Art

Professional jury

• Maxim Afanasyev

  Russia

  Maxim Afanasyev graduated from the Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, Faculty of Fine Arts and Graphics. Since 2004, he has been a member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia and the International Federation of Artists. He participates in city, regional, all-Russian, and international exhibitions, is a prizewinner of competitions, and was a scholarship recipient of the Russian Ministry of Culture in 2016. Since 2010, he has headed the Young Artists Section of the Novosibirsk Regional Public Organization “TSKh,” organizing creative activities and supporting emerging artists. Since 2016, he has served as Chairman of the Painting Section. He is the author and director of NROO TSKh art projects Small Rivers of Siberia OTNAS (2017) and DA.NET (2018), supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Novosibirsk Region, TSKhR, and the Russian Academy of Arts. He has been awarded medals from TSKhR and the Novosibirsk Jubilee Medal, is a laureate of the Golden Turtle competition (2018) and the Leaders Today magazine award (2020). He holds numerous diplomas and letters of appreciation for his participation in exhibitions, as well as for his organizational and educational contributions to the arts.
• Patricia A Griffin

  USA

  Patricia A Griffin is a contemporary wildlife artist whose vibrant oil painting on linen evoke travel, imagination, and encounters with exotic and indigenous animals. She studies, photographs, and sketches her subjects carefully, using them to explore color, value, and structure, creating works that blend poetic and psychological content into wordless fantasy. Over the past 30 years, Patricia has worked professionally as a painter, teacher, and traveler. Her work has received international recognition, shown in 15 museums, and included in collections from Dallas to Dubai. She has held 16 solo exhibitions and participated in over 175 group exhibitions. Her work is represented by galleries such as Aspen Grove FA (Aspen, CO), Gallery Wild (Jackson, WY), and Goldenstein Gallery (Sedona, AZ). Museum exhibitions include Allentown Art Museum (PA), Booth Western Art Museum (GA), Lanwan Art Museum (China), and the Women’s Museum of California. Patricia is a Signature Member of Artist for Conservation, Associate with Distinction of American Women Artists, and a member of the Society of Animal Artists. She holds a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia (1989).
• Szabolcs Kokay

  Hungary

  Szabolcs Kókay is a renowned wildlife artist with a lifelong passion for nature. Born in 1976, he began drawing and painting wildlife around the age of 20, combining careful observation with field sketching. He works mainly in watercolour, using gouache for illustrations and oils for larger paintings. His artistic exploration has taken him to Morocco, China, India, Trinidad, New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, Uganda, Namibia, Madagascar, Japan, Argentina, Chile, and Alaska. Szabolcs has received numerous awards for his work, including British Birds Bird Illustrator of the Year (2000, 2001, 2002), Birdwatch Artist of the Year (2002, 2008), the Don Eckelberry Scholarship Award from the Society of Animal Artists (2010), the Langford Press Field Sketches Award (2014), and the illustration competition of the Sociedad Gaditana de Historia Natural (2nd prize, 2015).
• Sergey Ilyinsky-Akulov

  Russia

  Sergey Ilyinsky-Akulov is a Russian wildlife artist. He works in various styles and directions, with the world of wild nature at the center of his work: animals, their forms, and their characters. He is a caretaker of the Far Eastern leopard. Professional Activities: President of the International Union of Wildlife Artists Member of the Moscow Association of Artists of the International Art Foundation Member of the Professional Union of Artists of Russia Organizer and participant of creative projects, art festivals, and charity auctions supporting shelters, as well as art exhibitions in Russia and abroad. He has received letters of appreciation from Russian senators, State Duma deputies, the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, regional governors, museum directors, and the director of a children’s home.
• Tom Shepherd

  UK

  Tom Shepherd is a British artist renowned for his expressive watercolour paintings, especially of wildlife and birds. He began his creative journey with custom artwork on guitars, later exploring oils and acrylics before specializing in watercolour for its fluidity and ability to convey movement, light, and character. His work is widely collected in the UK and internationally and has been highly commended in the prestigious Wildlife Artist of the Year competition. Tom contributes to wildlife conservation, donating part of his sales to organizations such as the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, and participates in exhibitions supporting environmental causes. A respected tutor and mentor, he teaches workshops across the UK, leads painting holidays in France, and shares his techniques through online courses. Tom’s art reflects a deep connection to nature, a love of light, and a dedication to both creativity and conservation.
• Ute Bartels

  Germany

  Ute Bartels is a wildlife artist known for her expressive works in the medium of silk painting. Passionate about nature from an early age, Ute developed her artistic language independently and ultimately created a unique approach to photorealism on silk, reflecting her deeply personal perception of the wild. Her work has received international recognition and has been exhibited in Europe, North America, and Asia, including the prestigious Birds in Art exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum (USA), where her paintings have been selected multiple times. Ute has been honored with several awards, including Wildlife Artist of the Year and prizes at international Animal Art exhibitions in Brussels and other events.