of an orang-utan mother and baby, and this original pastel drawing of a white rhino.

Doodling Rhinos To Help Dogs Protect Rhinos...

I am donating this one-off original drawing of a rhino for an auction to support the Ol Pejeta Conservancy's anti-poaching Dog Unit.

The auction will take place online in May 2014 (exact dates TBC).

A host of other artists and celebrities have signed up to offer their support. Read more about the project here.

Wild. Life.

My exhibition, 'Wild. Life.', at the Pertwee, Anderson & Gold Gallery ran for two days last year between the 27th - 28th November. In a near sell-out show, I'm thrilled to announce we raised over £17K to support the conservation work of Elephant Family across Asia.

Here is a short film from the private view, featuring Edward Rising, who kindly donated his time to auction off a selection of artworks:

P-p-pick up a Penguin for Comic Relief

This year I've decided to raise funds for Red Nose Day, but instead of doing something invariably unfunny for money, I am giving away some artwork instead:

http://my.rednoseday.com/sponsor/martinaveling

Simply click on the link above and donate £5 (or more), and you will be entered into the draw to win one of my limited edition prints of a King Penguin (edition of 100).

Malaria, an entirely preventable illness, is the biggest killer in Africa. In 2010, an estimated 655,000 people worldwide died from malaria, and over 90% of these cases were in Africa. Approximately 86% of deaths globally were children.

I grew up in Kenya, but was in a privileged enough position to have access to a mosquito net and the relevant preventative drugs when in an at risk area. A simple luxury that is not available to a staggering number of people living in abject poverty in Kenya and across the rest of Africa. It only costs £5 for a mosquito net, which could very well be the difference between life and death for someone. Thank you for your donation.

Dr Had's Jazz

Canvas & Cream Gallery in London is hosting an evening of jazz and art in aid of the Dr Hadwen Trust on Tuesday 2nd October (from 7.30pm). 

Tickets are £10 and can be bought on the door, or reserved prior to the event by emailing Alex Carter: alex@alexandracarter.com

I will be showing a small selection of recent pastel works in the gallery space, which will be available to buy, with part of the proceeds going to the Dr Hadwen Trust.

Pandora

The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt in London is in full flow, and Pandora has taken up residence in Duke of York Square, a two minute walk from Sloane Square station.

My inspiration for the design was born from an interest in dinosaurs at a very young age. I grew up in central and eastern Africa, but with family ties to the UK, we would make an annual trip back during the summer. I always insisted on visiting the Natural History Museum in London, and would marvel at the incredible collection of dinosaur skeletons on display. The image of "Dippy", the famous Diplodocus in the entrance hall, has been etched on my mind ever since that first visit.

Having been involved with the London Elephant Parade and Edinburgh's Jungle City I've enjoyed watching how people, and in particular children, react and interact with the sculptures. For this campaign I wanted to produce something that would appeal to audiences of all ages, and hopefully spark and interest in people for a subject that gave me a great deal of pleasure growing up.

Pandora is up for auction, and available to bid on until 9th April 2012. Click on this link to place a bid:

http://auction.thebigegghunt.co.uk/lots/pandora-by-martin-aveling

























The campaign is raising funds for 2 charities; Elephant Family and Action For Children. 30 of the eggs were auctioned during a special event at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday evening, raising a grand total of £667,000 for the two causes. The Humpty Dumpty egg, signed by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and designed by students at the Prince's Drawing School, went for an impressive £51,000.

I would also like to thank Krishanthi Williams for giving up her time to take these pictures of Pandora:

The Big Egg Hunt

The Big Egg Hunt is coming to London! From the 21st February 2012, for 40 days and nights, the capital's streets will play host to 200 3ft fiberglass eggs, painted by different artists from across the country.

I've painted the following dinosaur inspired egg, which I've named 'Pandora':




























(Photo: Being transported in a @tweetalondoncab taxi)


The video below gives a brief run down of the painting process:



When the exhibition is over, all 200 eggs will be auctioned off to raise funds for two charities; Elephant Family and Action For Children.

Edinburgh Jungle City in Full Swing

The 'Edinburgh Jungle City 2011' campaign kicked off in the Royal Botanic Gardens on the 16th August. The animals will be here until the 6th September, whereafter they hit the streets of Edinburgh for 3 weeks.

