Get to Know Your Wild Neighbors!

The 2011 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest kicks off this Sunday, April 10.

This year, the contest encourages Canadian youth to enjoy nature by getting outside and creating art, writing, digital photography, and videos.

Submit your art for the chance to win cash prizes, an invitation to the week-long Get to Know Art & Nature Camp in Victoria and much more.

In celebration of the International Year of Forests, the theme of the 2011 Get to Know Contest is "This is My Forest". Whether it's a single tree in a backyard or acres of boreal forest in a national park, the contest offers youth the opportunity to learn about and celebrate their local forest and its inhabitants.

The contest runs from April 10 to May 23, with launches at participating parks, zoos, and museums all across Canada during National Wildlife Week, April 10 – 16. To learn more and find out how to enter, visit www.gettoknow.ca.

Nature Art, Writing and Photography Contest

RuiLin Guo’s poem, Against All Odds, is one of twelve winning entries in the writing category of the 2010 Get to Know Contest. Ruilin is a 10th grade student living in beautiful Barrie, Ontario. She loves art, poetry, reading, and nature, as well as figure skating and badminton. This calm perfectionist is also an avid birdwatcher and wants to change the world!

Here is an excerpt of Ruilin’s winning entry.

Against All Odds
By RuiLin Guo, age 15, from Ontario

The green plant unfurls
From a crack in grey pavement
Nature still survives

For a complete list of all Get to Know winners please follow this link.

Robert Bateman Nature Art Contest Profile #10

Red-winged blackbird in the rouge
by Andrew Bonnycastle

The 2010 Robert Bateman Nature Art, Photography and Writing contest has brought about several young promising artists. Andrew Bonnycastle is one of them; with his beautiful painting of a Red-winged blackbird. Andrew is 17 and lives in the Toronto area. He has been taking art classes since the age of 9. Being home schooled has allowed him to pursue his love of art; a love inspired by the wildlife-filled conservation area near his home.

For a complete list of all winners please follow this link.

Robert Bateman Art Contest Profile #9

Huron County Serenity

The beautiful picture you see above is of Maitland River in Ontario. It is one of twelve winning pieces in the photography category of the 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest. This stunning portrayal was taken by Rachel Henry.

Rachel is a 19 year old photographer from the small town of Wingham, Ontario. She can frequently be found at live music events across Southwestern Ontario, front row, with camera in hand. When she's not taking pictures, Rachel also longboards, paints, and does yoga.

Through your lens Rachel has captured the beauty and essence of the Maitland River. Thank you Rachel for sharing it with us.

For a complete list of all Robert Bateman contest winners please follow this link.

Winning Artwork of Robert Bateman Art Contest New WHC Stamp

The painting entitled “Going Deeper “ by Bethany Harris age 18 from Calgary, Alberta will be featured on Wildlife Habitat Canada's 2011 Canadian Youth Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp to be sold nationally in 2011. Proceeds of the inaugural stamp’s sale will fund youth-driven wildlife conservation projects.

Bethany Harris has always been passionate about art and the environment and seeks to convey a positive and relevant message in her paintings. As a keen horse rider and photographer, her artwork reflects the diverse wildlife, landscape, and cultural heritage that surrounds her in rural Southern Alberta.

Congratulations to Bethany for her beautiful portrayal of our iconic Canadian Moose!

For a complete list of all Get to Know winners please follow this link.

Portrait of a Black-capped Chickadee

The Black-capped Chickadee, an active bird often found hopping around from treetop to treetop is known for hiding its food and being able to remember its location with exact accuracy for up to 28 days. The Black-capped Chickadee is commonly found across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia (except for the coastal islands), and into the southern Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories. It is typically a year-round resident but from time to time it will venture south into the United States, but its range is restricted to the northern two-thirds of the continent.

The above picture of the black capped chickadee has been beautifully portrayed by Pamela Williamson age 17 from Victoria, BC. Pamela, art winner of the Get to Know contest, is a self-taught artist with Autism who loves to draw with pencils, computers, and Acrylic paints. Her favourite animal is the penguin, but for the Get to Know Contest she was inspired to draw Canadian animals. Pamela hopes to lead an independent life as an animator and artist when she graduates.

For a complete list of all Get to Know winners please follow this link.

