Call for Artists: Join Toucan Rescue Ranch’s “Keeping Costa Rica Wild” Fun-Raiser!
Since 2016, Toucan Rescue Ranch has hosted an annual art contest to raise funds for our amazing projects and programs. Thanks to the creativity and generosity of artists like you, we’ve bought new medical equipment, provided our COVID-19-pandemic relief fund, built pre-release enclosures, and even created an education center!
This year, we’re back with a bang and a brand new theme: “Keeping Costa Rica Wild”! We’re inviting artists from all over the world to join us in celebrating and protecting the incredible wildlife of Costa Rica.
🎨FOR DONORS: Voting for Artwork
To VOTE for a submission 💸 $1.00 donated = 1 VOTE
- Include the name of the artwork you are voting for when checking out here
- Donations MUST be made on this page
- The artwork that receives the MOST VOTES by the end of the voting period ⌛July 5 at 7:00 p.m. Costa Rican Time, 9 pm EST, is the WINNER!
Your donation is manually updated on the SCOREBOARD & UPDATES. You will get a confirmation email from [email protected].
🖌️FOR ARTISTS: Submitting Artwork
- You may only submit ONE (1) piece of artwork.
- The submission period ENDS June 23, 2024 – We encourage early submissions for more votes towards your artwork.
- The artwork must follow the theme of “KEEPING COSTA RICA WILD.”
- This year, there will be one category, combining young and older artists from all over the world to compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place!
- If you are under 18, you will need permission from a parent or guardian to submit your artwork.
- Only artwork submitted through the official submission form will be considered for this contest.
- 🚫No photography will be accepted as art submissions. We have a separate campaign for photography, so follow us on social media to learn more about #TRRShareYourShot!
- No Artificial Intelligence (AI) Art, sorry
- Only original artwork will be accepted. Please do not plagiarize. If it is brought to our attention that your submission is not original or without permission we will have to remove your submission from Call for Artists.
What Could You Win If You Participate:
1ST PLACE:
- $300 Amazon Gift Card
- TRR Artist of the Year Certificate
- Your artwork on a custom t-shirt!
- Featured Post on Social Media
- Your Artwork featured in our Education Center
2ND PLACE:
- $200 Amazon Gift Card
- Featured Post on Social Media
- Honorable Mention Second Place Certificate
3RD PLACE:
- $100 Amazon Gift Card
- Featured Post on Social Media
- Honorable Mention Third Place Certificate
Keeping Costa Rica Wild Artwork Gallery:
Artist: Émi Lessard | Title: Honduran White Bat
Medium: Crochet | Age 21 | From: Montréal, Canada
Inspiration: I love animals so much, all of them and I discovered crochet some years ago, so I started to crochet a lot of animals! I especialy like to crochet animals that people usually don’t like (like insects, bats, snake, rat) because all animals are wonderful and none of them deserve to be hated like that.
Follow the artist: @drasselime
Artist: Sharon Baker | Costa Rica Fish Heaven
Medium: Acrylic Collage | Age 70 | From: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina USA
Inspiration: Snorkeling the beautiful Costa Rica reefs, I came face to face, eye to eye with exquisite fish! Rainbow colors of blue, green, red, yellow, orange, pink… so vibrant I just had to create this lavish lush acrylic painting. Please enjoy it with me. We must protect all the reefs and marine life of Costa Rica and Planet Earth.
Follow the artist: https://bit.ly/SharonBarker
Artist: Persia Squires | Night Owls
Medium: Digital illustration | Age 21 | From: Chesterfield, United Kingdom
Inspiration: This piece is inspired by the wildlife around us that comes alive at night, especially those animals we rarely see during the day; like owls. This piece features ‘smores’ the spectacled owl.
Follow the artist: @pxr.sxq.illustrations
Artist: Emma Garrett | Maya the Baby Ocelot
Medium: Digital illustration | Age 21 | From: United Kingdom
Inspiration: I thought maya the baby ocelot was the sweetest thing ever, so wanted to capture her sweet spirit, i chose light colours and pretty flowers that i felt represented how cute she is! I chose hibiscus flowers as they are found in costa rica.
