| Expedition
to Transylvania
In 2004 Pollyanna travelled to Romania to study and paint in
the forest habitat of some of Europe's most endangered wildlife.
Pollyanna stayed and worked in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania,
as well as travelling to the Danube Delta in the south east
of Romania to see the bird life for which the area is renowned.
The name Transylvania conjures up images of a mythical wolf-infested
land of forests and gothic castles, the surreal backdrop to
a spooky horror movie. In reality it is one of the last remaining
strongholds of the highly endangered European wolf, an area
rich in ancient folk lore, with medieval villages straight out
of the pages of a fairy tale. As well as searching for wild
wolves, bears and lynx, Pollyanna was able to spend time sketching
two semi-tame wolves, rescued from a fur farm as young cubs,
and hand reared by charity workers.
One of Pollyanna's sternest critics examines
her work!
Pollyanna began her journey in Transylvania staying with Count
Tibor Kalnoky...... on being shown to her room she was a little
alarmed to find a string of garlic above the door and wooden
crosses above the bed..... but in fact spent a fascinating few
days with the Count who is committed to the preservation of
the spectacular mountain wilderness, and the wildlife which
live within the forests. While here she spent days hiking into
the mountains with one of the top ornithologists in the country,
and learning about the work of conservation group Milvas.
While in Romania Pollyanna was also pleased to visit schools
to talk about her work painting endangered wildlife. She is
pictured (above) in the centre of a group of teenagers from
Zarnesti who publish an in-school environmental magazine called
'Mujarel'. Pollyanna was extremely impressed by the group's
enthusiasm and interest in ecology.
The first paintings inspired by this journey were on display
during Pollyanna's Summer Exhibition 'The Company of Wolves'
held in 2005 in Pollyanna's private gallery in Derbyshire .
The exhibition also featured paintings of exotic and endangered
animals which share their threatened habitat with wolves including
tigers, pandas and polar bears.
Pollyanna's interest in wolves was first aroused after sketching
the hauntingly beautiful white arctic wolf while living with
the Innuit people in the High Arctic. Travelling by husky dog
sledge and camping in tents and igloos at -40ºc, her primary
purpose was to paint polar bears, and the story of this amazing
journey is documented in her book 'On Top of the World'. However
her fascination with the sleek and powerful wolves lead her
to embark on a project to study the wolves of the world. A series
of journeys have taken her into the wilderness areas of Canada
and North America, where she worked with a wildlife vet, helping
to hand-rear orphaned baby wolves prior to their re-release
into the mountains of Colorado. It is this unique hands-on involvement
with her subjects which gives Pollyanna's paintings their unique
realism and vitality.
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