MAFA members Anthony Ratcliffe and Julia Midgley are currently working on an exciting new project called Art in the Park. Kirkby Gallery teamed up with Knowsley Safari to create Art in the Park – a new series of online classes led by professional artists and supported by live and pre-recorded content from Safari experts and the Gallery team.
Live streamed from the Safari, the outdoors-inspired sessions will take place in February 2021, with options for individuals and schools. All are free to book.
Staffin’ the Safari, led by documentary artist and printmaker Julia Midgley looks at how keepers and animals work together for the benefit of wellbeing and conservation: four weekly sessions at 10am from February 1st.
For the Safari Park, conservation, welfare, and the preservation of wildlife, are core issues. My concept as a reportage artist was to focus on work behind the scenes wherein animals and keepers work together building relationships for the benefit of animal wellbeing and conservation.
During my visits I was given access to both keepers and educational staff as they broadcast educational sessions about conservation, sustainability and animal husbandry. I leant that animal training at Knowsley embraces the weighty responsibility of delivering medical inspections on wild endangered species without the need for sedation. The keepers provided access to this practice and I recorded it with drawings. These drawings were developed in my studio resulting in a portfolio of drawings archiving the work observed behind the scenes at Knowsley Safari Park.
Julia Midgley
Revisioning the Rhino, led by printmaker and former lecturer, Anthony Ratcliffe. Inspired by 16th Century artist, Albrecht Dürer, explore the idea of his rhinocerous woodcut with contemporary associations: four weekly sessions at 10am from February 2nd.
Anthony was interested in the rhino conservation programme.
This conservation project run by John Moores University involves astral tracking, this is the use of drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras which map the whereabouts of the animals and poachers.
Anthony Ratcliffe
Find out more: http://www.prescotmuseum.org.uk/visit-from-home/
Posted: January 26th, 2021
Category: Events And Activities,Member News,News