“I like the red pandas because they’re cute and I also like the red stripes on the tail and how they might be really friendly. When my mum told me about them being almost extinct, it made me really sad and that’s why I drew a picture of one. I entered the competition because it was about nature.”
Sketch for Survival 2020 Junior
This year, for the first time, we opened up our Sketch for Survival Introducing art competition to all – including artists under the age of 16 years old. We received a record-breaking 677 submissions from all over the world. Schools, nursing homes, art colleges and clubs got in touch to tell us they were taking part during lockdown.
We received some wonderful entries from young people who ranged in age between six years old and 15 years old and came from the UK, India, China, Pakistan, Iran, Australia, Qatar and Malaysia. Although none of the u16s have been selected in the final SFS Introducing 100 we were keen to recognise their contribution to this year’s initiative and to showcase their developing talent with a dedicated online gallery (below). We will continue adding artwork to this gallery.
Some of our junior artists will also have their work displayed at gallery@oxo this November as part of a Junior showcase.
We have been so impressed that in 2021 we will launch a new art competition specifically for under 16s: SFS Junior Introducing.
Some of our Junior Artists in action. From left: Josh Strong sketching dinosaurs at home in London; seven-year-old Yan Sing from Malaysia enjoying her favourite past-time; Amber May watching butterflies emerge in her garden and 10 year old Millie Sims enjoying art during lockdown.
Thank you to all our young artists for their support. To see some of the children’s wonderful submissions please see our special gallery below. Many of these artworks will be available to purchase from our online Affordable Art Gallery from 5 September with funds raised helping to support our projects.
Amber May, age 6, UK
Cute Red Panda in Watercolour
Amber lives in Hereford UK and turned 7 during lockdown. She struggles with learning, especially reading, but she loves art, dance and all things wild. Her parents, who come from Zimbabwe encourage her passion for the natural world.
Maryann Rodrigues, age 15, UK
A Tiger’s Glare, Acrylic
Maryann was born in India but now lives in London. She loves painting, as well as music. She plays the violin. She would love tigers to roam freely in the forests.
Millie Sims, age 10, UK
Nature’s Wonder in Oil & Watercolour
Millie loves art and animals of all shapes and sizes – she wants to be a Marine Biologist when she grows up. She drew the Lesser Chameleon from Madagascar in pen to give shape and then painted in watercolour and oil to show the amazing array of pattern and colour. She wanted to capture the fun side of this amazing little creature.
Isabelle Lazenby, age 9, UK
Rhino in Acrylic
Isabelle cares about our planet and wants her art to help wildlife. She is a vegetarian. She was devastated when she discovered that only two Northern White Rhinos remain in the world, and that both are female.
Chafic El Najhar, UK
Amur Leopard in Acrylic
Chafic is a 10 year old boy who lives in London and loves animals and art. He chose to paint a Critically Endangered Amur Leopard native to south-eastern Russia and north-eastern China, as he also sponsors the species through a conservation adoption scheme.
Daria (Dasha) Protopopova, UK
Life as a Polar Bear in waterclour & Pencil
Dasha has been painting and drawing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She chose to paint polar bears because the ice caps are melting and they are losing their homes.
Ruby Levitt, age 10, Australia
Uluru in Acrylic
Ruby lives in Sydney and loves creative pursuits. She selected to paint the historical Aboriginal site of Uluru (Ayers Rock), a huge sandstone formation and a sacred landmark which is suffering from erosion due to increasingly hot weather.
Kuan Yan Sing, age 7, Malaysia
Toucans in Watercolour
Yan Sing is a 7 year old girl attending art class in the small village of Kajang and was encouraged to enter her painting to our competition by her parents. Yan Sing was struck by the beauty of Toucans when she read a book about them during lockdown – she wanted to share their beauty with us.
Hallie Brown, age 10, UK
Koala Savings in Paint
Hallie loves to create new artworks. These koalas are holding on to the branches of the tree to save themselves from fire and deforestation.
Egor Grachev, age 11, Australia
Spiny-sided Chameleon in Oil Pastel
Egor lives and attends school in Sydney and selected a spiny-sided Chameleon, classified Endangered. This species of chameleon can be found in the forests of Tanzania but is sadly threatened by the trade in exotic pets.
Joshua Strong, age 10, UK
The Bond in Pen
Josh dreams of being an illustrator and says that art is relaxing and allows his imagination to fly. He loves swimming and is also a Scout so spends a lot of his time camping. He is also Lego obsessed and creates amazing builds with moving parts!
Momo, age 7, China
I Don’t Taste Good – Let’s Be Friends Colour Ink & Painting Stick
Momo lives in Shanghai and loves to watch the animals in Shanghai Wildlife Park. Momo’s wish is to record the beauty of the world with a paintbrush.
**This year’s Sketch for Survival Introducing 100 will be announced on the website at 4pm (BST) Friday 28 August. Good Luck to all those who entered. **