The Sharon K. Schafer Mojave Desert Wildlands Artwork (2000-2026) consists of digital scans of fine art drawings; sketches done in watercolor, ink or graphite; student activity journals; interpretive signage; Visitor Center exhibits; photographs; and other environmental education materials created by artist Sharon K. Schafer. Most of the files pertain to the flora, fauna, and landscapes of the Mojave Desert Region of California, Nevada, and Arizona, with an emphasis on the Mojave Desert of Southern Nevada. Each project contains a one-page summary of the project, a detailed listing with size specifications and printing suggestions, as well as all corresponding artwork and project files.
The Sharon K. Schafer Mojave Desert Wildlands Artwork (2000-2026) consists of digital scans of fine art drawings; sketches done in watercolor, ink or graphite; student activity journals; interpretive signage; Visitor Center exhibits; photographs; and other environmental education materials created by artist Sharon K. Schafer. Most of the files pertain to the flora, fauna, and landscapes of the Mojave Desert Region of California, Nevada, and Arizona, with an emphasis on the Mojave Desert of Southern Nevada. Each project contains a one-page summary of the project, a detailed listing with size specifications and printing suggestions, as well as all corresponding artwork and project files.
Collection is open for research, with the exception of a single digital file which is not available due to copyright limitations. Restrictions are noted at the file level of this inventory.
This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. It may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproductions and use or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu.
Materials are organized by project and are in alphabetical order. The donor's file groupings within each project were retained.
Sharon K. Schafer's varied background has led to a successful career combining her two main interests: nature and art. Schafer earned her degree in Wildlife Management at Humboldt State University in northern California. Subsequently, she worked as a field wildlife biologist for the Soil Conservation Service, Pacific Gas and Electric, and the Bureau of Land Management.
In an effort to combine her interest in art and science, Schafer founded Skydance Studio 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. Schafer has developed educational exhibits and images for a number of organizations across the country, including the U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. She shares her artistic talent and passion for the outdoors by teaching art and nature-related classes, lecturing as a Photograph and Art Instructor at the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum-Art Institute, and exhibiting her artwork in a variety of venues across the country.
Source:
"About the Artist," Skydance Studio website. https://www.skydancestudio.com/about. Accessed April 27, 2026.
Sharon K. Schafer Mojave Desert Wildlands Artwork, 2000-2026. MS-01237. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f14b8t
Materials were donated in 2026 by Sharon K. Schafer; accession number 2026-048.
In 2026, Sarah Jones accessioned the collection and created the finding aid in ArchivesSpace. Sarah Jones processed born digital materials including migrating files off of optical storage media which were normalized to standard preservation and access formats following UNLV Special Collections and Archives Digital Preservation guidelines. TIF files were not converted to preserve the artist's original design specifications. The donor's file groupings within each project were retained. Documentation summaries and spreadsheets with file details were combined into a new "Documentation" folder for each project.
Administrative Information
Acquired by Aaron Mayes, Visual Materials Curator, as part of UNLV Special Collections and Archives holdings on the visual history of southern Nevada. All parts of the original gift has been retained.