Congratulations to our Finalists!

14 Nov

We’re proud to share that some of our students joined this year’s Wild at Art competition, run by the Australian Conservation Foundation. The program invites children to learn about Australia’s endangered wildlife through creativity.

Out of nearly 5,000 entries across Australia, two of our students, Ellie and Karen, were selected as finalists, a wonderful recognition of their creativity and unique art-making practice.

Ellie's artwork with watercolour, ink, and markers, selected for Wild at Art competition — Ellie L, 11

I chose the Purple Copper Butterfly (Paralucia spinifera) for my artwork because of its shimmering wings that shift in colour under sunlight. This small butterfly lives in the woodlands around Bathurst, Lithgow, and Oberon, where it depends on the native Blackthorn shrub and has a special partnership with local ants that protect its caterpillars. Sadly, its habitat is disappearing due to land clearing, weeds, and changes in fire patterns.
I wanted this piece to remind people that small creatures like this are as precious as jewels and worth protecting for the future.

Cherrybrook Karen artwork with colour pencil, pen, watercolour, and textas selected as finalist for Wild at Art competition — Karen M, 10

The animal I chose for my artwork is the Yellow-spotted Bell Frog, a critically endangered species from New South Wales. In my artwork, I wanted to show how special and brave this little frog is. I used block colours, dot textures, and Aboriginal-inspired patterns such as the waterhole symbol to show its habitat. We also pressed real leaves from the surroundings to add texture, helping the frog look camouflaged and hidden. Even though it’s small and rarely seen, I think it’s beautiful.

You can now view Ellie and Karen’s finalist artworks online as part of the People’s Choice Award showcase. Simply click on their artworks and give it a like. We’d love your support in celebrating their beautiful creations!

Many students were a little shy about entering or found it difficult to make time for research at home, but through the project we all learned so much about Australia’s unique and endangered species. There were also many beautiful artworks that were not submitted, yet showed the same thoughtful observation and wonderful use of materials. Here is a showcase of more artworks from our wildlife project~