Follow the artist: @eemmaaart
Artist: Lizz Rennie | Blue Jeans Poison Frog
Medium: Watercolour and black ink pen | Age 52 | From: Scotland, United Kingdom
Inspiration: Tiny creatures are just as important. These small colourful amphibians sometimes get overlooked. Thought I would highlight them. And I loved the name of this one. I kept this drawing tiny, by using a 2 inch square square.
Follow the artist: @lizzrenn
Artist: Naomi Lownds | Costa Rican Frog
Medium: Digital drawing | Age 27 | From: Cheshire, United Kingdom
Inspiration: This digital drawing was inspired by a frog I spotted on a night walk in Monteverde Costa Rica.
Follow the artist: @naomilownds_design
Artist: Kathy Henderson | Shadows of Wild Costa Rica
Medium: Mural | Age 72 | From: Montes de Oca, San Pedro, San Jose, Costa Rica
Inspiration: Too much bare cement in a country with so many beautiful and interesting animals.
Follow the artist: https://bit.ly/kathyhenderson
Artist: Anna Martínez | Chilling Away in the Water
Medium: Digital illustration | Age 26 | From: Barcelona, Spain
Inspiration: I have always found otters, and especially their faces and lil ears, to be very cute, and I love how some species hold hands when they sleep so the current doesn’t drag them away. When I saw Toucan Rescue Ranch was holding a fundraiser, I started brainstorming for ideas to draw and landed on a cute otter just hanging out in the water. I’ve followed TRR for quite a while now, and if I can help the animals they take care of with a drawing of mine, then I’m happy to be part of Call for Artists!
Follow the artist: @tootiredtoblink
Artist: Jose Andrés Sotela Truque | Marilyn in Costa Rica
Medium: Acrílico | Age 53 | From: San José, Costa Rica
Inspiration: El pelo de Marilyn es un Oso Perezoso y una Lora, la nariz es un volcán en erupción y el collar es una hamaca.
Artist: ÑoKo | Pacheco no quiere cacao
Medium: Acrílico sobre lienzo. Medidas alto: 30 Ancho: 25 | Age 20 | From: Costa Rica San Jose/ Bogotá, Colombia
Inspiration: Leí una historia de unos pájaros “colorados” en Montería, Colombia donde decoloraban a unos loros capturados y los pintaban para darles una apariencia más exótica o que fueran de una especie del loro distinta. Esto me hizo reflexionar sobre el grado al que el ser humano puede llegar en su búsqueda de lo “estético”, “exótico” o “tierno”. Cosas que se ven inofensivas, hasta lindas al inicio (como unos loritos) tienen una gran crueldad y sufrimiento detrás. Y no solo hablo de loros pintados, sino de loros en general. En nuestra sociedad latinoamericana estamos desensibilizados al loro como mascota, desde las tiendas en el centro, videos en redes sociales o incluso en nuestras propias casas.
En Costa Rica, el tráfico de estos animales es ilegal desde hace un buen tiempo, pero las personas no se dan cuenta que solo por “no” tener uno de estos animales en el hogar uno no es partícipe del maltrato, un simple “me gusta” o “seguir” a contenido que muestra a estos animales como mascota nutre al mercado y el ciclo de explotación. Basta con decir que cuando busqué la especie para hacer el cuadro, la segunda sugerencia de búsqueda fue “loro cachete amarillo habla” y la tercera, “loro cachete amarillo precios”
Necesitamos reeducarnos, reconocer y apreciar a estos animales en su hábitat natural, donde son libres y pueden vivir su vida en plenitud.
El cuadro que he creado muestra a un loro cachete amarillo, siendo sujetado fuertemente por unas manos bañadas en sangre, que al tocar al loro se tiñen de oro. El pincel, que inicialmente pretende decorar al pájaro, termina esparciendo la sangre y borrándolo del cuadro. El espacio reducido de la imagen muestra que no hay lugar donde huir.
Quiero que este cuadro refleje la realidad de estos animales y cómo debemos enfrentar lo que sucede para generar un cambio.
Follow the artist: @noko.noko.arte
Artist: Ana María González | Good morning sunshine!
