Expedition Journal Goes Online
Pollyanna has recently returned from one of her most challenging expeditions to date.
This spring, she spent five weeks trekking and camping in the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, one of the world’s last true wilderness environments. Bhutan jealously guards its lifestyle and ancient traditions, and Pollyanna will be the first western artist to comprehensively document the wildlife and habitat in a series of paintings.
Pollyanna was granted a fellowship from Canada based society Artists for Conservation (formerly the Worldwide nature Artists Group) in support of the expedition.
Pollyanna was the first woman ever to be granted a fellowship by the group – and the first artist to be selected from outside Canada or North America. Pollyanna acted as an ambassador for AFC throughout the journey, and carried their expedition flag. She was accompanied on the journey by her daughter and business partner Anna-Louise, an accomplished wildlife photographer.
Below: Legendary Himalayan mountaineer Chris Bonnington welcomes Pollyanna and the expedition flag back to the UK!
A new Flag Expedition Journal, capturing Pollyanna’s expedition to Bhutan, has been published on the AFC website. She created the journal while traveling through Bhutan earlier this year, studying the unique spectrum of flora and fauna from the region as well as the conservation issues faced by the region. Dramatic sketches, drawings and a first person account of the Bhutanese people, their lifestyle, and the diversity of Bhutan’s flora and fauna, make up the journal’s contents.
On receiving the journal, Jeff Whiting President of the Artists for Conservation Foundation wrote to Pollyanna and Anna-Louise to say
“Thank you for pouring your hard work, talent and soul into the project. The flag journal is nothing short of awe-inspiring. It is a timeless masterpiece that we will do our utmost to share with the world. You have set the bar even higher for followers in this program. I can only imagine how difficult it was to remain dedicated to keeping your journal contributions up-to-date, particularly while enduring sickness and discomfort.
Finally thank you both for your vision and dedication to nature conservancy artistic excellence and the Artists for Conservation Foundation”
The journal provides a unique opportunity to view the sketches and notes which Pollyanna makes while out on expedition, which then provide the inspiration for the paintings which she completes back in the studio.
At the flag expedition site, you can also view photographs and read Anna-Louise’s daily blog of the journey. More images will be added over the coming weeks.
Click here to view the journal.