The Working Proof The Working Proof marries art and social responsibility. Each print is paired with a charity of the artist’s choice, to which The Working Proof donates 15% of the sale of each print, creating a product with not just aesthetic, but social value. This week the Charity of choice is The Jane Goodall Institute. The interest of The Working Proof is to promote a variety of charities and expose them to new supporters through the appreciation of art and creativity. Each week a new print is released once a week on Tuesday’s at 1:30 pm. EST.

October 12, 2010 print release: Wildlife of Vietnam, by Brendan Wenzel. 15% of each print sale will be donated to the Jane Goodall Institute. $30.

About the print (in the artist’s words):

This piece grew from a series of images I created featuring Vietnam’s threatened wildlife. Until recently I lived in Ho Chi Minh City and although I like to think my biophilia knows no bounds, having called the country home for over two years, I have become particularly attached to its creatures.

This image also ran as a cover of the monthly magazine AsiaLife. The issue focused on threats facing Vietnam’s species – in particular the illegal wildlife trade, which sadly is growing to meet the demand for bush meat and animal products for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Many species, including a number that are unique to Vietnam, may soon face extinction. I am insanely frustrated by the growth of this industry and I hope the piece conveys that.

This is a digital print on acid free, Neenah uncoated matte 100lb cover paper that is 80% recycled. Each print was signed and numbered by the artist.

I chose to pair my print with The Jane Goodall Institute. The Institute acknowledges that the concerns of communities are linked to the well being of the environments that surround them, and that the degradation of those environments will inevitably have a direct effect on their human inhabitants.

I’m also a big fan of the Institute’s Roots and Shoots program, which gets young people involved with the issues facing their communities, environmental and otherwise, and to then design projects that provide solutions to those problems. Even if you would prefer to keep this print as far away from the walls of your home as possible, please consider giving to this organization anyway. It’s just awesome.