I took some photos during my visit, which can be viewed here.

All the sculptures will be auctioned off on the 29th September at the National Museum of Scotland, raising funds for Elephant Family and other selected charities.

Tusk Trust Christie's Auction

In celebration of the Tusk Trust's 20 year anniversary, their co-founder Sir Timothy Ackroyd, is putting together a compilation book of drawings, sketches, doodles and short stories by an extensive collection of know personalities, artists and authors. All the artwork will be auctioned at Christie's later this month to raise funds for the charity.

I donated a piece to the cause. Unfortunately it was too late to be included in the book, but it will be auctioned along with the other lots on the 20th September. To preview the artwork, or to register an interest, click here.

Parading Nanook

Here is the video from a couple of Saturdays ago, with Nanook in Green Park. On a miserably wet day, spirits were still high, and credit to Ben Westaway for putting this together under difficult conditions.

Auction for Snow Leopards

Sibylle Noras, editor of Saving Snow Leopards, donated one of my prints to an auction in Melbourne last Friday, to raise funds for the Australian Himalayan Foundation.

I'm thrilled to say that it eventually fetched an incredible 1,500 AUD (approximately £915), which will go towards protecting snow leopards in the wild. To read the article on the Saving Snow Leopards blog, click here.

Exhibition at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park

Port Lympne Wild Animal Park (near Ashford in Kent) are holding an exhibition of wildlife art, between the 2nd - 11th April.

I will be displaying four works, and a percentage of any sales from the show will go to The Aspinall Foundation. Further details on the website:

Elephant in the Room

Well, here it is - a big white elephant. Let that not be a bad omen... !

Sponsored by FFI, this will be its home for the next couple of months whilst I put my designs to it. Eventually it will take its place alongside approximately 250 others, somewhere in London, as part of Elephant Family's "Elephant Parade London 2010".

I will post more updates below as painting progresses over the next few weeks.

It wasn't exactly an easy journey to its temporary home, but the delivery company - Eco Man and Van - are indeed a professional outfit. No valley too deep, no fence too high...































Fri 27th Nov - Crouching Elephant, Hidden Message... can you tell what it is yet ?





























The Farrow & Ball paints (kind sponsors of the event) are working out very nicely. I now need to focus all my time on elepainting. Less ambiguous photos to follow next week...


Thurs 3rd Dec






























Well, it should be more apparent what it is now (I hope..)

I've started applying detail on top of the base layers of colour. Days like today remind me why I opted against painting outdoors. In the wake of Thanksgiving, I'm very grateful for the warmth of my studio!

















Sat 20th Dec

Starting to take shape now. I spent today applying the final frosting to the ice. It felt quite apt with the snow falling on the glass ceiling above.















Thurs 24th Dec

It's the final countdown...

I'll be working on the water today, and then again on Christmas morning. He needs a name though, and FFI are running a competition to find one.

Send your suggestions to elephant.comp@fauna-flora.org before 1pm on Boxing Day.



Sat 2nd Jan

Happy New Year!

I'm pleased to announce the elephant now has a name...

Meet "Nanook". The name is derived from the Inuit word for Polar Bear, and, I hope you will agree, quite fitting.

I am just applying the final touches before putting a gloss varnish on the ice parts, in the hope that this will make it shimmer in the sunlight.

Nanook is being collected on the 5th January, whereafter he will undergo an anti-graffiti treatment before being unveiled somewhere in London at the beginning of May. You'll know when I do where that will be.


Tue 5th Jan

Off he goes...



























(Original Elephant Parade post)

Fry's Mouse Lemur

Stephen Fry recently took on an ambassadorial role with Fauna & Flora International. On his first visit to the FFI head offices in Cambridge, he was presented with an illustration I did of a Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur.







































This tiny primate made an appearance in the BBC's recent "Last Chance to See" series, presented by Stephen Fry and zoologist, Mark Carwardine. The series follows the two, as they travel the globe meeting some of the world's most endangered animals, retracing the footsteps of Douglas Adams and Mark 20 years on.

A must see in my opinion - really enjoyable watch, and a lot of focus given to real conservation issues.