Nature Photography Contest Winner

Kaitlin Lane age 9 from Calgary, Alberta is now a winner of the Robert Bateman Get to Know Photo contest for a second year in a row. She is amongst the twelve talented young Canadians who through their lenses captured the beauty and wonders of our natural world. Kaitlin enjoys taking pictures, drawing and painting. She is currently in grade 3 and enjoys playing squash, golfing, and skiing.


Two of Kaitlin's photos were selected as winning entries in this year's contest: top, Rubber Duckie; bottom, Untitled.

Nature Art, Photography and Writing Contest Winner

As some of you may already know, the winners of the 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Canadian Art, Writing and Photography Contest were announced last World Ocean’s day at a special event in British Columbia. Amongst the many talented youths is Nicole Schmidt, currently in grade 5 from Calgary, Alberta.

Nicole loves being outside. Her backyard, the Rocky Mountains, or a sandy beach are her favourite places to be. She enjoys illustrating and photographing deer, rabbits, and birds. She has entered the Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest for several years but this was her first writing entry.

Here is an excerpt from her writing entry.

Mystery (Backyard Species)
By Nicole Schmidt, age 10, from Alberta

Twittering sparrow,
Croaking frog,
Something sitting on that log.

Vibrating moth,
Twitching gnat,
Something resting on the mat.

Scurrying mouse,
Buzzing bee,
Flying close, right next to me.

For a complete list of all winners please follow this link.

One of Many Robert Bateman Art Contest Winners

This week's Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest winner profile is on Quinn Dalgarno from Ontario. For a complete list of all winners please follow the link.

Most of us have always had a deep appreciation for the rain. Such fondness lies with falling asleep to the gentle sound of the rain pounding against the ground or the exuberating feeling of letting go and dancing freely in the rain. But let’s be honest, we do not always appreciate the aftermath of a storm. So thank you to Quinn who has managed to capture the beauty and essence of after a rainfall.

Here is a little bit more about Quinn Dalgarno…

Quinn Dalgarno – Grade 10 – Ontario

Quinn loves to hike and ride his bike every chance he gets, stopping to sketch, paint, or photograph things he notices along the way. Quinn is an active birder and is able to recognize any bird by sound, flight pattern, or appearance anywhere in North America.

The Results are in!

The winners of the 2010 Get to Know Canadian Art, Writing and Photography Contest were announced on World Ocean’s day at a special event held at Summerhill Pyramid Winery in British Columbia. This year, there were 37 winners chosen from over 7000 entries in art, writing and photography categories; 13 winners for art and 12 for the writing and photography categories. The winners range in age from 4 to 17, and come from all across Canada. Each week we will feature different contest winner. This week’s profile is on Hillary Le from Toronto, Ontario. For a complete list of all winners please follow the link.

Hillary Le – Grade 6 – Toronto
Hillary Le has been doing watercolour for five years and loves painting landscapes. Although she loves watercolours, she also wants to learn how to paint with acrylics and oil paints. She enjoys school and a variety of after-school activities such as gymnastics, piano, and guitar.

Winners of the 2010 Get to Know Contest will be awarded various prizes, including Panasonic digital cameras; prize packages from Opus Art and Framing Supplies and Scholastic Canada; and the publication of winning art and writing pieces in the 2011 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest Calendar. In addition, for the first time this year, all winners over the age of 12 will be invited to the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, where they will be joined by the winners of the US Get to Know Contest, for a week of outdoor activities and events hosted by Parks Canada.

Less Than 2 days Left to Enter the Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest

Participants are welcomed to submit multiple entries but they must be submitted online or received in the mail no later than 4:00 PM Eastern (1:00 PM Pacific) on May 28, 2010.Hurry up and submit your nature inspired work of art, writing, or photography and you could win a week-long stay at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, hosted by Parks Canada, gifts from Scholastic, Panasonic, and Opus Framing and Art Supplies, cash prizes, and the opportunity to have their work published in the 2011 Get to Know Contest Calendar. For more information, visit www.gettoknow.ca.

Only 8 Days Left - Submit your Entry Now!

The 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest is coming to a close soon! If you are 19 or younger be sure to submit your work of art, writing, or photography.

This year’s theme is “Celebrating Biodiversity” in honour of the International Year of Biodiversity.

Prizes include a week-long stay at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, hosted by Parks Canada, gifts from Scholastic, Panasonic, and Opus Framing and Art Supplies, cash prizes, and the opportunity to have their work published in the 2011 Get to Know Contest Calendar.

For more information, visit www.gettoknow.ca. The contest closes May 28 2010.