FOREVER FORESTS
ART CONTEST

Explore and express your connections to California forests

 

Contest Dates:
Apr 5 – May 17


Live Award Show:
May 22

What are your favorite forest memories? What are your hopes and concerns regarding California’s forests? The Forever Forest Art Contest invites you to tell your story through the FOREVER Forest prompts below. The prompts reflect important concepts and phenomena that scientists monitor to help evaluate the health of our forest ecosystems.

All levels of artwork and media are encouraged, including but not limited to photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, textile arts, and sculpture. Submissions are closed. Three winners will be chosen for each FOREVER concept—as well as three Best in Show winners—and will be announced on a live virtual event on the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22).

If you have any questions you may email Elizabeth at ekubey@cnps.org.

Watch the awards show
Winners

Fire

3rd Place

Ghost Roots
Emily Elizabeth Schlickman, photography of collected specimens.
Blue Ridge Berryessa Natural Area, Solano County.

2nd Place

Ash Season
Kim Eng, photography
Inyo National Forest, Mono County.

1st Place

Process of Success(ion)
Monique Wales, linocut relief print on paper.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County.

Old Growth

3rd Place

Old Oak
Judith Trumbo, photography
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County.

2nd Place

Broken top
Liam Ericson, Linoleum print on Japanese kitakata paper.
Sonoma County.

1st Place

Navarro River at Dusk
Dinah Rondeau Campbell, watercolor.
Mendocino County.

Rhythm

3rd Place

Sitting on a Rock in the Sun 2015
LeeAnn Stangl, watercolor on paper.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County.

2nd Place

Spore Prints
Sara Stinson, mushroom spores on paper
Artist’s backyard, Contra Costa County.

1st Place

Pollen Shapes on Water
Stephanie Freund, linocut.
Emerald Bay State Park, El Dorado County.

Ecology

3rd Place

Owly
Fern Shartsis (6 years old), watercolor.
Redwood Forest in Joaquin Miller Park, Alameda County.

2nd Place

The relationship of oaks and mycorrhizal fungi
Eliza K. Jewett, pen & ink and digital media.
Santa Cruz County.

1st Place

Cuscuta californica INTERBEING
Louise Russell, photography and plants.

Variety

3rd Place

Banana Slug in the Wild
Ashley Pouliot, clay and acrylic paint.
Redwood Regional Park, Alameda County.

2nd Place

Autumn In The Valley of Giants
Kathy O’Leary, oil.
Reynolds Valley valley oak forest, Mendocino County.

1st Place

Cones of Prairie Creek
Elexis Padron, digital art.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County.

Energy

3rd Place

District 5 Weather Reporters
Fennel Wolcott Doyle, duck tape, patch, paper, cardboard, stickers, feathers, rhinestone.
Golden Gate Park forest, San Francisco County

2nd Place

Dendroctonus ponderosae
Lisa Nowlain, watercolor and India ink.
Tahoe National Forest, Nevada County

1st Place

Tassajara Flow
Fred Watson, plein air watercolor.
Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County.

Reslience

3rd Place

Look Up, In and Out
Linda MacDonald, watercolor on Arches hot press.
Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County.

2nd Place

Torrey Pines
Sean Hnedak, Oil on Linen.
Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve, San Diego County.

1st Place

Live Live Oak
Larry Bryson, oil on canvas.
Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County

Best in Show

3rd Place

Navarro River at dusk
Dinah Rondeau Campbell, watercolor.
Mendocino County.

 

2nd Place

Tassajara Flow
Fred Watson, plein air watercolor.
Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County.

1st Place

Process of Success(ion)
Monique Wales, linocut relief print on paper.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County.

Categories

The Forever Forest contest includes seven categories aligned with the seven FOREVER concepts and phenomena. We invite your artistic interpretation! All accepted submissions will be posted here under the respective category. When submitting, artists will be asked to self-select a FOREVER concept that their work interprets.

We received an enormous amount of submissions and curated works that best fit the themes.

F

Fire

California forests have evolved with fire. For thousands of generations, many of California’s Native American tribes have been using fire to manage forest habitats. Cultural burns and prescribed fire restore forests’ ecological function, promoting biodiversity, carbon storage, and water availability, while making habitats more resilient to extreme wildfires. Extreme fire can tragically affect our human communities. Express your forest’s connection to fire, sharing the adaptations or impacts that fire has created in your landscape.

Potential
Emily Marie Purves, iPhone 5 photo.
Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County.

Faith in the Forest
Allison Dennis, Camera, Canon EOS 30D.
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, Napa County.

Regenerative Fire
Stephanie McKenna, pen and ink.
Sequoia National Park, Tulare County

Beauty & The Beast – After The River Fire
Kathy O’Leary, oil.
Oak Forest, on Hopland Research and Extention Center USC, Mendocino County

Forest Fire
Elisa Mackey, oil pastels.

Regenerating Sequoia
Joel Phillip Glen, clay in fire pit.
Los Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

Life After Death
Rebecca Sanchez, non‐toxic acrylic paint.
Big Basin /Redwoods, Santa Cruz County

Burning the Understory
Sherie Bolen, ink on watercolor paper.

Smokey Giants
Katy Wilson, photography (Sony Alpha 7).
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

From the Ashes
Katy Wilson, photography (Sony Alpha 7).
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

Ash Season
Kim Eng, photography
Inyo National Forest, Mono County.

