Vancouver, BC CANADA - August 27, 2021 - Artists for Conservation (AFC) is pleased to announce the first round of award winners of the fourteenth annual AFC International Exhibit of Nature in Art to be held September 23-26 in Vancouver, BC. The awards include five AFC Medals of Excellence, which recognizes at least five outstanding artworks in the exhibit, an Environmental Statement Award, and Interpretive/Abstract Award. AFC also presents two Best in Show awards, in recognition of the highest scoring painting and sculpture by the jury panel in the annual exhibit.
Artists receiving the awards are as follows:
Best in Show, Painting
- “A Sudden Encounter” by Gemma Gylling
Best in Show, Sculpture
- “Gyrfalcon” by Martin Hayward-Harris (Sculpture)
Medals of Excellence
- “Malamuzhakki - Great Hornbills” by Calvin Nicholls
- “A Sudden Encounter” by Gemma Gylling
- “Hanging Out “ Belted Kingfisher” by Luke Raffin
- “Gyrfalcon” by Martin Hayward-Harris
- “Black Headed Jay” by Chirag Thumbar
- “Sonoran Shade” by Sharon K. Schafer
- “Quiet Pursuit by Laura Levitsky
- “The March” by Sophie Green
- “We’re All Ears” by Charlotte Williams
Environmental Statement Award
- “Climate Encounter I” by Sailev
Interpretive/Abstract Award (NEW)
- “Ring Angels” by Lorna Hamilton
Honorable Mention
- “Rejoice” by Don Alemany
- “Lord Strutt” by Don Alemany
- “Maelstrom” by Guy Combes
- “Faded Blue” by Michael Dumas
- “Winter Drift” by Michael Dumas
- “Portrait of a Cheetah “ by James Fiorentino
- “King Kibulu” by Garry Fleming
- “Strangler fig leprechaun” by Dr. Elke Gröning
- “Morning air smelling” by Dr. Elke Gröning
- “Charly” by Sandra Jones
- “Only Have Eyes for You” by Bruce Lawes
- “We love mice” by Harro Maass
- “Invincible - Siberian Tiger” by Michael Pape
- “Bog Turtle” by Matt Patterson
- “Hi” by Edward Spera
Additional awards will be announced at a later date.
Thank you to our jury for their generous contribution of time and expertise. Jurors in this year's exhibit included:
- Brent Cooke - AFC Sculptor, Past Director of Royal BC Museum and AFC Board Member (Canada);
- Jennifer Lindquist - Curator, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Art Institute (USA)
- Anna-Louise Pickering - Co-Founder/President of the Pollyanna Pickering Foundation (UK)
- Suzie Seerey-Lester - AFC Artist & Simon Combes Award Winner (USA);
- Debra Usher - Editor/Publisher of Arabella Magazine (Canada).
Slideshow Image Credits (above):
- “Malamuzhakki - Great Hornbills” by Calvin Nicholls
- “A Sudden Encounter” by Gemma Gylling
- “Hanging Out “ Belted Kingfisher” by Luke Raffin
- “Gyrfalcon” by Martin Hayward-Harris
- “Black Headed Jay” by Chirag Thumbar
- “Sonoran Shade” by Sharon K. Schafer
- “Quiet Pursuit by Laura Levitsky
- “The March” by Sophie Green
- “We’re All Ears” by Charlotte Williams
About Artists for Conservation
Artists for Conservation (AFC) is the world's leading group of artists supporting the environment. Founded in 1997, the non-profit organization comprises a membership of 500 of the world's most gifted nature artists from 30 countries, across five continents. Dedicated to nurture, promote and leverage its world-class community of artists in support of our natural world, AFC drives its mission through three key programs: Art & Environmental Education; Field Work & Research; and Artist Development. The Artists for Conservation Festival is AFC's annual flagship initiative to showcase, support and further these programs. http://www.artistsforconservation.org/