Wild Life Drawing Online: Aye-ayes

Join us for a virtual trip to the island of Madagascar to study one of the world’s most unique primates, the aye-aye. These strange and striking animals spend most of their lives in the trees, building large, spherical nests out of leaves and twigs high in the canopy for shelter. They have incredibly long, thin middle fingers, which they use for tapping on trees to locate insects, which they then extract using their sharp teeth. 

The people of Madagascar have a complicated and often fraught relationship with the aye-aye. Some welcome the primates because they know they eat the larvae of pests that damage sugar cane and other crops. Unfortunately, many others believe that these animals are harbingers of death and crop failure, and that they must be killed upon sight. Along with rapid habitat loss, this persecution has resulted in aye-ayes being one of the most endangered primates on earth. 

Thankfully there are wonderful people working hard to protect the species. We are delighted that we will be joined for this class by one such person; Mark Jacobs, managing director at SEED Madagascar. This fantastic charity is focused on sustainable development and environmental conservation in Madagascar. Their aim is to protect the island's unique biodiversity through habitat restoration, community-based forest management, and environmental education. They collaborate with local communities to promote sustainable farming practices, reduce deforestation, and preserve critical ecosystems like rainforests and mangroves. In addition to conservation, SEED addresses social issues such as healthcare, sanitation, and education, working to create a balance between human development and environmental protection.

The class will be led by artist and illustrator Jennie Webber, who will begin with a drawing demonstration and her top tips on drawing these remarkable animals. While the session progresses Jennie and Mark will discuss all things aye-aye, and there will be plenty of time for your questions. All abilities are welcome to join the session, and there will be plenty of creative guidance throughout. We will draw from reference images for this one, and will spend the session getting all those quirky details down on our pages. 

Before the class you’ll need to get your hands on some paper, a pencil, and any other materials you might like to work with. We will email you beforehand with a Zoom link and some instructions. As with all our classes, we will send out a recording afterwards to all ticket holders so you can catch up/ rewatch as many times as you like. 

50% of profits will be donated to SEED Madagascar.