Reclamation
Sam Goldstein, Nihonga mineral pigments on mulberry paper.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County.

Black and Blue
Jason Dworman, photograph.
Private property, Shasta County

Monkey Flower
Patty Ryan, watercolor.

Sera Peak with Jack
Richard Robinson oil on canvas.
Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County.

Morels
Laurel Ferreira, block print carving.
El Dorado National Forest. El Dorado County

Pyrofiles
Naomi Volain, ink and pencil.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

Re-Generation
Rose Easterbrook, mixed media: acrylic and photos on panel.
Rancho Mariposa, Enchanted Canyon., Mendocino County

Jesusita
Dianne Bennett, oil paint on salvaged metal.
Las Padres National forest, Santa Barbara County

Bloom and Grow
Gretchen E. Hayes, digital photo art.
Berryessa Snow Mountain, Yolo County

Summer Fog, Swanton Valley
Susan Ashley, soft pastel on sanded paper.
Swanton Valley, Santa Cruz County

After the Soberanes Fire
Paola Fiorelle Berthoin, digital photograph.
San Clemente Rancho adjacent to Los Padres National Forest, Monterey

Fawn Lilies From the Fire
Kaitlyn Toledo, Digital Photography (Pixel 3a).
Shasta County

Burned from Within
Sarah Hunt, pen and paper.
Arcata Community Forest, Humboldt County

Burnt Sentry/After the Bobcat Fire
Amy Nettleton, oil painting.
Big Santa Anita Canyon, Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

Oak, Manzanita, and Wire
Doug Bush, Photography.
Mayacamas Mountains, Lake County

Burnt Oak
Luisa Millicent, watercolor.
Oak Grove – Paramount Ranch, Paramount Ranch – Santa Monica Mountains

It Will Always Grow Back
Juliet Pierce, watercolor on paper.
Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County

Fire and Water Don’t Mix
Charlotte Pierce, watercolor on paper.
Buena Vista Park, San Diego County.

Forest Aflame
Anja M. Voss, Acrylic paint.
La Honda Creek Preserve, San Mateo County

Symbiotic Fire
Huy-Jonas Glassey-Tranguyen (8 years old), Color pencils on paper.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

Burnt and Growing
Trangdai Glassey-Tranguyen, Digital photograph.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

October Fire in Floating Ink
Gina Rybolt, water painting.

Big Basin
Aditi Shah, gouache.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Santa Cruz County.

Angeles Fires
William Hallstrom, digital photography.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County.

Angeles Fires
William Hallstrom, digital photography.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County.

Angeles Fires
William Hallstrom, digital photography.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County.

Assembling Ash
Emily Elizabeth Schlickman, photography of collected specimens.
Blue Ridge Berryessa Natural Area, Solano County.

Ghost Roots
Emily Elizabeth Schlickman, photography of collected specimens.
Blue Ridge Berryessa Natural Area, Solano County.

what remains
Crystal Lynn Collins, photography.
Blue Ridge Mountains, Solano County

Process of Success(ion)
Monique Wales, linocut relief print on paper.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

After the Fire 2020
Katherine Spitz, oil on board, no plants sourced.
Cachagua Oak Woodlands, Monterey County

Rebirth
Emily M Sluiman, photography.
Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County

Forest in fire
Patricia Palavecino, acrylic.
Plumas National Forest, Plumas County

The Gift Of Fire From Earth And Sky
Lucille DancingWind, photography
Muir Woods National Monument, Marin County

Sumac Sprouts after the Spring Fire
Laureen Jenson, watercolor.
Sycamore Canyon, Point Mugu State Park, Ventura County.

“Renewal”
Ron Ehmsen, acrylic on canvas.
Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara County.

Dawn Haze
Maile Claire, photography
Tahoe National Forest, El Dorado County.

Loss
Christy Brigham, linoleum block print.
Board Camp Grove, Tulare County.

1,000 years to go
Saul Tejeda, photography.
Sequoia National Park, Tulare County.

Generations of Giants
Saul Tejeda, photography. 
Sequoia National Park, Tulare County.

Fire is Life
Linnea Hardlund, photography.
Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County.

Celebration of Madrones
Elizabeth Murray, oil.
Ventana Wilderness, Monterey County.

Two month’s time
Linnea Hardlund, photography.
Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County.

The Poppy and the Chamise
Fred Watson, plein air watercolor
Toro Regional Park, Monterey County.

Fire Ecology
Amara “Hollow Bones” MacEachern, water color, ink, graphite on cotton rag paper.
Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County. 

Wildflowers Burning
Anna Watson, watercolor on paper.
Toro County Park and Fort Ord National Monument Woodlands, Monterey County

Reborn
Matthew Tarro, heavy acrylic and acrylic pens.
Redwood National Forest, Humboldt County.

Window to the Future
Linnea Hardlund, photography. 

Forest Friends
Andrew Bixler, digital print.

O

Old Growth

Large, old trees are precious. They store carbon, they resist fire, and they nurture life around them. What are the old growth trees you celebrate, miss, or observe?

