Degree Student Entered Into International Art Competition!
An Art & Design Foundation Degree Student at Coleg Menai has been shortlisted for International Wildlife Artist of the Year 2021.
Jessica Mcgee, from Cwm-Y-Glo near Llanberis, entered the competition held by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, as part of the Creative Industry module of her Foundation Degree programme.
The Wildlife Foundation was set up in 1984 to help raise the awareness of endangered species. Jessica’s watercolour piece, ‘Ebony and Ivory’ that’s been shortlisted in the competition, is inspired by the endangered rhinoceros, and the extremely high number of rhinos that have been poached over the past decade.
The Virtual Award Ceremony to announce the winners of the competition will take place on the 25th May at 7pm, whilst the Virtual Exhibition will run until 29th June.
Jessica said, “This project is so important to me and it breaks my heart to think of the next generation not knowing what a certain animal is. I want to speak out. I want to help. In 2020, it was recorded that 394 rhinos had been slaughtered, the lowest number since 2012 but still too high. I hope to send a strong message through the painting. It is not meant to be a pretty painting. It is meant to shock people.”
She added, “The support I’ve had from my tutors has been fantastic. The tutors are fantastic at pushing me to create the best that I can do, and my fellow students at college always encourage and support me. I am very thankful for the past two years and the excellent quality of teaching that I have received”.
You can find out more about the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, and the Virtual Competition here.
You can find out more about the Foundation Degree (FDA) Art and Design Course available at Coleg Menai, here.
