Happy new year! I am very excited today to share the results of the very first Consider Art competition. Before we begin, I just want to thank everyone who made an entry for this contest or helped spread the word. With Consider Nature being so new, I had absolutely no idea how this competition would go, but I was absolutely blown away by the interest people took in it and the entries we received. All of the entries are wonderful, even if they didn't win a prize, and it was so delightful to be able to help bring this art into the world.
I am also incredibly grateful to my two co-judges who helped me to adjudicate this competition. While I appreciate art, I am not really a visual artist, so having people with a more advanced understanding of composition was invaluable to me. In addition to myself, the other judges for Consider Art 2022 were:
Maxwell Schumacher: Professional artist and designer of Consider Nature's logo, as well as a close personal friend of mine. You can find Max's art at @septic_gentleman on Instagram.
Oli Platt: Painter and web designer for Consider Nature, as well as my partner. You can find some of Oli's art on @LXIX_drag on Instagram.
Thanks to both of you for being able to intelligently discuss art while I sat in the corner saying "It's so prettyyyyyyy".
1st Place: Olmfinity by Melanie Pest
Steve's Comment: I adore this piece of art so much. I never thought I'd see art of my beloved olm that looked so majestic. I love the pose and the contrast between the olm and the background that makes it pop out. I legitimately want to put this on my wall.
Oli's Comment: This piece is just breathtaking! The balancing of shapes and colors both in the background and on the olm itself are beautifully done. The variation in texture in the background is very clever. It's a very tactile image! Well done!
Max's Comment: I absolutely love the color-combo at work here between the olm and the background, and the idea itself just makes me chuckle. Executed wonderfully.
(The artist additionally wanted to note that Max was the one who came up with the name "Olmfinity", as they did not initially title the piece).
2nd Place: Balaeniceps rex by Tori Roberts
Steve's Comment: I love the personality captured on the shoebill's face, the sparkle in the eye, the droplets of water spraying from the snake, the glow of the sunset illuminating the bird's fluffy feathers. It's so badass!
Oli's Comment: The use of dynamic motion and lighting here is gorgeous! I love the way the bill itself was rendered here, especially when it's up against the light and airy strokes of the feathers! Good work!
Max's Comment: Very striking setup, amazing lighting, and the shoebill’s intense expression is great. Overall this piece is just a fantastic scene to witness.
3rd Place: Extinction is Forever by Nickolas Fordham
Steve's Comment: A powerful message and a delightful reminder of the shoebill's dinosaur ancestry. A really moving piece of activist art!
Oli's Comment: A great message over all, first and foremost! The red line is very striking; the shading and highlights of both sides are captivating in their own way. The intricacy of the skull and juxtaposed against the feathers is a nice touch. Not to mention the eye on the shoebill itself! The intensity of that stare is almost too much! It feels as though it's daring me to oppose it. Bravo!
Max's Comment: Simple setup but very well displayed. The red line is a great touch. Overall very worthy of being a framed poster.
Honorable Mention: Shoebill by 100x Wonders
Oli's Comment: The almost watercolor-like feel to this piece is beautiful. A wonderful profile image of a wonderfully ferocious bird. I love that the background displays the region as well! I can tell that there was a lot of thought put into each detail here. I'd love to frame and hang this up somewhere!
That wraps up this year's Consider Art competition! Thanks again to all of the participants, and you will have your prizes very soon. I really enjoyed doing this, so I can almost guarantee that there will be a Consider Art 2023. There will be a new official article at the start of February.
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