untamedartists

Here's a link for those looking to try their luck in on of Australia's largest and most prestigious nature art competitions. The Waterhouse is held in South Australia (Patrick's neck of the woods). I tried last year but didn't make the cut. I'm going to take another run this year, possibly with the 3 tiger cubs I'm working on.

It's a very high standard of competition. I went to it last year and the work there is fabulous. I didn't get in either but I'm also trying again this year. It would be one of those "I got accepted to the Waterhouse" brags if one of us could get in. Last year, there were about 650 entries and I think about 120 got in. I'm sure they said 18% success rate. I'm dead keen to try again.

I definitely want to be one of those 18%. The ele was good last year but the cubs are going to be far superior this time around. I may even contemplate Dingo Spirit given that it's my natural medium.

Just a reminder that entries to the Waterhouse need to be in by next Friday for any chance of selection. I've decided to enter the painting and works on paper categories this time around. Family Ties and Dingo Spirit will most likely be my choices at this time.

I've entered my orangutan.

Perfect choice mate! I think the appeal for that will work nicely for you.

Well, I'm a failure. I missed out once again... do you ever wonder why you paint? I'm questioning myself after the past few days...

Haha, yeah, you and me both. Stepping stones, stepping stones!! Aargh!! Anyway, I paint for me first so I don't really need to be bothered about it, but would be kinda nice to crack it one day

I'm feeling like I've deluded myself into believing my work might make a difference one day...
Am I wasting my time in trying to get this network off the ground? I worked my ass off with the zoo only to be shafted and while I'm really trying to get some major projects happening for us I don't know whether it's going to be worth it in the long run...

Don't get too down on yourself. My take on zoos is it's actually quite easy for them to make money. Look at all the crap that's in zoo shops. Heaps of it is rubbish but the tourists buy it. It's massively expensive and yet it sells. However, maybe they see 'strings attached' when someone tries to get some serious quality into there.

I have an analogy. I'm a Christian and in 2003 I went to Malawi to follow up on some missionaries we know. We went to some pretty out of the way places and one place we went to, we did a grain drop. Ten bags of grain, 50 kilos each. The mishos (missionaries) are always crying poor but when I asked how they came by all this grain they said "show a clip of a dying African child on tv and people fall over themselves to send money, but to raise money for something that makes a 'real' difference longterm is damned hard"! Fact it, throwing a bit of grain around every now and then makes limited difference - well, maybe it does to the ones who get the grain but....the old give a man a fish vs teach a man to fish principle.

I think go for the foundations. Zoos are fine but I'm not holding my breath myself. I'm hoping we'll get somewhere with the foundations. I'm not sure how that will raise our profile but I'm sure they'll be more receptive.

Leigh I don't think you are wasting your time, or deluding yourself, unfortunately these things take a ridiculous amount of time to get going.

Foundations may very well be the way to go, although from a marketing perspective, it needs to be ones that are willing or able to provide high profile exposure...its seems that many just need cash donations.

I don't know what the solution is, but one thing I have seen with some canine artists that get unbelievable prices for their paintings (I am talking $5,000 - $20,000 for lets just say not perfectly executed art) get those prices because they initially donate pieces to non-animal high profile charities, like AIDS, cancer etc which receive far more publicity than animal/conservation groups, especially by 'high society'.

I'm considering the possibility myself that this might be an avenue to try, figuring that if my prices were higher than they are now, it just increases the amount of money that I could donate money to more conservation groups of my choice.

I guess it also depends on what your aims for the group are? Is the purpose to donate original artwork, prints, or % proceeds of sales - is the aim to raise funds, promote the artists or raise public awareness. These don't have to be mutually exclusive goals, but maybe by determining a mission statement and clear goals for the group, we can all put forward suggestions as to how to go about it.

In an ideal world, what do you (and others) see as the best result for this network in the future? If we can establish that, then we can work out a plan on how to achieve it.

Michelle

I'm with Michelle, what are we doing here. I know what my short term goals are here as an artist...but this site really is a great opportunity for wildlife artist Leigh. I just think we have to figure out why it is as a community and move forward.

I know you once wrote your vision for this site in an e-mail to me...but is it here some where?

As far as the waterhouse thingy goes...what's your NEXT battle, that's what I'm interested in!

Thanks guys. Relating to what this forum is about it actually started as a closed house, an extension of the Untamed Artist Network where we could discuss projects and show our works in progress. I've got a feeling that the forum will grow much larger than originally anticipated so I'm rethinking its' position in the scheme of things at the moment.

As for my next battle Patrick and I are cooking up something that has the potential to be MASSIVE in relation to the chimps of Western Africa. I'll fill you in on more details when the ball starts rolling a little further along...

Now THERE"S the man we know and love...well, like a lot at very least