LORI DUNN SCRATCHBOARD ART
promoting conservation through artistic efforts
Canadian wildlife artist Lori Dunn has had a long history of combining science and art. With a natural artistic ability from a very early age, teachers tried to steer her towards a career in art, but her real desire was to study nature and wildlife. Enrolling in the zoology program at the University of Guelph in Ontario, was a first step towards gleaning the knowledge she craved. Lori was interested in all forms of nature, but she was always drawn towards those creatures that other people paid little attention to, or were even frightened of.
After graduating with her zoology degree, Lori Dunn embarked on a 15 year career as a zookeeper in Canada, spending much of her time working with small animals including amphibians and reptiles, doing public presentations and volunteering her free time toward conservation efforts in Ontario including surveys, habitat restoration, and outreach.
Eventually, Lori left zoo keeping to embark on a new journey as an artist. She feels her need to put her animal education and experience first was key to her eventual success as a wildlife artist, and she still considers herself a naturalist first, with artwork a vehicle to express her passion to the viewer.
Scratchboard allows this artist the control over detail that she strives for. These black and white clayboard engravings produce works of art with incredible realism and quality of light and are considered by many artists to be one of the most difficult mediums to master. You can read about the process of scratchboard here.
Lori Dunn's scratchboard artworks have garnered National and International recognition winning awards in several world class exhibitions. In addition, her work has been featured in several blogs, magazines and books. She is a signature member of the Society of Animal Artists, and a master member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists. She currently teaches scratchboard art via private lessons and workshops.
Lori works from her pioneer log home in Norwood, Ontario, Canada, and when she isn't creating artwork she is invariably out kayaking, hiking and enjoying nature in all of its forms.
Photo courtesy of Amy Stauffer
