Vancouver, BC CANADA - August 17, 2026 - 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 24-27 in Vancouver, BC. The awards include nine AFC Medals of Excellence, which recognizes, an Environmental Statement Award, Landscape/Seascape Award, Interpretive/Abstract Award, two memorial awards and special awards by Western Art Collector Magazine, and ten honorable mentions. 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.
Special Artist Awards
Simon Combes Conservation Award
- Geraldine Simmons (Australia)
Baldwin Award for Conservation through Art Education
- Doug Hiser (USA)
2026 Exhibit Artwork Awards
Best in Show, Painting
- “Mother Tree” by Kentaro Nishino (Japan)
Best in Show, Sculpture
- “Long Arm - Telling Leuser’s Story” by Casey Banwell (UK)
Medals of Excellence
- “Mother Tree” by Kentaro Nishino (Japan)
- “Watching You, Watching Me” by Natalie Parker (Australia)
- “Silent Watch” by Stephen Jesic (Australia)
- “Love is in the Eyes” by Aga Elliott (USA)
- “High Perch” by Christina Dunzinger (USA)
- “The Connoisseur” by Sarah McComb-Turbitt (Canada)
- “Antithesis” by Gordon Pembridge (New Zealand)
- “Three’s Company” by Bruce Lawes (Canada)
- “Long Arm - Telling Leuser’s Story” by Casey Banwell (UK)
Environmental Statement Award
- “Danger” by Matt Patterson (USA)
Interpretive/Abstract Award
- “Greater Spotted Cuckoo” by Zoe Evamy (Canada)
Best Landscape/Seascape Award
- “Crystal Cove: After the Rain” by Mark Hobson (Canada)
Pollyanna Pickering Memorial Award
- “Bull Elephant: Kicking Up the Dust” by Mark Hobson (Canada)
John Seerey-Lester Human-Wildlife Interaction Award
- “Iluminado” by Eleazar Saenz (Mexico)
Western Art Collector Magazine Editor's Choice Award
- “Love is in the Eyes” by Agnieszka (Aga) Elliott (USA)
Western Art Collector Magazine Award of Excellence
- “Here Comes the Sun” by Emily Lozeron (Canada)
Honorable Mention
- “Deep Kinship” by Brett Blumenthal (USA)
- “Arctic Patrol” by Monika Loevenmark (Canada)
- “Step by Step” by Bruce Lawes (Canada)
- “Standing Stones” by Michael Dumas (Canada)
- “Vigilance” by Michael Dumas (Canada)
- “Last Light” by Brett Blumenthal (USA)
- “Sneak Peep” by “Crystal Cove: After the Rain” by Sarah McComb-Turbitt (Canada)
- “The Sloth and the Hummmingbird” by Ellen Woodbury (USA)
- “Capturing the Moon” by Martin Gates (USA)
- “Summer Song” by Martin Gates (USA)
Jurors
Thank you to our jury for their generous contribution of time and expertise. Jurors in this year's exhibit included:
- Michael Clawson - Executive Editor, International Artist Publishing and Western Art Collector Magazine;
- Guy Combes - AFC Signature Member, Combes Award Alumnus & AFC Advisor (USA);
- Brent Cooke - AFC Signature Member & Board Member, past Director of Royal BC Museum (Canada);
- Sunita Dhairyam - AFC Signature Member (USA); Combes Award Alumnus (India);
- Anna-Louise Pickering - Director of Pollyanna Pickering Foundation (UK);
- Suzie Seerey-Lester - AFC Signature Member, Combes Award Alumnus & AFC Advisor (USA)
Image Credits:
- “Mother Tree” by Kentaro Nishino (Japan)
- “Long Arm - Telling Leuser’s Story” by Casey Banwell (UK)
- “Crystal Cove: After the Rain” by Mark Hobson (Canada)
- “Watching You, Watching Me” by Natalie Parker (Australia)
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/