ART IN CONSERVATION

Art is one of humanity’s earliest forms of expression that dates back to the pre-historic period. Painting is a form of art that involves expression by use of brush, paintings, charcoal, and pencils among others. Among the various paintings include wildlife paintings. The paintings tended to depict the forms of wildlife that exists in the localities.

During the pre-historic period, rock painting was a common activity. Some of the common rock paintings across Africa include; Saharan rock art from Tibesti Massit to Ahaggar mountains, the San Rock art paintings in south Africa, and in East Africa the Nyiro rock paintings in Uganda, the Kakapel rock art site in Teso, the Mawanga concrete circles in suba districts among others.   

Modern painters involved in wildlife painting seek to enrich and inspire public appreciation of the human relations with the aim of creating awareness on the plight facing wildlife today. They for instance raise funds to help in conservation efforts through selling the paintings in exhibitions and also as an educative activity.  Some of the notable wildlife painters include Jan Martin McGuire, John Cylymer, Kim Donaldson among others.

Ideal Community empowerment is one of the organizations that has embraced art in conservation as a component of creating awareness on the plight facing the flora and fauna, nurture art as a career and as well as a teaching aid. Over 600 students have been involved in the program across the country that is from Nairobi, Kakamega, Kisumu.  

The program has been received well by both students and teachers reviving art and craft as a subject. It has acted as a learning platform by creating wildlife artists, nurturing future conservationists and creating awareness on the 

environment. For this reason, it is of a strong opinion for the society to promote and protect biodiversity.