Coast Redwood and Red-tailed Hawk
Kimberly Curiel, Sea glass from SF Bay on paper.
Henry Cowell State Park, Santa Cruz County

Vibrance Burdell
Larry Bryson, oil on canvas.
Mount Burdell Open Space, Marin County

Really Big Trees
Naomi Volain, pencil and ink.
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, Sonoma County

Pinus Torreyana
Sarah Platenius, mixed media acrylic.
Torrey Pine State Reserve, North County San Diego

Old Growth
Leigh Janet Douglas, digital.
Humboldt County

A case study in feeling small
Emily Marie Purves, Google Pixel 2 photo.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park, North Grove, Calaveras County

California Black Oak
Lawrence Knutsson, photography
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County.

“There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.”
Krishnan Thyagarajan, photography
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County.

Sycamore
Robin Mize, gouache on board.
San Luis Obispo County

Oak Portrait.
Kathy O’Leary, oil.
Hopland Research & Extension Center property, Mendocino County

Beckoning Path
Diane Tharp, watercolor and water media.
Redwood State Parks, Mendocino County

California Rainforest
Stephen Ingram, photograph.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

Old Oak
Judith Trumbo, photography
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County.

Redwood Light
Judy Kramer, photography
Redwood National and State Parks, Humboldt County.

Redwoods at Mt. Madonna
Annie Haines, Oil.
Mt. Madonna, Santa Clara County

Respect Where You Roam
Joel Phillip Glen, recycled bottle caps found in or around the East Fork, San Gabriel River.
Los Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

Old Oak Tree
Michelle A Gillian, watercolor.
Los Padres Forest, Santa Barbara County


Navarro River at dusk

Dinah Rondeau Campbell, watercolor.
Mendocino County.

Broken top
Liam Ericson, Linoleum print on Japanese kitakata paper.
Sonoma County

Glenwood Redwood
Marianne J Woosley, soft pastel.
Glenwood Preserve, East Glenwood Preserve, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz County

Getting to the top is optional
Jane Dehdashti, photography.
Yosemite, Mariposa County

A portal through the treetops
Jane Dehdashti, photography.
Twin Lakes, Mariposa County

Once Was
Nancy Eileen Muleady‐Mecham, Pencil.
Sequoia, Tulare County

Old Bristlecone
Michael Caley, photography.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County

Coming Home
Mark Grzan, photography.
Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove, Del Norte County

Limekiln, Redwood Path
Laurel Sherrie, oil on canvas.
Limekiln, Monterey County.

Old Men of the Trees
Linda Weil, pastel/pastel pencil on sanded paper.
Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt Redwood County State Park.

Sunrise Vespers
Mark Grzan, photography.
Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove, Del Norte County.

How Green Was Our Valley
Mark Grzan, photography.
Harvey Bear Coyote Lake County Park, Santa Clara County

San Antonio Field
Richard Robinson, oil on canvas.
Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County.

Valley Oak
Ellis Heyer, gouache on paper.
Marin County.

Ancient Bristlecone
Gina M. X. Webber, Pen & Ink.
Ancient Bristlecone Forest, Inyo County

Glen Alin, Yosemite National Park
Jeannette Kortz, color pencil.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

Patriarch Grove, Bristlecones
Ann Piersall Logan, acrylic on canvas.
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Inyo County

This is Our Home – Landmark Oak
Paola Fiorelle Berthoin, oil on canvas.
Happy Trails Oak Woodlands near Fort Ord National Monument, Monterey County

The Wise Bay
Caitlyn Allchin, photography.
Reed Mountain Forest, Humboldt County

Secondary Growth
Marcus Tamura, watercolor.
Lassen National Park, Lassen County.

“I’m growing on you, Old Pal!”
Trangdai Glassey-Tranguyen, digital photograph.
Malibu Creek State Park, Los Angeles County.

Endangered
Erin Bergman, Colored Pencil.
Otay Mountain Wilderness, San Diego

Redwood Grove, Humboldt County
Susan Fox, oil.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

California Juniper
Vanessa Rusczyk, oil on linen.
Sand to Snow National Monument, San Bernardino County.

Oak
Elinor Hopper, Drawing.
BLM area near the Sacramento River Bend, Alameda County.

Valley Oak Lake County
Ann Elliott, photography.
Asbill Valley, Lake County. 

Last Stand
Karen Baden Thapa, pen & ink.
Private Land, Contra Costa County

Amidst the Giants
Katy Betz, watercolor.
Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, Tulare County

Spirit Trees
Emily M Sluiman, Photography.
Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County

Sanctuary Beneath A Giant
Lucille DancingWind, photography
Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve, San Mateo County.

“Looking Up”
Marni Sheppard, acrylic on canvas.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park, Marin County.

My Path to the Golden State: Muir Woods
Stephanie Kral, acrylic on canvas.
Muir Woods, Marin County.

Ancient One
Jody Olson, photography
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County.

Round Meadow
Christy Brigham, watercolor.
Giant Forest, Tulare County.

Finding the Mother Tree
Elizabeth Murray, oil.
Ventana Wilderness, Monterey County.

Manzanita Tunnel
Melissa Feudi, watercolor & gouache on cotton.
Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve, Contra Costa County.

Beings of Light
Elexis Padron, photography.
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Del Norte County.

HORN TORUS NO. 1
Melissa Steenport, salvaged old growth walnut.
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, Sonoma County. 

The Old Tree of Life
Theo-Dan Glassey-Tranguyen (6 years old), oil Pastel on paper.
William Heise, San Diego County. 

