Wild Camel by Amy Stauffer

The Global Heritage Society is proud to announce that we have received an incredible collection of donated artworks from talented artists around the world — all in support of the critically endangered wild camel (Camelus ferus) in Mongolia. From paintings and photography to sculpture, artists across a wide range of mediums have generously contributed their work to help raise awareness and funds for one of the world’s rarest mammals. Fewer than 1,000 wild camels remain in the deserts of the Gobi, and their survival depends on urgent conservation efforts.

This beautiful scratchboard art was created by Amy Stauffer, a USA-based artist who donated it in support of wild camel conservation efforts in Mongolia.

Here’s the biography from Amy Stauffer:

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with both the animal world and the creative process.  Those fascinations have manifest themselves as a love for the biological and natural sciences and art in its myriad forms.  The first had led me to pursue a degree in biology and the second has led me to express my love for life in all its forms through the visual arts.  They have fused to create a style that is both emotive and exacting.  It has been remarked that I approach my work with the patience of a scientist.  My genre of choice is wildlife and as my subjects I have generally chosen species with conservation concerns; those on the precipice of extinction.  Through my work, I hope to raise the consciousness of the viewer to respect these creatures as they are.  Our animal neighbors are individuals in their own right, their struggle to survive, protect their homes, and care for their young is a journey shared by us all.

My medium of choice is scratchboard which I find uniquely challenging and satisfying.  It lends itself well to use of chiaroscuro and dramatic light effects, resulting in works that are visually striking.   Scratchboard as a fine art is a relatively new medium, but the concept is ancient.  In some way, etching into a surface to create an image has existed since humans first created petroglyphs.  An original scratchboard is a direct engraving using a clay board coated with black (and sometimes other colors) india ink.  Using blades and various other tools, the artist carefully removes the layer of ink to reveal the white clay beneath.  It is a very exacting and precise art form which requires patience as mistakes are not as easily corrected as with other mediums.  It is ideal for wildlife images and the rendering of fine detail; no paintbrush can produce a line as fine as a razor blade.

I am a master scratchboard artist as accredited by the International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) and an Associate Member of the Society of Animal Artists.

To learn more about Amy Stauffer, please visit her website at https://amystauffer.com/ and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/alstaufferartist/