DATE: March 19 - May 1, 2010

TIME: The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; a free public multimedia presentation and reception will be held March 19 from 6 to 8 p.m.

LOCATION: Marjorie Barrick Museum at UNLV

DETAILS: Free and open to the public

Southern Nevada artist and naturalist Sharon Schafer will present "The Art of Nature: Images from the Wild Lands of Southern Nevada," a mixed media exhibit at the Barrick Museum of Natural History at UNLV. The exhibit runs from March 19 through May 1 and is free and open to the public.

Through "The Art of Nature," Schafer uses photographs, paintings and drawings to take the visitor off the beaten path and celebrate the stunning natural beauty of the wildlife and landscapes of Southern Nevada's public lands.

"I hope the viewer comes away from the program with a different perspective - no longer seeing the public lands as a desert wasteland, but rather as a place of unparalleled natural beauty and diversity that is deserving of our care and concern," said Schafer.

Schafer's wildlife paintings been recognized by both the international Society of Animal Artists and Artists for Conservation. Schafer founded Skydance Studio in Boulder City, NV in 1998. With her studio, she has dedicated herself to the creation of images that promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

Using her skills as both an artist and wildlife biologist, Schafer has developed educational exhibits and images for many organizations including the U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

For more information on the exhibit, please visit http://barrickmuseum.unlv.edu or call (702) 895-3381.