Redwood Dream
Ursula Partch, textile collage, including felted wool from Mendocino County.
Montgomery Woods, Hendy Woods, Mendocino

R

Rhythm

Healthy forests ecosystems have a rhythm. They are constantly cycling through different and overlapping states of composition and structure that scientists refer to as “seral stages.” In a healthy forest habitat, we see signs of multiple stages at once, from grasses and shrubs to saplings and old growth trees. What changes do you see in your forest?

A Walk in the Woods
Katrina Alexy, gouache on paper.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

Some Keep The Sabbath
Jennie Ann Drummond, watercolor and ink.
Redwood Regional Park, Alameda County

Our Lady of the Roots
Joy Mueller Blanchard, mixed media sourced from artist’s home in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Los Angeles County

Pollen Shapes on Water
Stephanie Freund, linocut.
Emerald Bay State Park, El Dorado County.

Zaa King
Gramberg, acrylic.
San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino County.

Old & New Oaks
Sherie Bolen, iPhone photo.
Oak grove in my backyard, Monterey County

Untitled
Julie Delliquanti, digital photograph.
San Mateo County

Scorpionweed Alchemy
Sam Goldstein, collage ‐ found aerial photograph, compass scores with charcoal, dried Phacelia purpusii, gold leaf.
Modoc National Forest, Modoc County

Economy
Dinah Rondeau Campbell, monoprint.
Kern County


Dave at Henry Coe State Park

Dinah Rondeau Campbell, pastels.
Santa Clara County

Cycle of the Spirit
Van Donohue, oil paint.
Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Orange County

Clamor From the Forest Floor
Lorrie Fink, oil on canvas.
Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, Humboldt

Break Through
Linda MacDonald, watercolors on Arches hot press paper.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Calaveras County

Leaf Cycle
Kim Eng, photography.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

Scorpionweed Alchemy
Sam Goldstein, found aerial photograph, compass scores with charcoal, dried Phacelia purpusii, gold leaf.
Modoc National Forest, Modoc County

In a Sycamore World
Laurel Sherrie, oil on canvas.
Biddle Park, San Luis Obispo

White Oaks in Evening Light
John Palmer, oil on canvas on panel.
Redwood Creek, Humboldt County.

Fall and Rise
Brian Wallace, digital drawing.
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, Sacramento County.

Madrone Driftwood
Jeanette Kortz, oil.
Sonoma County

Nursery Log
Ethan Rayner, photography.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

Open Space Pieces for March, 2021
Ellis Heyer, gouache on paper.
Marin Open Space, Marin County

Open Space Pieces for April, 2021
Ellis Heyer, gouache on paper.
Marin Open Space, Marin County

Salvia apiana Autumn transitions
Jiling Lin, photography.
Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County

Wind in the Picnic Grounds
Rose Easterbrook, mixed media: acrylic and photos on panel.
On private property-Rancho Mariposa, Enchanted Canyon., Mendocino County

Big Picture, Little Picture
Star Carroll, mixed media: photo, acrylic, watercolor, marker, colored pencil
Tahoe National Forest, Nevada County

Spore Prints
Sara Stinson, mushroom spores on paper
Artist’s backyard, Contra Costa County

An April Day in Floating Ink
Gina Rybolt, “water marbling” – ink on floating water transferred to paper.
County Parks, Santa Clara County

The Wishing Tree
Sara Riazi, Flowers and Leaves that I forage daily for my art.
Yosemite, Yosemite

Interrelated
Doug Bush, photography.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County.

Connections
Juliet Pierce, watercolor on paper.
Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County

The Circle of Life
Kien-Lucas Glassey-Tranguyen (11 years old), Oil pastel on canvas.
Sequoia National Forest, Kern County

Morning Restart
Olivier Glassey-Tranguyen, Digital photograph.
San Bernardino National Forest, San Bernardino

Coast live oak in flower
Eliza K. Jewett, watercolor on paper (sourced from private property).
San Mateo County.

Waking up
Julia Mariottini, photography.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County.

Sun Salutation
Cola Claret, dance video 5 min 7 seconds
Purisima Creek Redwoods, San Mateo County

Fire skies
Katherine Spitz, oil on board.
Big Sur, Monterey County

Grand Show – Sierra Gloaming
Monique Wales, reduction-method linocut relief on paper.
Sequoia National Park, Tulare County

Island Pass
Kaija Ollikainen, photography.
Ansel Adams Wilderness, Mono County

Moonlight Sonata
Vineeta Chand, glass and natural stone mosaic
Shaver Lake, Fresno County

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly
Vineeta Chand, Glass mosaic with driftwood body
American River Parkway, Sacramento County

Under the Stars- Kings Canyon 1965
LeeAnn Stangl, gouache on paper
Kings Canyon, Fresno and Tulare County.

Sitting on a Rock in the Sun 2015
LeeAnn Stangl, watercolor on paper.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County.

Quiet Dances
Melissa Feudi, watercolor illustration on cotton.
Hillside Natural Area, Contra Costa County.

Oak Sisters
Nina Ollikainen, oil. 
Bon Tempe Lake, Marin Watershed, Marin County.

Leaning In
Carolyn Warren, photography.
Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County.

Until the tide comes in
Alia Salim, plant material.
Point Mendocino, Mendocino County. 

Dancing Deer
Theo-Dan Glassey-Tranguyen (6 years old), oil pastel on paper.
William Heise, San Diego County. 