Medium: Arte digital | Age 29 | From: Curridabat, Costa Rica
Inspiration: Soy una amante de la naturaleza de mi país y valoro mucho su trabajo. Me inspiré en todos los osos perezosos del lugar y el rato feliz que tienen cuando comen sus flores 🌺
Follow the artist: @anniegonsab
Artist: Lívia Gomes | All about the angles
Medium: Watercolor| Age 27 | From: São Paulo, Brasil
Inspiration: Animals and nature have always been my biggest inspiration. I love to go outside for birdwatching and this ends up giving me plenty of inspirations for my watercolors. This sweet toucan is one I photographed on a trip to “Serra da Canastra, MG” (Brazil). Every encounter in unique and unforgettable. I love the somewhat “uncommon” angle I could get on this one, allowing to see toucans incredible beak but also the moviment in his feathers. I didn’t want to use pure black so I played with blueish colors and ended up very satisfied with the result. I guess it’s impossible to not love and want to protect toucans. Animals and nature have always been my biggest inspiration. I love to go outside for birdwatching and this ends up giving me plenty of inspirations for my watercolors. This sweet toucan is one I photographed on a trip to “Serra da Canastra, MG” (Brazil). Every encounter in unique and unforgettable. I love the somewhat “uncommon” angle I could get on this one, allowing to see toucans incredible beak but also the moviment in his feathers. I didn’t want to use pure black so I played with blueish colors and ended up very satisfied with the result. I guess it’s impossible to not love and want to protect toucans.
Follow the artist: @matpetart
Artist: Sophie Black | Wild birds of Costa Rica
Medium: Arte digital | Age 18 | From: Widley, England
Inspiration: My fascination with colours and beautiful shapes draws my interest to the unique birds found within Costa Rica. The large range of species contrast with each other and fit together alike puzzle pieces, inspiring me to create a collage of my favourite birds within the country.
Artist: Liz Boudreau | Bathed in Sunlight
Medium: Watercolor and colored pencil | Age 29| From: Athens, GA
Inspiration: This painting was inspired by my time studying abroad in Costa Rica. The rich flora and fauna surrounding me every day was inspirational! Waking up to the sounds of keel-billed toucans, howler monkeys, blue-crowned motmots – white-nosed coatis roaming the campus. It was an absolute dream!
Follow the artist: @LizBoudreauArt
Artist: Dionisio Zamora | “Flo” el tucán
Medium: Escultura en piedra | Age 41| From: Heredia, Costa Rica
Inspiration: Se inspira en unos tucanes “pecho amarillo” que mi esposa y yo vimos en la estación biológica “La Selva” durante un viaje para celebrar nuestro aniversario número 15.
Artist: Dixiana Loaiza Jiménez | La vida es bella
Medium: Técnica mixta, acrílico, pasta para crear textura | Age 40| From: San José, Costa Rica
Inspiration: La lapa roja es mi ave favorita, es uno de los animales más emblemáticos de mi país. La forma en la que ellos conviven en la naturaleza para mi es maravilloso.
Video del proceso de creación https://youtu.be/Dqd2OBzy1g0?feature=shared
Follow the artist: https://bit.ly/DixianaLoaizaJiménez
Artist: Kristen Olson Stone | Feathering The Nest
Medium: Watercolor and Ink on Arches 300gsm all cotton watercolor paper | Age 56| From: California, United States
Inspiration: I enjoy painting birds and other wildlife into all kinds of scenes including room scenes like this tropical home! There is an Aracari Toucan, a Cockatiel and a tiny Gouldian Finch in this painting. This is a 12″ x 16″ or 30.48cm x 40.64cm original watercolor and ink painting.
Follow the artist: @kristenolsonstone
Artist: Eric Cohen | Portrait of an Aracari
Medium: Color pencils | Age 72 | From: Atenas, Costa Rica
Artist: Randall Barquero Solera | Esperando que la lluvia pase
Medium: Watercolor | Age 24 | From: San Isidro, Heredia, Costa Rica
Inspiration: En la belleza y colores de nuestra fauna costarricense, la rana en una flor posa, exibiendo su belleza.
