2026 Student Art Contest Winners

The Arkansas Wildlife Federation is proud to present the winning artwork for the 2026 Wildlife of Arkansas Student Art Contest promoting wildlife education through the arts. The following submissions are the top entries from the over 1,900 works submitted by Arkansas students across the state in kindergarten through 12th grades.

The competition is hosted annually by the Arkansas Wildlife Federation (AWF). We appreciate our contest sponsors at Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) and National Wildlife Federation (NWF), and the individual supporters who make our work possible.

Thank you to our jurors for their time and expertise in reviewing and selecting the winners for this year’s contest:

Bryan Winfred Massey, Sr., Professor of Art-Sculpture/3D Design, University of Central Arkansas

Jessie Hornbrook, Assistant Professor of Printmaking, University of Central Arkansas

Leslie Macklin, Assistant Professor of Art and Foundations Coordinator, University of Central Arkansas

Nick Goforth, Wildlife Diversity Program Coordinator, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Kindergarten

“Curious Fox”
Crayon and Watercolor
By Kristopher A.

1st Place

“Diana Fritillary”
Watercolors and Colored Pencils
By Cora H.

2nd Place

“Flower Bird”
Watercolor and Marker
By Millie K.

3rd Place

“Goldie The Squirrel”
Crayon
By Dennie C.

Honorable Mention

1st Grade

“Coneflower Beauties”
Acrylic
By Delanie J.

1st Place and Best in Show – Elementary School

“Nectar Hunt”
Mixed Media
By Talon S.

2nd Place

“A Splash of Wings – The Little Jewel of the Forest”
Oil Pastels
By Adhvika G.

3rd Place

“Redheaded Woodpecker”
Acrylic
By Collin W.

Honorable Mention

“Coneflower Bee”
Watercolor, Colored Pencil, Paper
By Ruby W.

Honorable Mention

2nd Grade

“Widow in the Ferns”
Watercolor and Colored Pencil
By Addison I.

1st Place

“Nightime Watch – Barn Owl”
Pastels
By Kes F.

2nd Place

“The Hungry Fish – Chasing Food in the Water”
Oil Pastels, Pencil
By Aadriti E.

3rd Place

“The Lark Sparrow”
Colored Pencil and Watercolor
By Jessie J.

Honorable Mention

“Bald Eagle”
Mixed Media (Blendable Crayons and Oil Pastels)
By Sawyer H.

Honorable Mention

3rd Grade

“Daydreamin’ in the Meadow”
Black Ink Pen, Alcohol Markers and Colored Pencil
By Aurora Dawn S.

1st Place

“Noodle Doodle”
Oil Pastels
By Sanav G.

2nd Place

“Baby Otter”
Acrylic Paint and Mixed Media
By Cannon S.

3rd Place

“Squirrel”
Color Pencil and Crayons
By Jalene D.

Honorable Mention

4th Grade

“Red Fox Kits”
Pencil
By Kai F.

1st Place

“Local Red-tailed Hawk in Flight with Turkey Vultures”
Pencil and Watercolor Pencils
By Amarie B.

2nd Place

“Bluebird”
Watercolor
By Jaxon M.

3rd Place

“Bluebird”
Mixed Media
By David C.

Honorable Mention

“Fox Squirrel”
Colored Pencil and Watercolor
By Daniel J.

Honorable Mention

“Woody Woodpecker”
Marker and Watercolor on Paper
By Nykole B.

Honorable Mention

5th Grade

“Spring Vibrations”
Scratchboard (Scratched Ink)
By Lillian B.

1st Place

“Playful Raccoons”
Colored Pencils
By Swojasvi A.

2nd Place

“Underwater Otter”
Yarn
By Charleigh C.

3rd Place

“Opal in the Water”
Prismacolor Pencil
By Harley H.

Honorable Mention

“Forest Watcher”
Watercolor and Prismacolor Pencil
By Harper A.

Honorable Mention

6th Grade

“Rubies in the Night”
Prismacolor and Watercolor
By Brooklyn C.

1st Place

“Whisper on the Water”
Watercolor and Prismacolor Pencil
By Brynleigh N.

2nd Place

“Autumn Stalker”
Prismacolor and Watercolor
By Shelby T.

3rd Place

“Barred Owl”
Pencil, Fine Liner, and Sharpie
By Drew E.

Honorable Mention

“Wings of the Cavern – Indiana Bat”
Prismacolor and Watercolor
By Phoebe M.

Honorable Mention

7th Grade

“Mothers Nature’s Thunder”
Prismacolor Color Pencils
By Mohitha S.

1st Place and Best in Show – Middle School 

“Season of Gathering”
Colored Pencil
By Nicole P.

2nd Place

“The Pillbug Explorer”
Black Pen and Colored Pencil
By Scion L.

