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Nature Inspires Art Contest

See the winners and honorable mentions of our Florida nature-inspired art contest with the theme: Celebrate Nature.

Heart-shaped grape leaf at Tiger Creek Preserve.
Grape Leaf Heart-shaped grape leaf at Tiger Creek Preserve. © Linda Fish

Overview

Entry Period Has Ended

The entry period for our contest is now closed. Scroll down to see the winners. The artwork of the winning entries will be displayed at The Lake Wales Arts Center from November 7 to 30, with our special art gallery event to be held on Friday, November 18.

Contest Overview  

TNC Florida's Center for Conservation Initiatives Art Contest Nature Inspires invited artists to create a Florida nature-inspired work of art that represented this year’s theme: Celebrate Nature. Submissions were required to be visual art, including, but not limited to, digital art, painting or sculpture. Video, photography and sculptures made from natural or perishable items were not accepted. All valid submissions were considered for display at The Lake Wales Arts Center as part of a special art installation. The top three winners will enjoy a family fun day at Tiger Creek Preserve!  

Florida has some of the most striking natural inspiration, from beautiful aquatic life in our springs and on the coasts to charismatic weather, ecosystems and plants. Scroll down to enjoy the beautiful works of art that have been created for this year's contest.

Judging Criteria

Artwork was judged on expression of the theme Celebrate Nature, originality and the degree to which it is Florida nature inspired.

Prizes

Three winners were selected and invited along with four guests of their choosing to a fun day at Tiger Creek Preserve to be held on November 19, 2022, including a buggy tour and picnic.

Questions? Email NatureInspires@tnc.org

See the 2022 Winners

Mother and kitten Florida panther walk through pines.
Seeking a Pathway to Survival First Place: TNC Florida Nature Inspires Art Contest 2022 © Kristen Loffler

First Place Winner

Kristen Loffler's Seeking a Pathway to Survival

"I have been concerned about the our environment for as long as I can remember and the creatures that try to survive in it. Here, in Florida, one of the most obviously endangered is the Florida Panther. I was inspired by pictures I saw in The Nature Conservancy magazine, and others that I saw online. My art quilt is a composite of several of these, interpreted by me using fabric. I tried to make the panther look as if it is pleading for help while still keeping it's distance, and ready to protect it's offspring. I used many different fabrics including netting for the pine needles on the trees, and a cammo print for the tree trunks. It took me several weeks to complete and there are many small pieces used in the face. Nothing was painted, although I did use textile markers to connect some areas on the tree trunks, and to darken some shadows on the panthers."—Kristen Loffler

 

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See the 2022 Honorable Mentions

View the 2021 Winners

See the First, Second, Third Place and Honorable Mention winners.

'Florida Trinity' by Blair Updike: triptych painting portraying native Florida wildlife (from left) American alligator, wild turkey and Florida panther.
'What the Waterlilies Sing' by Bobbi Baugh: surface design on fabric constructed by collage and stitch.
'On the Boardwalk' by Kate Less-Madsen: oil on canvas.
'Chair of Vibrance' by Vitaliya Repina: this repurposed chair is a symbol of the connection we have with the universe and nature.
'Echoes' by Molly Franken: watercolor, an abstract but definitive portrait of Florida's underwater ecosystem.
'A Light in the Dark' by Penny Edwards: oil on canvas depicts a great blue heron at night.
'Bald Cypress' by Janet Molchan: sculpture reminding people of the beauty of wild Florida.
'Cherries for Breakfast' by Teresa Chin: watercolor depicting a male pileated woodpecker.
'Wading Great Egret' by Bonnie Masdeu: oil on canvas.
Visit our art gallery at Disney Wilderness Preserve to see the winning entries and honorable mentions. Masks will be required, and gathering restrictions will apply.