Now in its seventeenth yr, Wildlife Artist of the Yr has grown into one of many world’s main artwork competitions, bringing collectively creativity, ardour, and function in assist of world conservation. Every paintings just isn’t solely a hanging celebration of nature but additionally helps elevate very important funds for frontline tasks supported by David Shepherd Wildlife Basis (DSWF).
This yr’s finalists and winners showcased extraordinary expertise, utilizing their craft to inform pressing tales about our planet’s wildlife and landscapes. From intimate moments of maternal care to daring statements on extinction and renewal, each piece reminds us of the wonder we stand to lose and the ability of artwork to encourage change.
Listed here are the class winners and particular award recipients for 2025:
Summary World: Jonathan Truss – A Dazzle of Zebra
Zebra stripes are nature’s final camouflage, complicated predators by merging right into a dizzying sample of black and white. Jonathan Truss captures this dazzling spectacle in his portray, putting viewers within the place of a lioness confronted with the inconceivable process of singling out her prey. An expert wildlife painter for 30 years, Jonathan has exhibited internationally and led artwork safaris throughout continents. His skill to mix science and spectacle continues to encourage.
Animal Behaviour: Phillip Allder – Into the Mild
Few photographs are as highly effective as a tiger carrying her cub. In Into the Mild, Phillip Allder contrasts the ferocity of a prime predator with the tenderness of motherhood, imbued with only a hint of menace. Primarily based within the Lake District, Phillip is a wildlife and panorama artist whose profession spans exhibitions within the UK and USA. His evocative model has earned him common recognition in Wildlife Artist of the Yr.
Earth’s Wild Magnificence: Hazel McNab – Iguazu Falls
Standing between Argentina and Brazil, Iguazu Falls is likely one of the pure world’s most awe-inspiring sights. Hazel McNab’s linocut captures the fragile stability between fragility and pressure, with a slender tree holding its personal in opposition to a backdrop of roaring water. Working in discount linocut, Hazel layers color and texture with precision, producing scenes infused with each motion and stillness. Her Cornish-based observe usually celebrates coastal landscapes, however right here she expands her gaze to a worldwide marvel.
Environmental Artivism: Derek Robertson – Within the Compass of the Oceans
Orcas are majestic apex predators, but additionally indicators of ocean well being. Derek Robertson’s mixed-media piece highlights their vulnerability to overfishing, local weather change, air pollution, and plastic waste. With a profession spanning 35 years, Derek is internationally recognised, with works held in collections from the Tate Gallery to the Royal Household. His artwork usually bridges science and storytelling, collaborating with conservationists to convey pressing ecological narratives to life.
Dealing with Extinction: Holly Budge – 96 Elephants a Day – The Day by day Poaching Charge in Africa
Daily, an estimated 96 elephants are killed for ivory in Africa. Holly Budge transforms this devastating statistic into wearable artwork: a necklace constructed from vegetable ivory, with one elephant turned in the wrong way to symbolise hope. As founding father of the NGO How Many Elephants and World Feminine Ranger Week, Holly combines journey, activism, and design to amplify conservation causes. Her work has been praised by Sir David Attenborough for its ingenuity and affect.
Into the Blue: Sarah Jackson – First Dance
Constituted of recycled magazines, First Dance flows with the rhythm of the ocean, celebrating the concord of marine life. Sarah Jackson’s revolutionary use of collage and ink mirrors the ocean’s currents, remodeling discarded materials into textured, painterly compositions. Rising up on the Cornish coast, Sarah’s observe is deeply rooted in sustainability, proving that magnificence and renewal can emerge from the on a regular basis.
Wings: Emma Swift – Strike a Pose
The Southern Floor Hornbill is a chicken stuffed with charisma, with its hanging plumage, resonant name, and proud strut throughout African grasslands. Emma Swift’s oil portray captures this daring persona with vivid colors and assured brushstrokes. An award-winning artist, Emma has been shortlisted for Wildlife Artist of the Yr seven instances. Her work underscores the interconnectedness of wildlife and atmosphere, reminding us that each species has a job to play.
Youth Unique: Sunghyun Chun – The best way to Crawl Whereas Caught within the Darkness
At simply 17 years outdated, South Korean pupil Sunghyun Chun impressed judges along with his intricate pencil drawing of a snake rising from darkness. A newcomer to artwork, he was initially impressed by manga, and Sunghyun is now pursuing his dream of finding out at an artwork school in England. His work demonstrates how new generations are embracing wildlife artwork with originality and dedication.
The Painters On-line in Affiliation with The Artist Award: Andrew Pledge – The Undertaker
Marabou storks could not match conventional concepts of magnificence, however Andrew Pledge challenges us to see them in another way. In The Undertaker, he celebrates their adaptability and ecological significance, reminding us that even “unattractive” species play very important roles. Andrew’s award-winning work focuses on missed birds, encouraging us to search out marvel in surprising locations.
Elizabeth Hosking Watercolour Award: Julia Cassels – Boys of Lolldaiga
Impressed by younger elephants play-fighting on a dusty dam wall, Julia Cassels’ watercolour bursts with vitality and motion. Having spent a few years in Africa earlier than returning to the UK, Julia’s artwork is alive with the sounds, scents, and rhythms of the wild. Her work not solely captures wildlife but additionally raises consciousness for conservation, connecting audiences to the locations and creatures she loves most.
Michelle Lee Howk First Time Entrants Award: Aniruddha Gupte – Light Little Baza
The Black Baza, a hanging raptor from southern India, is each elusive and ecologically vital. In his delicate watercolour, Mumbai-based artist Aniruddha Gupte celebrates this bio-indicator species, working with handmade paper and embracing the unpredictable qualities of the medium. A designer by coaching, Aniruddha solely started portray wildlife in 2021, however his sensitivity and ability have already made a mark.
General Runner-Up: Matthew Polluck – Ready on the World to Change
A lone Northern White Rhino stands in desolation, its shadow lacking the long-lasting horn stolen by human greed. Utilizing ink, metallic paint, and gold leaf, Matthew Polluck creates a haunting picture of extinction. A self-taught artist, Matthew’s minimal palette and use of treasured supplies lend his work each immediacy and timelessness. His artwork is a name to motion urging us to alter earlier than it’s too late.
General Winner: Nicole Koleková – Beloved
This yr’s general prize went to Slovakian artist Nicole Koleková for her ceramic sculpture Beloved. The piece depicts a monkey mom unable to let go of her misplaced little one, a heart-wrenching meditation on maternal love, grief, and the fragility of life within the pure world. Created utilizing the uncommon strategy of wooden kiln-fired ceramics, every sculpture bears the unpredictable marks of fireside and ash, echoing the wild essence of the topic itself. Nicole’s work, rooted in uncooked emotion and technical mastery, moved judges and audiences alike.
Artwork, Conservation, and Hope
The winners of Wildlife Artist of the Yr 2025 remind us that artwork is greater than illustration, it’s storytelling, activism, and a bridge between individuals and nature. Each bit not solely celebrates wildlife but additionally funds very important conservation work, from defending endangered species to supporting communities residing alongside wildlife.
To discover all of the finalists and buy artworks that immediately assist conservation, go to https://davidshepherd.org/store/class/wildlife-artist-of-the-year-2025/
