Pollyanna to undertake WNAG flag Expedition.

Pollyanna is delighted to announce that she has been granted a fellowship from Canada based society The Worldwide Nature Artists Group in support of her next expedition into the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Pollyanna is 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.

Her objective is to study and paint in one of the world's last true wilderness environments and document the remarkable range of flora and fauna which survives there. Pollyanna will embark on her month-long journey in the spring of 2007, the year which marks the 21st anniversary of her first expedition to study threatened species in their natural habitats; however, Bhutan will be one of her most ambitious and challenging projects yet.

Bhutan jealously guards its lifestyle and ancient traditions. Many village people in the region have stories of their sightings and meetings with the "yeti" or Migoi as the Bhutanese refer to these creatures, which are widely believed by locals to exist throughout the northern part of the country.

"Who knows what undiscovered secrets this mystical terrain is hiding? My ambition is to capture the atmosphere and spirit of the Himalayas, and document the breathtaking diversity of life in this mountain Kingdom," Pollyanna commented after being notified of the $5,000(US) grant that the WNAG awards under its Flag Expeditions Program.

"Pollyanna noted in her proposal that 'there is no substitute for the inspiration which comes from the visit to the habitat, and the sketches made in situ,' " said Jeff Whiting, President and Founder of the WNAG.”I could not agree with her more, which is why we make WNAG Flag Expeditions Fellowships available to our member artists. "

Along with her sketches, paintings, photography, and video clips, Pollyanna will also prepare a detailed journal documenting her experience during the month-long adventure. Pollyanna will be accompanied on the journey by her daughter and business partner, Anna-Louise, an award winning wildlife photographer. It will be possible to follow her expedition through Bhutan via a special web site created by the WNAG.

Pollyanna will act as an ambassador for the WNAG throughout the journey, and will carry their expedition flag. She is looking forward to meeting with government ministers, and representatives of the World Wide Fund for Nature while in Bhutan, and learning more about the conservation issues facing the country.
Read more about the flag expedition programs here