E

Ecology

The rhythms of a forest support its ecology. Look for the wide range of interactions between species: insects, fungi, small mammals, and birds need decomposing trees for food and habitat; understory flowers and fruiting shrubs feed foraging bears and deer; weathered rocks and gorges create habitat for unique plant species; and the great trees support life of nearly every form, including our own. What relationships do you see?

Perfect pair
Kimberly Curiel, Sea glass from SF Bay on paper.
Las Trampas Wilderness Preserve, Contra Costa County

Banana slugs chow down on fox turds full of bird seed
Alison Gardner, photograph
Mendocino Forest, Mendocino County

Golden Chanterelle Flower
Alison Gardner, photograph
Alison’s backyard, Mendocino County

Chipmunk
Kevin Lahue, photograph.
The Angeles National Forest, LA and San Bernardino County

Crossing The Stream
Shawn Michael, 35mm photography
Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County

Waste Not
Allison Dennis, Canon EOS 30D.
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, Napa County.

Coming Around
Robin Mize, gouache on board.
Open Space of San Mateo, Montara /San Mateo County

Sapsucker Hill, Pentucky
Anita Lincoln, acrylic paint.
South Yuba River State Park, Nevada County.

Mystical Mushroom Log
Allyson Gray, acrylic on canvas.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

The Energy of Ecology
Jeannie Lee Schroeder, watercolor, photography and digital editing.
Butte County

Don’t eat my food
Ilaine Silveira Matos, watercolor.
Pinnacles National Park, San Benito County

Chicken of the Woods Fungus on Coast Redwood
Judy Kramer, photography.
Redwood National and State Parks, Humboldt County

Acorn Woodpecker Granary
Judy Kramer, photography.
Grant Ranch County Park, Santa Clara County

Mountain Mahogany with Root Nodules
Stephanie Freund, linocut.
Tahoe National Forest, Nevada County.

Holy Tree
Melanie Nacouzi, photography.
Lake Berryessa Recreation Area, Napa County

Tiny Worlds
Julie Delliquanti, digital photograph.
Butano State Park, San Mateo County

Limnanthes
Liam Ericson, linoleum print on Japanese kitakata paper.
Sonoma County

Ceruchus
Liam Ericson, linoleum print on Japanese kitakata paper.
Sonoma County

Praying for Rain
Maggie Gao‐Gehlmann, mixed medium.

End of the Chase
Nancy Eileen Muleady‐Mecham, pencil.
Sequoia, Tulare County

Angkula Seo Passage
Zachi Anderson, local earth and stone.
Deer Creek Riparian Zone, Nevada County

Del Valle – Native Plants
Richard Robinson, oil on canvas.
Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County

Fallen Giant
Linda Weil, pastel/pastel pencils on sanded paper.
Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt County State Forest

White Oaks, Autumn
John Palmer, oil on canvas on panel.
Redwood Creek, Humboldt County.

Titmouse
Laurel Ferreira, block print carving.
El Dorado National Forest. El Dorado County

Dogwood
Laurel Ferreira, block print carving.
El Dorado National Forest. El Dorado County

Symbio
Rose Joseph, photography.
Arcata Community Forest, Humboldt County

Condor Eagle Prophecy
Jill Woyt, acrylic on canvas.
Big Sur, Monterey County

Northern Channel Islands National Park Sketchbook
Shirin Anderson, pencil, ink and watercolor.
Channel Islands, Santa Barbara County

Eye the Beauty
Karine Pereda, mixed media – holographic paper, acrylic paint, resin, re-purposed frame.
Cleveland National Forest, SD, Riverside, Orange County

Mother Oak
Paola Fiorelle Berthoin, oil on Linen.
Garland Park Oak Woodland, Monterey County

Ladybugs
Sara Stinson, photography.
Redwood Regional Parl, Contra Costa County

Gall Friends
Caitlyn Allchin, photography.
Six Rivers National Forest, Humboldt County.

The Forest of Eternal Slumber
Senna Kisner (Age 12), digital art.
Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, San Luis Obispo County

Perfect Peace
Kien-Lucas Glassey-Tranguyen (11 years old), Watercolor and color pencils on paper.
Sequoia National Forest, Kern County

Willow Forest
Erin Bergman, colored pencil.
Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego

One with the Forest!
Trangdai Glassey-Tranguyen, Digital photograph.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

The Zen of Forest Bathing
Olivier Glassey-Tranguyen, Digital photograph.
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, San Diego County

Western Sycamore, San Ysidro Creek
Vanessa Rusczyk, oil on linen.
Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County.

The relationship of oaks and mycorrhizal fungi
Eliza K. Jewett, pen & ink and digital media.
Santa Cruz County.

Oak
Teresa Lehane, chalk.
Sacramento River Floodplain, Sacramento County

Owly
Fern Shartsis (6 years old), watercolor.
Redwood Forest in Joaquin Miller Park, Alameda County

Bay Checkerspot on Yerba Buena
Tiffany Takamatsu, Acrylic on canvas.
Sierra Azul, Santa Clara County

Focus
Cynthia Cole, photography.
El Corte de Madera, San Mateo County

Western Tanager on Sequoiadendron
Kale Levin McNeill, watercolor.
Giant Sequoia Groves, Tulare County

Northern Flicker
Vineeta Chand, Glass mosaic on driftwood
Folsom Lake, Placer County

Cuscuta californica INTERBEING
Louise Russell, photography and plants.

