Ali Armstrong of Sparks is using her art to raise awareness about animal species in crisis — she paints extinct animals in black and white because “they are forever gone,” and adds a touch of color to endangered species because “for those, there is hope.”
The project, which she calls Scarce, was started in 2014 and has been exhibited and auctioned by several of America’s most prominent zoos. This April, Scarce is coming to Riverside Studios.
As part of Riverside’s First Friday series, Armstrong will display her work in an effort to continue promoting her message of encouraging the responsible protection of the endangered, while remembering to never forget the beauty of the extinct.
We in the Sierra are no stranger to endangered species. A 2010 report titled It’s Getting Hot Out There: Top 10 Places to Save for Endangered Species listed the California Sierra Nevada as one of the most at-risk habitats in the world — yes, the world — because of climate change. Perhaps the most well-known of these species is the mountain yellow-legged frog which has lost 90 percent of its population.
Scarce’s opening night is April 7 with live music, refreshments, and snacks. The show runs through May 5.