3rd Place

“3 Toed Turtle “
Watercolor
By Harper T.

Honorable Mention

“S – Possum”
Oil Pastels
By Zylla R.

Honorable Mention

8th Grade

“The Bobwhite Quail in the Green Foliage”
Watercolor and Colored Pencil
By Judy Y.

1st Place

“Ozark Waterfall”
Oil Pastel
By Ja’Miya H.

2nd Place

“Luna Moth”
Oil Pastels
By Paula R.

3rd Place

“Hellbender Habitat – A Stream’s Secret Home”
Colored Pencils
By Asher R.

Honorable Mention

“Jumping Spider”
Pencil and Charcoal
By Barrett J.

Honorable Mention

9th Grade

“Adorned by the Stars – At the Break of Dawn”
Gouache
By Emily P.

1st Place

“Wild Arkansas”
Watercolor Pencil, Acrylic
By Sarah S.

2nd Place

“Old Barn”
Mixed Media
By Kendall K.

3rd Place

“Eastern Cricket Frog”
Acrylic Paint
By Lotus-Pearle R.

Honorable Mention

“Black Bear”
Acrylic on Paper
By Gray G.

Honorable Mention

10th Grade

“Olivia the Opossum”
Acrylic Paint
By Savannah K.

1st Place

“Watcher In the Sky”
Pencil
By Jack M.

2nd Place

“Young Buck”
Charcoal
By Sophie S.

3rd Place

“Brown Trout”
Colored Pastels
By William Bryce P.

Honorable Mention

“Eastern Collared Lizard”
Colored Pencils
By Kate D.

Honorable Mention

11th Grade

“Crawdad”
Oil Pastel, Pastel Pencil, and Watercolor
By Hasumi H.

1st Place and Best in Show – High School

“A Sunday Afternoon Of Peace and Tranquillity”
Acrylic
By Mary Rose C.

2nd Place

“Channel Catfish”
Canvas, Acrylic Paint, Beads, Needle-felting Wool
By Lauren H.

3rd Place

“The Otter Side of the River”
Charcoal
By Kaely O.

Honorable Mention

“Feathers”
Printing Ink
By Riley C.

Honorable Mention

12th Grade

“Scissortail Flycatchers and Buckeye Butterflies”
Watercolor and Colored Pencil
By Anna D.

1st Place

“Watchful Eyes”
Acrylic
By Ally H.

2nd Place

“Ospreys”
Watercolor
By Layla A.

3rd Place

“Wood Carving”
Wood Burning
By Audrey A.

Honorable Mention

“Female Domination”
Gouache, Watercolor Pencils, Paint Markers, Oil Pastel
By Jade R.

Honorable Mention

“Mocking on Top of the World”
Graphite Pencil
By Payton W.

Honorable Mention

About Your Jurors

Bryan Winfred Massey, Sr. is currently the Chair of the Department of Art & Design and a Professor of Art/Sculptor/Designer at the University of Central Arkansas, Conway. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC; his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. He is currently working to finish his Doctorate of Education (EdD) at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock in Higher Education Administration. He is primarily a stone carver. He works with a variation of stones from alabaster, soapstone, limestone, marble and granite. He also cast in iron, bronze and aluminum as well as fabrication of large scaled sculptures in steel. Bryan has been married to his wife, Delphine Massey, for 36 years and they have three children.


Jessie Hornbrook is a printmaker, multidisciplinary artist, and educator. Her imagery balances layers of intaglio, lithography, relief, and screen print to achieve depth of media and message. Hornbrook’s visual vocabulary oscillates from simplicity to complex mark; abstraction to photographic representation; and in between realms of intricate biological systems to the mundane coffee cup. Hornbrook earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Central Michigan University and her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Studio Art (Printmaking) from Louisiana State University. As the Assistant Professor of Printmaking at the University of Central Arkansas, she teaches Print, Drawing, 2D art, and BFA Professional Practices. She is an avid member of multiple national printmaking councils and has shown work internationally in Rome, South America, France, and Spain. Hornbrook recently completed a residency in La Gran Canaria, Spain to master the art of electronic etching.


Leslie Macklin grew up in Southern Missouri and received her MFA at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in New Bedford, MA. Currently, she holds the appointment of Assistant Professor of Art and Foundations Coordinator at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, AR. Her notable professional activities include guest lecturer at the inaugural Ceramic Forum in Vinhedo, Brazil, a panelist at the International Ceramics Festival in Aberystwyth, Wales, exhibiting across the United States including juried shows in Houston, TX; Portland, Or; Tallahassee, FL; Boston, MA; Manhattan, New York; and internationally in Essex, England. When not in the studio or teaching you can find her in the kitchen, creating and testing experimental popcorn flavors or making a giant mess somewhere with her two young kids.