Anemopsis californica CURE
Louise Russell, photography and plants.

Trees Network
Netsanet Tesfay, digital art.
Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County.

Nectar stealer
Teruyuki Matsunaga, photography. 
Mt. Diablo, Contra Costa County

Focus
Cynthia Cole, photography.
El Corte de Madera, San Mateo County.

Bay Area Ecology
Melissa Feudi, mixed media combining physical & digital.
Canyon Trail Park, Hillside Natural area & Miller Knox, Contra Costa County.

Coming Home
Mari Taylor, chalk paint
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County. 

Home Sweet Home
Elexis Padron, digital art.
Pinnacles National Park, San Benito County. 

Layers of Life
Huy-Jonas Glassey-Tranguyen (8 years old), oil Pastel on paper.
William Heise, San Diego County.

V

Variety

Forests should have a wide variety of life. A healthy forest ecosytem is so much more than pine trees. Observe the matrix of systems and life: Forests intermix with other systems like fens and meadows, supporting biodiverse species from rare orchids and snow plants to the great Sequoia.

Maidenhair Fern
Kimberly Curiel, Sea glass from SF Bay on paper.
Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Marin County

Coastal Iris
Daniel Burch Fiddler, acrylic on canvas board
Jackson State Forest, Mendocino County

Popcorn
Emily Marie Purves, Google Pixel 2 photo.
Rockville Hills Regional Park, Solano County

CA Native Beauties
Judy Lew Loose, watercolor on aquaboard.
Inspired by all CA forests

Fairy Lanterns
Anita Lincoln, watercolor.
South Yuba River State Park, Nevada County.

Autumn In The Valley of Giants
Kathy O’Leary, oil.
Reynolds Valley valley oak forest, Mendocino County

Mariposa Lily
Thomas Ascanio, photograph
Crystal Cove, Orange County

Riparian Fall Forest
Stephen Ingram, photograph.
John Muir Wilderness Area, Mono County

La Diosa del Rio Americano
Jennifer O’Neill Pickering, watercolor.
Riparian forest of the lower American River, Sacramento County.

Mingling
Christina Bennett, digital drawing.
Los Padres, Santa Barbara County

Dudleya brevifolia
Michelle A Gillian, pastels.
Los Padres Forest, Santa Barbara County

Dudleya brittoni
Michelle A Gillian, pastels.
Los Padres Forest, Santa Barbara County

Variety
John Lucena (9 years old), Beeswax Crayon
Tennessee Valley, Marin County

Thunder Mountain
Danielle Jolette, oil.
El Dorado National Forest, Amador County

Forest Floor
Jane Dehdashti, photography.
Yosemite, Mariposa County

Ferns in the Forest
Allison Cherry, photography.
Muir Woods National Monument, Marin County

Humboldt Understory
Christa Burrell, oil on canvas.
Rockefeller Forest, Humboldt County

Living Water
Patty Ryan, watercolor.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County.

Trillium Understory
Ethan Rayner, photography.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

Calliope, Fern
Lorrie Fink, oil on canvas.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

Many Lives, One Forest
Kien-Lucas Glassey-Tranguyen (11 years), Oil pastel on paper.
Sequoia National Forest, Kern County

Beautiful Boxes
Marcus Tamura, photography.
Marin County.

Accept the Burn
Jessica Pearlman, acrylic on reclaimed redwood panel (sourced from a deconstructed deck).
Joaquin Miller Park, Alameda County

wild fern
Crystal Lynn Collins, photography.
Sugarloaf State Park, Sonoma County

Autumn Aspens – INYO
Monique Wales, reduction-method linocut relief on paper
Inyo National Forest, Mono County

Redwood Path
Susan Butler-Graham, watercolor on paper.
Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, Santa Clara County

Banana Slug in the Wild
Ashley Pouliot, clay and acrylic paint.
Redwood Regional Park, Alameda County.

View to the Pacific
Nina Ollikainen, gouache and ink.
San Mateo County.

Deer Dreams
Nina Ollikainen, oil.
Marin Watershed District, Marin County.

BEVEL VASE NO 3
Melissa Steenport, spalted maple gifted to me from my father.
Jack London State Park, Sonoma County.

Cones of Prairie Creek
Elexis Padron, digital art.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County. 

A Glimpse of Sweetness Among Thorns
Mari Taylor, photography.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County. 

Poison Oak
Anna Watson, watercolor on paper.
Fort Ord National Monument Oak Woodland, Monterey County.

E

Energy

Forests are influenced by energetic forces of all kinds, both helpful and harmful. Fires, bulldozers, waterflow, predators, and more all impact our forest ecosystems. What energy do see at play in your forests?

Dendroctonus Ponderosae
Lisa Nowlain, watercolor and India ink.
Tahoe National Forest, Nevada County

Leaning In
Robin Mize, gouache on board.
San Luis Obispo County

Explosive New Growth
Gretchen E. Hayes, digital art.
Lassen National Forest, Lassen County

At Home in my Garden
Joy Mueller Blanchard, mixed media.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Los Angeles County

Kaweah Cascades
Sandi Heller, mixed media.
Sequoia National Forest, Fresno County

Rainy Day on North Fork Feather River
Stephanie Freund, linocut.
Plumas National Forest, Plumas County.