Follow the artist: @stev_barsol13
Artist: Zaytel Sojo Cervantes | Pequeño Noctilio leporinus
Medium: Técnica mixta, acuarela sobre papel con intervención digital. | Age 23 | From: Cartago, Costa Rica
Inspiration: Siempre me han encantado estos pequeños mamíferos. Con mi obra busco desestigmatizar al murciélago, ilustrando su belleza.
Follow the artist: @Zaytel.SC
Artist: Raquel Rojas Rojas | Garganta de fuego
Medium: Ilustración digital con acabado de lápiz de color | Age 25 | From: Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Inspiration: Encuentro la belleza y perfección en los detalles, el color y cada pluma que da vida y caracteriza a cada especie de ave, de ahí que mi trabajo artístico sea hiperrealista y busque retratar lo más fielmente posible tal maravilla de la naturaleza, que dichosamente, podemos apreciar en nuestro país.
Mi obra Garganta de Fuego es una colorida ilustración de este maravilloso colibrí que habita Costa Rica y que es reconocido con ese mismo nombre, pues como se puede apreciar, su plumaje se luce en una combinación y contraste de múltiples colores que encienden la fascinación de cualquiera que lo aprecie.
Follow the artist: @raices_rojass / @raices_rojas_
Artist: James Martin | Young Toucan
Medium: Digital Drawing | Age 35 | From: United Kingdom
Inspiration: I follow the amazing work they do on instagram, that way I get wonderful pictures of the animals they help!
Follow the artist: @whaleysharkart
Artist: Irina Tall | Tapir
Medium: Watercolor, paper | Age 35 | From: Minsk, Belarus
Follow the artist: @irina.tall
Artist: Denise Gillen | Wild Times at the Ranch!
Medium: Acrylic | Age 72 | From: Atenas, Costa Rica
Inspiration: I was a full-time Sloth Nanny at the Toucan Rescue Ranch and ended up volunteering there for several years. I still visit and support their efforts because I see, on a daily basis, what amazing work they do to rescue, rehab and rewild Costa Rica’s injured and orphaned wildlife. Their Saving Sloths Together is the most successful sloth rescue in the country.
Follow the artist: Facebook: Denise Gillen | Instagram: @slothgranny
Artist: JP Powell | Humanity & Wildlife in Unity
Medium: Multimedia – Acrylic and clay on wood pieces | Age 23 | From: Seattle, Washington (U.S.)
Inspiration: This art piece is inspired by the work that rescue centers do to ensure that wildlife and humans can live safely in harmony. In the first panel of the triptych you can see a mass of land where trees are being planted to bridge the gap between patches of forest. If you look to the lower corner there are two tiny people setting up a “sloth crossing” of blue rope to help connect gaps in the forest as well. The blue rope runs throughout the whole piece to symbolize the unification of wildlife and humanity, as it is literally a tool to help wildlife pass safely through human-encroached land.
Additionally, I wanted to highlight Toucan Rescue Ranch’s work by include mostly animals I have learned about or seen through TRR’s programs as well as a couple other rescue centers in Costa Rica.
This piece highlights the vitality of conservation groups in the goal of keep Costa Rica wild!
Follow the artist: @sir.bean.the.sloth
Artist: Caitlin Olivier | Every Animal Deserves A Chance
Medium: Watercolour and ink | Age 30 | From: Canada
Inspiration: Showcasing some of the patients Toucan Rescue Ranch rehabilitates to preserve the wild in Costa Rica as well as a few species found in the area.
Follow the artist: @Northern_whispers
Artist: Emily Mortimer | Greater Grizon portrait
Medium: Acrylic paint | Age 26 | From: United Kingdom
Inspiration: I love mustelids and seeing the rehabilitation of the greater grizons that come to you is amazing! I didn’t even know about this species till I discovered your charity!
Follow the artist: @Savourychaffinch
Artist: Teresa Clark | Monkeys of Costa Rica
Medium: Watercolor, gouache, and ink | Age 30 | From: Wantagh, New York, United States
Inspiration: Costa Rica is home to so much incredible wildlife, and I chose to highlight the monkey species that live there!
Follow the artist: @teresa__clark
