Surrey Wildlife Trust announces the winners of its Wild Surrey Art & Photography Competition at a private reception at the Lightbox Woking.

Around 400 artists and photographers aged 6 and above (amateur and professional) entered the Wild Surrey Competition, a longlist of over 130 works were selected for the online exhibition with a further 50 being selected for the Lightbox exhibition, supported by STIHL.

The exhibition took the viewer on a captivating journey discovering the diversity of species in Surrey from Damselflies to birds of prey, to vast pollinating meadows to the inspirational Surrey Hill landscapes. Works were on display until 22^nd May 2022 at The Lightbox.

The over 18 winner of the art category was Jane Hapgood with her stunning painting of a hedgehog “Autumn Hog”.

I chose the hedgehog as I foster them for Hydestile Resident Animals a charity based near Godalming. I am always surprised and saddened as to how many young people have never seen a hedgehog…I feel that we all have a responsibility to take care of our environment as were are invading natures space.”

The over 18 winner of the photography category is Mike Tibbots, with “Fighting Foxes” an incredible image of two red fox vixens fighting over territory.

The young adult winner of the art category is Stella Dart, for her digital art “A Parliament of Owls”. Stella’s inspiration came from a variety of sources: “I have always loved wildlife and owls in particular. I really love both the film and the series of books by Kathryn Lasky called 'The Guardians of Ga'Hoole’. When we moved house a year ago I was delighted to find we had owls living in the trees across the road, I hear them at night and (would) imagine what they are up to… I also love a musician 'Owl City' and I listen to his music while I am working on my artwork as it helps to create the atmosphere in my pictures.”

The young adult winner of the photograph category is Ben Hancock-Smith, with Roebuck in the Morning.

The children’s category winner of the art category is Freddie Claret for his beautiful painting of two Otters “Otterley Devoted”, he also one a highly commended prize for her “Owl at Sunset” photograph.”

The children’s category winner of the photography category is Maise Hayman for Seasonal Snail”.

The Vision for Surrey award (supported by Surrey Nature Partnership) was awarded to Suzy Jones for a thought-provoking mixed media work of an ornithologist and endangered turtle dove. "I'm thrilled that "Don't let me disappear" won the award because I want to shine a light on the plight of the turtle dove, a once much more common breeding bird in our countryside, now sadly dwindling and fading away…"Don't let me disappear" juxtaposes a picture of hope and dedication for this iconic species, with stark imagery of persecuted turtle doves scattering against a blood-spattered sky. Media clippings on the story of this species form a sobering backdrop. An ornithologist, having fitted the radio tracker to this little bird, silently wishes it a safe journey and life free of persecution and peril, and wonders if it will end up returning to this same field next spring."