Global Canvas 2024 Education May 2, 2024 It’s been a week since the live final of Global Canvas 2024! With 1,828 entries from 71 countries, this year’s competition was the biggest yet. If you entered, you can pat yourself on the back for your incredible passion for wildlife and helping us raise awareness about the threats to endangered species. The Barometer of Life For this year’s competition, our theme was ‘The Barometer of Life’, based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, which is known by the same name. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure to help us prepare for bad weather. The ‘Red List’ of threatened species measures the pressures acting on species and how many are left, which helps governments and wildlife charities prevent extinctions. The Red list was developed in 1964 and has grown into a searchable database of 150,000 animals and plants that anyone can use in their work to conserve wildlife. It contains information about where and how the animals and plants live, how many are left, the threats they are under and what we are doing to save them. We also want to say a big thank you to Marta Ana and Joanna Clay of the IUCN, who gave a brilliant and fascinating presentation as part of this year’s live stream. And don’t forget to check out the interactive map to find Red List species that might be in your local area. Catch Up on YouTube If you missed the streaming of the live final, you can catch up via the link below. FAQs Why didn’t I get to see my entry in the presentation? With over 1,800 entries, it isn’t possible to showcase every entry we receive, which would make for a very long presentation! That’s why we reserve our live stream for just our finalists – but we do look at, cherish, and appreciate every entry. If you didn’t make it through, please don’t be put off. We’d really love to see your entry next year (see details below). Why were so many finalists from the UK? Global Canvas is a genuinely international competition. All entries are judged blind, with no details on where they have come from or who the artist or group is. They get through on artistic merit alone. However, there are still many entries from the UK, meaning these are likely to be proportionately represented in our selection of finalists. Michael O’Mara Books We’d like to express a huge than you to Lesley O’Mara of Michael O’Mara Books – our long-term sponsor of Global Canvas and a champion of our work. Michael O’Mara Books is an independent publisher who cherishes and values the passion and creativity of artists and illustrators. Since 1985, they’ve cultivated a reputation for trend-led, agile, quality publishing. Their children’s books, Buster Books, are ideal for curious and creative children and bound to satisfy the keenest of puzzle makers and budding artists. And they have a wide range of environmental and green-themed books for adults and children alike. This Year’s Finalists and Winners Individual Entries (4-7 Years) In 3rd place was Lena from Australia, who depicted these beautiful penguins against an oceanic setting. Peeraphat from Thailand captured this intriguing whale, with incredible lighting and depth, winning 2nd place. 1st place in the 4-7 years individual category went to Gareth from the USA, who created this lovely and colourful arrangement of hornbills. Individual Entries (8-11 Years) Congratulations to Lucas from the UK, who takes 3rd place with this detailed portrait of an Asian elephant, complete with its cute crop of head hair. In 2nd place, Cherie from Australia continued the cute theme in this category, with an adult and chick emperor penguin pair. And in the top slot is Seou from the USA, with this thought-provoking piece based around orangutans. Individual Entries (12-16 years) Chanel from China impressed the judges, who awarded their piece 3rd place. It depicted a species rarely represented in wildlife art and embraced the spirit of artivism. 2nd place was awarded to Kate from Ireland, for this intricately colourful portrait of an iguana. And in 1st place was this piece by Pakamol from Thailand for its impressive depth and striking statement. Group Entries (4-7 Years) In 3rd place was the Reception Class from Moyles Court School in the UK for this highly interactive and immersive piece incorporating multiple habitats and species. 2nd place was awarded to Bloomfield Hall School in Pakistan for this clever piece that warns of not stepping in to help those species on the path to extinction. And our winning group in the 4-7 years category goes to Year 2 of Fores Sadle Manor in the UK for their simple, Jenga-inspired piece that carries a simple but powerful message. Group Entries (8-11 Years) 3rd place went to TGSM Art Class of Menteroda Secondary School in Germany for this clever sculpture that wholly embraced our global theme. 2nd place was awarded to WIS creARTive Club of Westfields International School in the Philippines, who again caught the judge’s attention by showcasing species rarely given the spotlight in wildlife art. Our winner in the Group 8-11 Years category went to the Creative Enterprise Club of the UK, for this colourful coral sculpture. Group Entries (12-16 years) Our 3rd place winners are the Wilderness Protectors of VSA Art+Design Studio Inc. of Canada, with this highly detailed statement piece. In 2nd place, the Year 7 Animal Lovers of Hurstpierpoint College Senior Prep School in the UK impressed the judges with these stunning selection of head shots. Heathfield Art Club of Heathfield School in the UK took 1st place with this intricate woodland-themed diorama. Wildlife Artist Zoe Fitchet’s Top Tips We were thrilled to have renowned wildlife artist Zoe Fitchet co-host this year’s awards as well as be part of our esteemed judging panel. Zoe uses her work to raise awareness and support wildlife conservation projects around the world. Her work has gained an enviable reputation for outstanding realism and scope. Here are Zoe’s top tips on how you can really make your entry for next year’s competition stand out. Experiment with colour and technique. Make your pieces stand out with clever use of colour or by showing a range of techniques, such as using gold leaf and layering with different materials. Try out interesting compositions. This will work especially well for you if you want to depict multiple species – find a unique setting or way of bringing them to life. Find ways to tell a story through your art. As you can see from this year’s winners, artivism (using art to discuss important issues) is a great way to get your message across, so include storytelling in your art to get our attention. Consider including the habitat. Placing species in situ can make us think about the bigger picture and might encourage us to explore your piece to the minutest detail. Stick to the brief! Global Canvas always has a theme, so make sure your piece is relevant. Take your time. Finally – things are always better right rather than rushed. Give your work the respect it deserves and give it enough time to be a worthy representation of your vision. And finally… Next Year’s Theme Revealed! Global Canvas will officially open for entries again in September – so watch this space and make sure you’re signed up to stay in the loop. However, we are thrilled to reveal next year’s theme will be ‘Coexistence’, so you have plenty of time to start thinking about your entry. Coexistence means humans and wildlife living alongside each other with understanding and acceptance. Think about the challenges that might represent and how they can be overcome. We can’t wait to see your creative interpretations of this important conservation issue. You can find more information about Global Canvas, including tips from this year’s co-judge, wildlife artist Joe Fitchet, on the blog – with highlights of this year’s finalists too. Thank you again for all your brilliant entries – they really were excellent and set a very high standard. And congratulations again to all our finalists and winners. Link copied
