Skydance Studio

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Sharon K. Schafer

Current contact Information:

Owner /Operator Skydance Studio, Boulder City, Nevada; 702/293.3929(studio); 702/239.3673(cell); skydancestudio@earthlink.net

Websites:

Fine Art - www.skschaferart .com

Graphic Art, Interpretive Design, and Planning – www.skydancestudio.com

Educational background:

Graduate Study, 1976-1978, Natural Resource Management-Wildlife Management, Humboldt State University, CA
B.S., 1976, Wildlife Management, Humboldt State University, CA (with honors)

Awards and recognition: (selected)

2009 Small Works/ Big Impressions, National Tour, Society of Animal Artists, Opening The Wildlife Experience, Parker, CO
2009 The Art of Conservation, Blauvelt Art Museum, Oradell, NJ
2009 Selected member of the International Guild of Realism.
2009 Featured Speaker, Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure, Salina KS
2009 Art and the Animal, National Tour, Society of Animal Artists, Opening Rolling Hills, Salina KS
2009 Solo Show, Valley of Fire State Park, Overton, NV
2009 Art of the Animal Kingdom XIV, Bennington, VT
2009 Featured Speaker, Wings and Wildlife Festival, Laughlin, NV
2009 Solo Show, The Art of Nature, Lost City Museum, Overton, NV
2009 Guest speaker, The Wildlife Experience, Parker, CO
2009 Guest Speaker, International Master Gardeners Conference, Las Vegas, NV
2008 Featured Artist, Boulder City Fine Art Festival, Boulder City, NV
2008 Solo Show, The Art of Nature: Images from the Wildlands of Southern Nevada, Nevada State Museum, Carson City, NV
2007 Artist-in-Residence, Prince Albert II, Arctic
2008 Selected Signature Member - Artists for Conservation
2008 Selected Associate Member - Society of Animal Artists
2008 Featured Speaker, Frances Humphrey Lecture Series, Nevada State Museum, Carson City, NV
2008 Featured Speaker, Forum Lecture Series, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
2007 Solo Show, The Art of Nature: Images from the Wildlands of Southern Nevada, Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, NV
2007 Artist-in-Residence, Kapitan Khlebnikov, Quark Expeditions, Antarctica
2007 Artist-in-Residence, Professor Molchanov, Quark Expeditions, Antarctica
2007 Focus On Nature IX, New York State Museum, Albany, NY
2006 Artist-in-residence, Kapitan Khlebnikov, Quark Expeditions, Antarctica
2005 Guild Of Natural Science Illustrators Annual Show, Jacobs Gallery, Eugene, OR
2005 Focus On Nature IX, New York State Museum, Albany, NY
2005 The Art of Seeing: Nature Revealed through Illustration, Oakland Museum of California, CA
2002 Nevada Council for the Arts, sculpture commission for White House ornament at the request of First Lady Laura Bush, subject: Nevada indigenous bird
2001 Artist-in-Residence, Isle Royale National Park, MI
1999 Howard Hughes Corporation Grant, Interpretive Mural/Exhibit
1992 Premio Cornice (international design award) Coppa Concor, Bologna, Italy

Work represented in the collections of:
President George W. Bush, Secretary of the Interior Gail Norton; U.S. Senator Harry Reid;
U.S. Senator John Ensign; U.S. Representative John Porter; Howard Hughes Corporation, City of Henderson, NV; Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV; Isle Royale National Park, Isle Royale, MI; Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Mount Charleston, NV; Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, Henderson, NV

Employment & Experience (selected most relevant and recent)

1998-Present, Owner /Operator Skydance Studio, Boulder City, NV
2008, Photographer and lecturer for Prince Albert II Arctic Exploration voyage to
Svalbard.
2008, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Division of Educational Outreach, Las Vegas NV
Instructor, “ The Art of Seeing:Learning to Sketch at the Historic Walking Box Ranch."

2008, Clark County Parks and Recreation, Clark County Wetlands Park, NV
Childrens illustrated nature journal.

2007, The Southern Nevada Mathematics Council and the Nevada State Science Teacher’s
Association Regional Conference, Presenter, Las Vegas, NV
2006-2007, Served 60 days as Artist-in-Residence and photographer on Antarctic voyages.
Including:
- 2007, Artist-in-Residence.
  - Nov7-Nov20 Kapitan Khlebnikov Emperor Penguin,(Snow Hill Island)
- 2006, Artist-in-Residence
  - Oct 17-Nov2 Kapitan Khlebnikov Emperor Penguin, (Snow Hill Island).
  - Dec1-Dec23 Professor Molchanov (Malvinas, S Georgia and Peninsula).
  - Dec 23-Dec29 Professor Molchanov (Antarctic Peninsula).
2006, National Park Service, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV
Children’s illustrated natural history field guide.
2006, US Forest Service, Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, NV
Interpretive roadside and Visitor Center exhibits. Includes recreational,
biological, cultural illustrations, photographs, and interpretive text.
2005, Bureau of Land Management, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area,
Red Springs Interpretive Boardwalk, NV
Designed, illustrated and produced wayside interpretive panels

