THE ART OF CONSERVATION SONGBIRD ART CONTEST HAS ANNOUNCED THE 2021 WINNERS
Wildlife Forever, in partnership with the Jay N. Darling Legacy Center, is proud to announce the winners of the 2021 Art of Conservation® Songbird Art Contest™.
A distinguished panel of judges selected winners from nearly 2,000 entries received from 48 states and 43 international countries. Building off the successful Fish Art Contest® and inspired by the legacy of artist and conservationist Jay Norwood Darling, youth participants learn about songbirds, their need for conservation, and compete for prizes and international recognition.
“Congratulations to all the amazing artists! The talent shown in this year’s contest was incredible. I’m inspired by the art but equally so, the connection these young people make in learning about nature,” said Pat Conzemius, President and CEO of Wildlife Forever.
“This extraordinary program really speaks to the legacy of Jay Norwood Darling. A conservationist through and through, Darling understood the deep connections between art and nature, along with opportunities for future generations. We are looking forward to
seeing the impact and outreach the Songbird Art Contest will continue to have,” said Sam Koltinsky, Director of the Jay N. Darling Center.
An international panel of distinguished judges utilized an innovative platform to help to select this year’s winners. Artists competed for national and international recognition, as well as specialty awards recognizing outstanding creativity and artistic technique. Participants also submitted essays eligible for awards which will be judged at a later date.
And the Winners are…
View all the winning artwork, including specialty awards, at WildlifeForever.org
Check out the video on YouTube
Follow the contest on Facebook
About the Jay N Darling Legacy Center: The Jay N. Darling Legacy Center is a non-profit friends group to support, enhance and champion Jay N. Darling’s legacy. Jay Norwood Darling (1876-1962), was a 20th century two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, journalist, artist, conservation activist, and advocate of sport hunting and
fishing. Building stewardship through conservation education will empower future generations to ensure the legacy of our natural resources. The Jay N. Darling Legacy
Center, based in Des Moines, Iowa, supports this extraordinary endeavor and will work to endorse, promote, and find resources to help build this important program in restoring our songbirds and their habitats.
Details about the contest:
The Art of Conservation® Songbird Art Contest™ is a new art competition hosted by Wildlife Forever, focused on sharing the wonder and species diversity of North American songbirds. Building off the successful Wildlife Forever Fish Art Contest® and inspired by the legacy of artist and conservationist Jay Norwood Darling, participants will learn about a North American Songbird Species and compete for prizes and international recognition.
Participants are required to submit an original piece of artwork accompanied by an essay detailing the unique characteristics of their chosen bird species and conservation needs. Participants will have until November 30 to submit their entry to the contest by mail to Wildlife Forever. A judging event will be held in December with avian biologists, local birders and partner organizations with winners being announced on National Bird Day, January 6, 2022.
Artwork must be one of the following species from the Official Songbird List:
- Blue jay
- Northern cardinal
- Baltimore oriole
- American goldfinch
- Black-capped chickadee
- Veery
- Wood thrush
- Chestnut-sided warbler
- Carolina Wren
Click here for more details
From left to right: American goldfinch, Baltimore oriole, and a Black-capped chickadee are species of birds pictured here that are eligible for the art contest.
