Combining global creative energies to increase appreciation of rainforests and the wonders they contain
The ‘Because…’ project featured an art competition with twelve categories or themes. The winning entries feature in RAA’s 2022 calendar. ‘Rainforests are great because…’ Winning entries and shortlisted entries were exhibited in the ‘Calendar Exhibition’.
The front cover of the calendar features ‘Wild Thing’ by Felsa Marie T. Hortiza-Barut. Felsa’s painting was the winning entry for January.
The winning entries and shortlisted entries were on display in the ‘Calendar Exhibition’ in Gallery 3, Piazza Arcade, Huddersfield, thanks to the support of CollaborARTi. The exhibition was open from 4th November to 29th November, on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
RAA’s 2022 Calendar is here.
Credits and copyright:
The individual artists whose work is featured in the calendar retain the copyright of their work. The text is copyright Rainforest Appreciation Artists. Graphic design by Kath Wright of Flair Creative.
The original ‘Call for entries’ is set out below. The entry forms included, although the competition is closed.
Please note that although the competition is closed, this material is being retained, unaltered, for recording purposes and for ‘historical’ interest.
We invite you to enter the ‘Because…’ competition. Contribute your rainforest-related artwork to this project and help us to increase appreciation of rainforests and their wildlife and plant life, and to increase appreciation of the indigenous tribal people who live in the forests and protect them.
Above left: Jaguar by Marcia McTerrelly; centre: Panther by Patrycja Kos; right: Monkey by Marcia McTerrelly
To enter your artwork for our ‘Because…’ competition, please download and complete the Entry Form.
English, Spanish and Portuguese translations are available below.
You can download your Entry Form below
Mission:
Our mission is to harness global creative energies to increase appreciation of rainforests and raise awareness of their importance for the planet. We aim to increase understanding about the intrinsic value of rainforests. We will use imagery to increase appreciation of the exquisite, priceless and irreplaceable beauty that exists within them.
Wildlife photographer Tim Laman writes: “…my artistic side appreciates how imagery can be used to inspire a greater appreciation of nature.” Birds of Paradise – Revealing the world’s most extraordinary birds, Tim Laman & Edwin Scholes, National Geographic | The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Washington, D.C.
Anyone of any age is invited to enter the competition.
Entries from children and adults will be judged together.
Any non-digital medium may be used – e.g. paint, textiles or ceramics.
You retain the copyright to your work.
By submitting a digital image of your work, you are giving RAA permission to reproduce the image in publicity and also on the ‘Because…’ calendar, in the event that your artwork is selected as the winning entry.
There is no entry fee.
Submission deadline: 1 October 2021
The 12 themes in the ‘Because…’ art competition are as follows:
January – Jaguar/leopard/panther/tiger/other cat-like animals
February – Rainforest fruit
March – Monkeys
April – Apes
May – Any other mammal (not cat-like animals, monkeys or apes)
June – Indigenous rainforest peoples
July – Birds, butterflies and flowers
August – Rainforest plants
September – Beetles, frogs and reptiles
October – Trees
November – Rivers and river-dwelling creatures
December – Baby animals with their mother and/or father
On your Entry Form, please complete the sentence, “Rainforests are great because…”
More about the ‘Because…’ project and our art competition:
The ‘Because…’ project was launched in January 2021 to expand the work of the ‘Save the Rainforest’ exhibition. ‘Because…’ is a collaboration between Rainforest Appreciation Artists and CollaborARTi, a Huddersfield-based group of artists, designers and makers.
The project involves an art competition with twelve themes. Anyone, adult or child, can enter the competition. On the competition entry form, you are requested to complete the sentence, “Rainforests are great because…”
The winning entry for each of the twelve themes will feature in the ‘Because…’ calendar for 2022. There will also be an exhibition of all the shortlisted entries. The exhibition will go on tour and your work could be displayed not only online but also in galleries across the world.
Please send your completed entry form and a high resolution digital image of each competition entry to: judy@raauk.org.
‘Because…’ is an unusual competition. Normally, when people enter competitions, they are probably hoping to get something from participating – recognition, fame, prizes, or something of that kind.
With ‘Because…’ you will be giving something by participating. We invite you to make a contribution, by means of your artistic or creative talents, to help raise awareness of the wonders of the rainforest.
Shortlisted competition entries will be exhibited online and in galleries, to help increase appreciation of rainforests and raise awareness of their importance.
We anticipate that most, if not all of the entries will be ‘shortlisted’ and exhibited.
In addition, if your image is selected for one of the twelve themes, it will be featured on a calendar for 2022.
Good luck!
‘Because…’
Feel the ‘Wow!’
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead