Art Promoting the Environment (APE)

I recently donated some limited edition orangutan prints to the Borneo Orangutan Survival UK foundation for their APE event at the Flemings Mayfair in London. The evening was put on to raise awareness for artists producing orangutan themed work, and to raise vital funds needed to ensure that Nyaru Menteng remains open to the continuous flow of displaced orangutans, both orphaned and wild, through the form of an art auction. I’m pleased to say the event was a success, and my personal contributions raised over £400 for the cause.

BOS UK is planning another similar event early next year, so keep checking the website for updates:

http://www.savetheorangutan.co.uk/?page_id=626
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Destination Sumatra

On a bursary from the Society of Wildlife Artists I will be heading to Southeast Asia after Christmas to visit the orangutans in Sumatra. My parents began their zoological careers in the forests of Sumatra, setting up conservation programmes for orangutans back in the 1970's. Three decades on, I plan to travel back to this same area of Indonesia and hopefully connect with some of the same people that worked with my parents 30 years ago.

Seeing orangutans in the wild is one of my lifelong ambitions and I'm very excited about the prospect of fulfilling this dream in the New Year. In time I hope to publish a collaborative book with my mother that connects the past and future of these red apes. Watch this space...
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Alive & Kicking in northern Mozambique

This small project was an idea I had when I visited the beautiful province of Niassa, northern Mozambique, in 2006. My aim was to secure enough funding to produce an initial 50 footballs to be distributed throughout the neighbouring villages of the Niassa reserve, with the intention of expanding the project in the future. Through the help of Fauna & Flora International and generous contributions from private donors, this first stage has been possible, and the balls are now in place.

The footballs are produced by a charity called Alive & Kicking and are made strong enough to withstand the harsh conditions of rural Africa. They also carry messages about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and malaria - both very real threats to the people who live in these villages and their children. As well as these educational messages, the footballs are branded with a logo I designed, depicting an African Wild Dog as a flagship species for the reserve.

The future of the people and wilderness in Niassa depends on good cooperation between the reserve management, the communities, and the private concessions around the protected area. This small project will only help to reinforce that cooperation. You can help too by donating a ball:

http://www.aliveandkicking.org.uk/support.php

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First Post

Hi, and welcome to the Aveling Artworks blog.

Here you will be able to access the latest news on any exhibitions I'm planning, as well as information about other projects I'm involved with.
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