East Fork, Bottle Cap Big Horn
Joel Phillip Glen, recycled bottle caps found in or around the East Fork, San Gabriel River.
Los Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

Climate Change
Sherie Bolen, digital collage.
Inspired by oak woodlands, Coastal Monterey County

Cup of Gold
Juliette Lucena (9 years old), watercolor on canvas.
Presidio, San Francisco County

Glow
Latifat Apatira, photography.
Purisma Creek Redwoods Preserve, San Mateo County

Guardian
Katy Wilson, photography (Sony Alpha 7).
Eldorado Forest, El Dorado County

Sky Power
Nancy Eileen Muleady‐Mecham, pencil.
Sequoia, Tulare County

Live Oak
Jill Woyt, oil on canvas.
Big Sur, Monterey County

California Connections
Renate Kempf, embroidery. Silk and cotton on cotton. Frame: brocade and denim. Bottom branch: blue elderberry from garden
Santa Clara County

Elders Greet Palisades Sunrise
Jiling Lin, photography.
John Muir Wilderness, Inyo County

Leaf River
Jiling Lin, photography.
Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County

Redwood Pressure Drop
Rose Easterbrook, mixed media: acrylic and photos on panel.
Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve, Mendocino County

Balance
Phill Britton, acrylic paint.
Henry Cowell, Santa Cruz County

Bob’s Sierras
Coko Brown, oil on board.
Yosemite Valley, Mariposa County

American Dipper: Feeding from the Flow
Kaitlyn Toledo, ink illustration (vectorized).

Silverado Winter Light
Olivier Glassey-Tranguyen, Digital photograph.
Silverado Canyon, Orange County

Diablo Spectacle
Marcus Tamura, watercolor.
Contra Costa County.

Abundancia Quieta
Lola Camacho, acrylic on canvas.
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, Pomo Lands/Sonoma County.

Since childhood
Julia Mariottini, photography.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County. 

“Wildflower Hunters”
Evan apRoberts, paper, acrylic, gouache and watercolor on panel.
Mt. Beiderman / territory of the Mono Lake Paiute Indian Tribe, Mono County.

District 5 Weather Reporters
Fennel Wolcott Doyle, duck tape, patch, paper, cardboard, stickers, feathers, rhinestone.
Golden Gate Park forest, San Francisco County

Cathedral Pillars
Katy Betz, watercolor.
Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, Tulare County

Rest Break
Kaija Ollikainen, Photography and Wool Felt.
Salt Point State Park, Sonoma County

All Wet
Cynthia Cole, photography.
Russian Ridge/Ancient Oaks trail, San Mateo County

Mist-Bathing Forest
Lucille DancingWind, photography
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

Cosmic Interplay
Huy-Jonas Glassey-Tranguyen (8 years old), color pencil on paper.
Oak Canyon, Orange County. 

Magical Coastal Live Oak Woodland
Elizabeth Murray, acrylic, pencil, oil pastel, wax.
Rip van Winkle Woodlands, Monterey County. 

Fetid Adder’s Tongue
Danielle Jolette, colored pencil
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, Santa Cruz County.

Tassajara Flow
Fred Watson, plein air watercolor.
Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County.

R

Resilience

Resilient forests survive and regenerate over time. Biodiverse, rhythmic forests are California’s best hope to resist and survive extreme wildfire, beetle infestations, and the growing impacts of climate change. What signs of resilience or lack thereof do you see in your forests?

Rhododendrons in Pygmy
Alison Gardner, photograph
Pygmy forest, Mendocino County

Live Live Oak
Larry Bryson, oil on canvas.
Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County

Quiet Resistance
Lily Wu, photograph.
Yosemite, Mariposa County

The Torrey Pine Tree
Sarah Platenius, mixed media acrylic.
Torrey Pine State Reserve, North County San Diego

Castilleja Rebirth
Bonnie Richwine, photography.
Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County

Life Persists
Allison Dennis, Canon EOS 30D.
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, Napa County.

Double Mountain Panorama
Allyson Gray, acrylic on canvas.
Tehachapi Mountains Kern County

For The Love of Trees
Jeannie Lee Schroeder, watercolor, photograph.
Bidwell Park, Butte County

Rising from the Ashes
Gretchen E. Hayes, digital art.
Lassen National Forest, Lassen County

Sentinel of Methuselah
Gaylene Kinzy, watercolor.
White Mountains, Inyo County

Gully of the Ancients
Stephen Ingram, photograph.
Schulman Grove, Inyo County

California red‐legged frog
Danielle Jolette, acrylic.
Tahoe National Forest, Placer County

Reclamation
Sam Goldstein, Nihonga mineral pigments on Mulberry paper.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County

Guardians of Gabrielino
Brenna Cheyney, photography/digital art.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

Look Up, In and Out
Linda MacDonald, watercolor on Arches hot press.
Cheatham Grove, Grizzly Creek Redwoods, Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

Rebirth
Monica Lee‐Boutz, mixed media‐acrylic, collage.
Annadel State Park, Sonoma County

Spring on Turtle Rock
Fabia Floreani, watercolor.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

White Oaks North of Arrow Wood
John Palmer, Oil on panel.
Redwood Creek, Humboldt County.

