2024 WE’RE BACK!

The California Brown Pelican and the San Esteban Chuckwalla, two species featured in the Vanishing Circles collection, have seen improvement in their conservation status. This exhibition showcases the beauty and resilience of these species through original works juried from members of Artists for Conservation and the Society of Animal Artists, alongside pieces from the original collection.

The California Brown Pelican, once on the brink of extinction due to pesticide use, has made a remarkable recovery thanks to conservation efforts. Similarly, the San Esteban Chuckwalla has seen improvements in its population due to conservation initiatives targeting its habitat, many of which the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has been critically involved – everything from removing invasive species, restoring native vegetation and creating protected areas, to research & monitoring, educational programing, interagency collaborations and policy advocacy.

Vanishing Circles, a collection of over 80 paintings and drawings by 30+ artists, was acquired for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Art Institute by the Michael and Priscilla Baldwin Foundation. Each piece in the collection highlights endangered, threatened, or compromised species and habitats in the Sonoran Desert Region, advocating for their preservation through art.

This exhibition not only celebrates the success stories of these two species but also raises awareness about the importance of conservation for all species in the Sonoran Desert Region and is a testament to the power of art in conservation education, echoing the mission of the Art Institute to deepen our understanding of the natural world and inspire action to protect it.

www.vanishingcircles.com