DESCRIPTION The Red List: an Alphabet Book of Endangered Species DATE November 2009 DESIGN CREDITS Amber Jensen TYPE CREDITS Engravers

QUANTITY PRODUCED 50 PRODUCTION TIME 2 weeks DIMENSIONS: WIDTH × HEIGHT × DEPTH 6 in × 8 in × 1 in PAGE COUNT 26 PRINT METHOD HP Digital Indigo PAPER STOCK Uncoated Ultra Digital Cover, 100lb NUMBER OF COLORS CMYK OTHER The book is held in a handmade, red, 100% wool envelope with cotton lining with a leather closure and brass rivets. The title is digitally printed on Rives BFK paper and placed in a brass nameplate.

The Red List: an Alphabet Book of Endangered Species is an ambitious project by Amber Jensen who completed the master book (measuring 32 in by 48 feet) after a year of work. Consisting of layered ink drawing on canvas that were then mounted on Rives BFK paper and archival boards, these were then hinged with muslin fabric and hand painted with gold to match the gold foil stamping. The reason behind the book?

Since we rely on the natural world for our survival its study and our awareness of it has always been compulsory. From very early on humankind would classify plants into ones that were edible, poisonous, or of medicinal value, and to recognize animals as potentially dangerous or valuable. Throughout time, the reasons for studying our natural habitats have changed little, and, largely due to our influence, we are faced with an extinction rate higher than any other time in our history. The need for education and action on the conservation of this planet is vitally important to our future.

The Red List: an Alphabet Book of Endangered Species is a piece that is the result of my amateur studies as a natural historian. Beginning my research I was confounded by the immensity of species that were in threat of extinction. With the alphabet book in mind, I chose my list of just 26 species and made an effort to choose from all biomes a varied list of distinctive plant and animal types. From A to Z I wanted this book to be read as a cross section of the entire list of endangered species, and to show the biodiversity needed to build healthy ecosystems.

Having completed the book, Amber set out to create a set of lose cards that would also provide information on each species. With the proceeds going to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, these cards are digitally printed and bound in a hand made red envelope with intricate details. It is always a challenge to transfer a unique hand made piece into a more accessible format, and Amber did a beautiful job in selecting materials and elements that complement each other very nicely.