Vancouver, BC CANADA - August 4, 2025 - Artists for Conservation (AFC) is pleased to announce the award winners of the eighteenth annual AFC International Exhibit of Nature in Art to be held September 25-28 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, Landscape/Seascape Award, Interpretive/Abstract Award, two memorial awards and special awards by Western Art Collector Magazine. 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 (tied)
- “Family Gathering” by Stephen Jesic (Australia)
- “Nlaka’Pamux Heléw” by Breanna Podlasly (Canada)
Best in Show, Sculpture
- “Return To Turtle Island" by Leo Osborne (USA)
Medals of Excellence
- “Family Gathering” by Stephen Jesic (Australia)
- “Nlaka’Pamux Heléw” by Breanna Podlasly (Canada)
- “Solstice” by Michael Dumas (Canada)
- "What About Me” by Annik Janssens (Belgium)
- “A Little Rainbow” by Garry Fleming (Australia)
- “Shades of Grey” by Bruce Lawes (Canada)
- “Return To Turtle Island” by Leo Osborne (USA
Environmental Statement Award
- “Wailing" by Spencer Frazer (USA)
Interpretive/Abstract Award
- “Eternal Bond" by David Gallup and Nansi Bielanski Gallup (USA)
Best Landscape/Seascape Award
- “Tonquin Island Under Golden Skies" by Mark Hobson (Canada)
Pollyanna Pickering Memorial Award
- “Frozen Shake" by Lisa Gleim (USA)
John Seerey-Lester Human-Wildlife Interaction Award
- “Barn Owl" by Kimberly Beck (USA)
Western Art Collector Magazine Editor's Choice Award
- “Leaf Jam on Breakneck Creek" by Daniel Davis (USA)
Western Art Collector Magazine Award of Excellence
- “The Adventure Begins" by Bruce Lawes (Canada)
Honorable Mention
- “Rocky Mountain" Cougar by Michael Dumas (Canada)
- "Southern Colour" by Natalie Parker (Australia)
- "Banks Island Bravado" by Calvin Nicholls (Canada)
- "Under the Egyptian Sun, Nile Crocodile and Plovers" by Joe Watkins (USA)
- "Little Shadows" by Patricia Pepin (Canada)
- "Ancient Waters" by Betsy Popp (USA)
- "Treasures" by Joie Paré (Canada)
- "Spotted Girl" by Annik Janssens (Belgium)
- "Dusting The House" by Don Alemany (Canada)
- "Docking Bay" by Don Alemany (Canada)
- "Frozen Shake" by Lisa Gleim (USA)
- "Pine Barrens" Tree Frog by James Fiorentino (USA)
- "Summer Pass" by Del-Bourree Bach (USA)
- "Night Life" by Andrea Cheers (Australia)
- "Tar and Feather" by Spencer Frazer (USA)
- "Because we love... Kiwis" by Fiona Goulding (New Zealand)
Thank you to our jury for their generous contribution of time and expertise. Jurors in this year's exhibit included:
- Cher Anderson - AFC Signature Member & Board Member (USA);
- Brent Cooke - AFC Signature Member & Board Member, past Director of Royal BC Museum (Canada);
- Cynthie Fisher - AFC Signature Member (USA);
- Anna-Louise Pickering - Director of Pollyanna Pickering Foundation (UK);
- Suzie Seerey-Lester - AFC Signature Member, Combes Award Alumnus & AFC Advisor (USA)
Image Credits:
- “Eternal Bond" by David Gallup and Nansi Bielanski Gallup (USA)
- “Family Gathering” by Stephen Jesic (Australia)
- “Return To Turtle Island" by Leo Osborne (USA)
- “Shades of Grey” by Bruce Lawes (Canada)
- “Turbulence” by Spencer Frazer (USA)
- “Frozen Shake" by Lisa Gleim (USA)
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 over 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/