California Poppy
Patty Ryan, watercolor and marker.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County

California Blue Oak
Linda Weil, sepia ink on bristol board.
Amador County

Stand Alone
Jeanette Kortz, oil.
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

The Pandora Chronicles 
Lorrie Fink, oil on canvas.
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Humboldt County

Second Growth Children
Ethan Rayner, photography.
Purisima Creek, San Mateo County.

Resilience on the PCT!
Joy Mueller Blanchard, digital photography.
Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County

Resilience is in your nature…
Lola Camacho, digital illustration/animation. View animation here
Sequoia National Park, Kern/Tulare County

Pines
Margaret Mayotte-Hirn, watercolor.
San Gabriel mountains, Los Angeles County

Out of the Darkness
Akshita Bisht, Clay.
Inspired by regrowth in forests

Rock Creek Juniper
Ann Piersall Logan, acrylic on canvas.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County

Serpentine Survivor
Kaitlyn Toledo, Watercolor, ink, gel pen.
Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Shasta County

Snow Before the Burn
Doug Bush, Photography.
Mendocino National Forest, Mendocino

The Archway
Keira Haley, Graphite, charcoal.
Los Angeles County.

The Forest Floor
Erin Bergman, Colored Pencil.
Otay Mountain, San Diego

Coast live oak sprout
Eliza K. Jewett, watercolor on paper (sourced from private property).
San Mateo County.

Yerba Santa Tribute 2021
Kristin Sabo, photography.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County.

Free Flight
Maya Rose Wiemann, pastels.
Elfin Forest, by Escondido Creek, San Diego County.

Two Cupped Hands of Forest
Theodosia Ferguson, watercolor.
Pt. Reyes National Seashore, Marin County.

Love in the White Mountains
Julia Mariottini, photography.
Inyo National Forest, Inyo County.

Sequoia sempervirens
Inga Dorosz, ink on paper.
Los Padres, Monterey County

Torrey Pines
Sean Hnedak, Oil on Linen.
Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve, San Diego County

ashes and hope
Crystal Lynn Collins, photography.
Putah Creek, Solano County

Leave It Better
Emily M Sluiman, Photography.
Los Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles

Redwood Creek
Kaija Ollikainen, photography.
Muir Woods National Monument, Marin County

Leopard Lily Creek
Kale Levin McNeill, acrylic on canvas.
southern Sierra foothills cedar-pine forest, Fresno

Shaped by the Wind
Tami B. Sojka, photography
Great Basin National Park, White Pine County

“Resilience”
Ron Ehmsen, acrylic on canvas panel.
Los Padres Forest, Santa Barbara County.

Quercus agrifolia SANCTUARY
Louise Russell, photography and plants.

Life After the Fire (Sequoia sempervirens)
Jody Olson, photography.
Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County.

Helianthus californicus
Jenn Lima, ceramic.

Growth
Cynthia Cole, photography.
Loma Mar (San Mateo County Parks/Pescadero Creek), San Mateo County.

Forest Sunshine
Karen Campbell Swift, photography.
Stanislaus National Forest, Stanislaus County.

Dogwood of Yosemite
Karen Campbell Swift, textile.
Yosemite National Forest, Mariposa County.

Monterey Pine Forest
Fred Watson, plein air watercolor.
Jacks Peak County Park, Monterey County.

Rebirth
Mari Taylor, photography.
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County. 

Cypress Forest
Nina Ollikainen, acrylic.
Fitzgerald Marine Preserve, San Mateo County.

The Poetry of Trees
Carolyn Warren, photography
Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County. 

Mother’s Strength
Theo-Dan Glassey-Tranguyen (6 years old), color pencil on paper.
Oak Canyon, Orange County.

Judges
Marie Brennan

Botanical tattoo artist, painter, co-founder of Elder Creek Oak Sanctuary
@MarieBrennanArt

Red Bluff

Sue Britting

Biologist, executive director Sierra Forest Legacy, and served on CA Board of Forestry and Fire Protection
Sierra Forest Legacy

Coloma

JoeJoe Clark

Gardener, naturalist and educator with Napa County Regional Parks and Open Space
@lilyboyjoy

Calistoga

Nayl Gonzalez

Photographer, scientific illustrator, and creative
@ngonkrz

Los Osos

Obi Kaufmann

Naturalist, watercolorist, and Author of the Forests of California
@coyotethunder

Sierraville/East Bay

AWARDS

For each of the 7 FOREVER categories, we will award prizes for first, second and third place! Submissions will be showcased on this contest page and included in the Forever Forests Guide, which will be delivered to Governor Newsom and California legislators later this spring.

For each of the 7 FOREVER categories, we will award the following prizes for first, second and third place:

1st

First place in each FOREVER category
  • CNPS T-shirt
  • Featured image in Forever Forests Guide
  • CNPS individual membership

2nd

Second place in each FOREVER category
  • Featured image in Forever Forests Guide
  • CNPS individual membership

3rd

Third place in each FOREVER category
  • Included image in Forever Forests Guide
  • CNPS individual membership

1st place winners in each of the seven categories will be eligible for “Best in Show” awards. These include:

Best in Show: First Place
  • $300 award
  • Spotlight in Flora magazine
Best in Show: Second Place
  • $200 award
  • Spotlight in Flora magazine
Best in Show: Third Place
  • $100 award
  • Spotlight in Flora magazine.