State Fish Art Contest

Alabama Students Will Win National
Fish Art Contest

Doug Darr
Aquatic Education Coordinator
Montgomery, Alabama

Wildlife Forever is conducting a National State-Fish Art Contest. Students draw state fish for their state. Alabama students have two choices. The Alabama State Freshwater Fish is the largemouth bass, and the State Saltwater Fish is the "fighting tarpon." Three students will represent Alabama in the national art contest: a fourth through sixth grade winner, a seventh through ninth grade winner, and tenth through twelfth grade winner. Contest entries must be sent to Wildlife Forever, and postmarked on or before March 31. Entries must include a one-page composition about the fish.

Alabama’s winners include the 2005 "Best of Show" winner, homeschooler Connery Carson of Birmingham. The most recent Alabama winners are shown at www.OutdoorAlabama.com under the largemouth bass page. Other 2005 winners were Alexis Sylvester of Mobile (grades 4-6) and David Duggan of Pinson (grades 7-9). The Alabama winners for 2004 were Phillip Estes of Albertville (grades 4-6), Ashley Anderson of Enterprise (grades 7-9) and Megan Graves of Hartselle (grades 10-12). The Alabama winners for 2003 were Kalee Reid of Morris (grades 4-6), Megan Graves (grades 7-9), and Chad Griffith of Fairhope (grades 10-12). Alabama winners during 2002 were Gunnar Pierce of Mobile, Megan Graves, and Joseph Graves of Hartselle.

Contest entries must be 8-1/2-inch by 11-inch (or 9-inch by 12-inch) horizontal artwork without a mat, frame, cover sheet or border. Art techniques may include scratch-board, pointillism, chalk, charcoal, dry brush, watercolor, crosshatch, lead, collage, linoleum printing, or crayon. Contestants using chalk, charcoal, or lead should seal it with an adhesive. The students must also write a one-page composition on their subject. Complete rules, entry forms and more information about the state fish are available from Wildlife Forever at www.StateFishArt.com and for largemouth bass, www.OutdoorAlabama.com. Entries are to be sent to: Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest, 2700 Freeway Blvd. #1000, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. Artists must postmark their entry by March 31. An entry form is printed on the back of this sheet, and is available in Word and PDF formats from www.StateFishArt.com.

For more information, Wildlife Forever may be contacted by telephone toll-free at 1-877-FISHART, through the Internet at www.statefishart.com, or by writing to their Minnesota address above. The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division may be contacted by telephone at 1-334-242-3471, through the Internet by emailing Doug Darr at doug.darr@dcnr.alabama.gov, or by writing to: 64 N. Union St., Montgomery, AL 36130.

Note: The State-Fish Art Contest is a program of Wildlife Forever and is not part of theIreland or Junior Duck Stamp Awards Program.