2005, Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, NV
Guest instructor - Nature Journaling Workshop
2005, Clark County Wetlands Park, NV
Presenter - Jason Project - "Teach the Teacher Workshop"
2005, University of Nevada - Las Vegas Public Lands Institute, NV
Exhibit design and fabrication for White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation.
2005, “Spring Mountains Sensitive Species Guide.” Spring Mountain National
Recreation Area. Includes botanical illustrations.
2004, Bureau of Land Management, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area,
Red Rock Loop Interpretive Waysides, NV
Designed, illustrated and produced wayside interpretive panels.

2004, Clark County Parks and Recreation, Clark County Wetlands Park, NV
Childrens illustrated Nature Journal.

2005, National Association for Interpretation Region II Workshop,
Guest instructor - nature journaling
2005, Bureau of Land Management, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV Red Springs Interpretive Boardwalk
Designed, illustrated and produced wayside interpretive panels.
2004, Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, NV
U.S. Forest Service: interpretive roadside and visitor center exhibits. Includes recreational,
biological, cultural illustrations, photographs, and interpretive panels.
2004, Bureau of Land Management, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV
Red Rock Loop Interpretive Waysides-Phase II, NV
Designed, illustrated and produced wayside interpretive panels.
2003, National Association for Interpretation, Virginia Beach, VI
Presented national workshop for park naturalists on nature journaling
as a tool to engage the visitor with the natural world.
2000 – 2003, Canyonlands Field Institute, Moab, UT
River guide and guest instructor-art, photography and natural history.
2003-Present, “Isle Royale: One Artists Journey.” Illustrated natural history book:
Isle Royal Natural History Association, Isle Royale National Park, MI (in progress).

2003, “Meet the Mojave Desert” interpretive poster and flash cards. Includes floral,
faunal, text and illustrations appropriate for ages kindergarten to adult.
2002, Bureau of Land Management, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV
Red Rock Loop Interpretive Waysides-Phase I
Designed, illustrated and produced wayside interpretive panels.
2002, U.S. Forest Service, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, NV
Interpretive trail brochures. Includes Paleozoic fossils,
recent flora and fauna, cultural illustrations, photographs and text.

2002, U.S. Forest Service, Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, NV
Interpretive roadside and visitor center exhibits. Includes
recreational, biological, cultural illustrations, photographs, and interpretive text.
2002, Nevada State Parks, NV
Illustrated park brochures.
2002, U.S. Forest Service, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, NV
Interpretive trail brochures. Includes paleontology,
recent flora and fauna, cultural illustrations, photographs and text.
2002, U.S. Forest Service, Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, NV
Interpretive roadside and visitor center exhibits. Includes
recreational, biological, cultural illustrations, photographs, and interpretive text.
2001, Clark County Wetlands Park, NV,
Children’s illustrated natural history field guide.
2001, Outside Las Vegas Foundation, Las Vegas, NV
Developed branding design collection.
2001, Clark County Parks and Recreation, Clark County Wetlands Park, NV,
Children’s illustrated natural history field guide journal.
2001, National Association for Interpretation, NAI National Conference, Tucson, AZ
Instructor and presentor
2001, US Forest Service, Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, NV
Interpretive roadside exhibits. Includes recreational, biological, cultural illustrations,
photographs, and interpretive text.
2000, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Desert Game Range, NV
Comprehensive interpretive brochure, included floral, faunal and cultural illustrations,
diagrams, and photographs.
2000, Bureau of Land Management, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV
Developed comprehensive Wayside Master Plan
2000, City of Henderson-Bird Viewing Preserve, NV
Large format interpretive mural for Visitor Center, logo and product designs.
1998-2000 Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV
Hiking guide and instructor-natural history, photography, art, and nature.
1999, Joan Cawley Publishing, Tempe, AZ
Poster released for national distribution

Natural history interpretive products and fine art retailers (selected most relevant and recent):
San Bernardino Natural History Museum, San Bernardino, CA; Joshua Tree National Park, Joshua Tree, CA; Death Valley National Park, CA; Learning Is Fun retail outlets, NV; Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV; Maturango Museum, Ridgecrest, CA; Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, NV; Las Vegas Natural History Museum, NV; Clark County Heritage Museum, Henderson, NV; Spring Mountain State Park, NV; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV; Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, NV; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV; Joan Cawley Gallery, AZ; Desert National Wildlife Refuge, NV; Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, NV

Special Skills:

Private Pilot – Single Engine / Land
Wilderness First Responder-emergency medicine training