All photos on this page are courtesy of our event photographer, Sonya Stone.
Artist Tristan Edgarian is passionate about wildlife preservation and education. Tristan creates his beautiful line art using classical methods and materials, with a focus on educating people about the beauty of nature. Tristan's statement for our contest is as follows:
"As a Los Angeles native and nature lover, I feel the importance of our city’s wildland parks cannot be understated. I dream of seeing people live in harmony with the land, plants, and animals that preceded our inhabitance here in a once thriving natural ecosystem. City residents of all ages love and care about the current and future state of our chaparral, riparian, and montane habitats. We appreciate human connection in a big city, but also long deeply to be connected to something larger than ourselves. We can and must work together to come up with practical solutions to conserve wildlife, restore habitat, and sustainably maintain biological resources. By doing so we will preserve biodiversity, increase recreational opportunities, and live healthier, longer lives in a less polluted environment. As Californians, our technological advancements set examples for the world to follow. Let’s band together, thrive in nature, and save the world!"
Please view more of his original nature art works on his website, http://www.Gentani.org
Stephanie Elm is a Chatsworth, CA resident, enthusiastic environmentalist, and winner of the Honorable Mention category in our 2015 Art Contest. We asked each of our applicants to supply a short essay about why they feel wildlands are important to the city of LA, this was Stephanie's answer:
"Los Angeles exists within a vast and delicate ecosystem. Without wild land parks allowed to thrive within and around our urban sprawl, not only do we cause irreversible destruction to these natural habitats but we suffer as well. There is a balance between all things. We need the larger mammals and birds of prey to keep the smaller rodent populous in check. We need abundant trees and shrubs to keep the ground soil enriched, air filtered and to prevent landslides. Humans need and desire to be near nature. A walk in the woods is said to relieve stress and boost our immune systems. With our never ending expansion and development it seems more important than ever that we fight for and protect the remaining wild land parks."
Brava, Stephanie! Thank you for your wonderful art submission.
Our youngest winner, Zion Adelaide Mermelstein, is a high school student in Chatsworth. We asked each of our art contest submitters to include a short essay on why they feel wild spaces are important to people living in cities. Here is Zion's answer:
"I feel that the wildland parks are important to the city of Los Angeles because in nature it is all about balance! There must be balance in all life. Life in our city can be balanced with all kinds of creatures living in our wild land parks, such as insects, mice, rabbits, snakes, foxes, coyotes and mountain lions. The chain of life is so delicate, each creature relies on the others for the ecosystem to survive...The wild land parks in Los Angeles provide a place for plants, animals and humans to live and thrive."
Way to go, Zion!
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All proceeds support the environmental missions of the Foundation.