ASOC
And the adult winners are…
Erica Hazen
23 King penguins -Antarctica 🐧
“Antarctica is a magical place – where the incredible penguins should be protected. I love Antarctica & creating art work to bring awareness to this special Polar region. I have a happy memory of visiting Antarctica as a artist and painting many different penguins types. I love penguins and how wonderful they are. They bring so much joy.
I saw these wonderful penguins in South Georgia. They are so special & should be protected. I love the way they walk & interact with each other. They are very special in Antarctica. This is a watercolour painting of them.”
Lena Taran
Chinstrap Penguin Set
“I am an Antarctic Ambassador, I do Antarctica related content to spread the knowledge of the White Continent. I usually do not do this type of “fun” drawings, but I decided to choose it for the contest, so it will be very easy for people to remember the look of Chinstrap penguin.
I think Chinstrap Penguin looks like he is wearing a helmet, so I added the missing part. I used craft paper, color pencils and black pen.”
Daphne
In Memory of Sir Shackleton: The King penguins of South Georgia
“Antarctica and its creatures are the last frontier of planet Earth uninhabited by and least touched by Homo sapiens. In 2048, melting and facing human expansionism, it will be up for grabs and greed.
Photographs from 2022 visit to South Georgia Island, collaged with color markers on wood.”
Lisa Goren
Adelie Parent and Child
“Having been there in 1998, I see photos of the changes of this magnificently fragile environment. The vastness of the landscape gives an initial impression of eternity but once you see the movement of the glaciers and hear the constant changing of the ice, you know that impermanence is a part of Antarctica. As the environment is threatened, so are the penguins – the hardiest souls imaginable!
This watercolor on paper is based on a photo I took in 1998 in Antarctica. I have been painting the landscape of Antarctica and other Polar regions for the past nearly 30 years. I’m exclusively a watercolorist and you can see my work at www.lisagorenpaintings.com.”
Madhumita Sen
Legacy
“This artwork portrays an Emperor penguin and its chick, capturing a tender moment of warmth and protection in the vast, icy expanse of Antarctica.
These remarkable birds symbolize resilience, unity, and deep parental care, thriving in one of the harshest environments on Earth through cooperation and endurance.
Yet, their survival is increasingly at risk because of melting sea ice and changing ocean conditions which threaten their habitat and food sources. Through this piece, I am drawn to their quiet strength and the fragile beauty of their world, reminding us of the urgent need to protect and preserve these extraordinary lives.
This heartwarming artwork captures a tender moment between a parent penguin and its chick, standing closely together against a serene icy landscape. The soft blue background contrasts beautifully with the bold black, white, and golden tones of the penguins, emphasizing warmth, protection, and connection in a cold environment.
I used acrylic paints on stretched canvas using a fluid art (acrylic pour with micro swipe) technique combined with controlled brushwork and detailing. The textured patterns on the penguins suggest poured swiping acrylic effects, while the refined outlines and features are added with fine brush techniques for realism and depth.
Jos Ruis
Mother and child
“The pristine world of Antarctica is breathtaking and humbles when experienced. It strengthen or creates the conviction that we must take better care of the only world we have as humans.
The mother and child work of art is made of glass, using the glass fusing technique and was inspired by multiple trips to Antarctica over the past 15 years.”
And the kid winners are…
Lucy Roedel, age 10
Penguin Love
“Penguin’s homes are being destroyed because of global warming caused by humans. That’s not fair so penguins need our help. Also, my cousin Samson has been obsessed with penguins since he was a baby. He even has a YouTube page dedicated to penguins. He knows a lot of penguin facts, and because they bring him joy, I’m dedicating this painting to him.”
Lucy took apart a picture frame. On cardstock, she painted a mix of colors to create an abstract background. On the glass frame, she drew penguins using a black marker. She then painted in the penguins using lighter colored paints. She put the frame together and voila, Penguin Love was finished.
Aarohee Maharana, age 10
The Chinophile
“Because it supports many species like penguins, polar bear and seals. It’s also important to maintain the temperature balance on earth.
I liked the baby penguin enjoying the snowy weather. And I painted it on paper using acrylic paint. Here I have tried to capture the mood of the happy baby penguin.”
Sydney Chow, age 13
Save the penguins the world is melting
“Antarctica is important to me because it is the home to many of my favorite animals such as albatross, orcas, seals, narwhals, and the chinstrap penguin. This is especially important for the penguins because it provides specialized sea ice for breeding and raising chicks, and a predator-free environment on land
Because the world is getting hotter and hotter because of global warming, the sea levels will rise, because of melting ice bergs. This will impact all animals that depend on sea ice in Antarctica. They all depend on the sea ice to rest or live on instead of in the water. The ice melting will also impact the creatures living in the water considering that most of them depend on the icy temperatures of Antarctica.
My painting of penguins (right) and a dystopian city (left) represents how global warming and fossil fuels are causing the world to get hotter and hotter and thus melting the sea ice in Antarctica and causing sea levels to rise.”
Anne Sofie, age 11
Penguin Dance
“The life cycle of many animals depend on penguin, like seals, and also they are cute animals and enrichen life on our planet.
I composed this melody for violine, it is a penguin walking and dancing joyfully on the ice, he turned round and round, suddenly he slips, gets up again and runs home, finally the little fellow is back home and glad to see his mom and dad.”
Anamika Das Rakshit, age 7
Friendship
“I like penguins because they are very cute looking and they teach us how to survive in all adverse situations and never give up even in the extreme cold of Antarctica. I wish to visit penguins some day.
This drawing is of 2 penguins friends who remain friends in all adverse weather conditions. This drawing is made using oil pastels on paper. Technique used is pastel blending.”
Adult competition
Honorable Mentions
EMBE
The empire strikes back
“As a researcher focusing on microbial communities of Antarctic lakes, I know how important it is to share our knowledge with a broader public. Sometimes, the easiest way to start is to use well known concepts, ecosystems or animals. Penguins fit into this category perfectly. Not only are they unique in terms of their appearance, behaviour and physiology, they are also among the few large animals that can survive in the harsh environmental conditions of the largest desert on Earth, which, despite being a desert, is full of life. I don’t think many people are fully aware of this, or of how much the changes occurring in Antarctica might affect us all. I believe penguins could be the first way to engage people with these overlooked and less familiar aspects and inspiring us to rethink our relationship with the environment and the species we live together with.
Taking inspiration from the news about the melanistic king penguin that was spotted in South Georgia Island last year, I decided to create a linocut. The penguin dark colour compared to the others, reminded me of a film that has become a cultural reference for people of all ages: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. The setting is Antarctica, with the emperor penguins as main characters. Beside this curious discovery, the lino aims to raise awareness of how penguins, but also other Antarctic organisms, will be able to thrive in their own habitats as more protection and conservation measures are implemented. The unique feature of lino prints is that two prints will never be exactly the same, each carries its own imperfection and quality.”
Jacqui Hogan
Wait for me!
“Most people think of Penguins waddling about, but they are in their element in the ocean. Gentoo Penguins are the fastest swimmers and they ‘porpoise’ for efficiency. This is so much fun to watch as I did when I visited Antarctica. They look so free (as they should be). I enjoyed going there so much, I’m going back next year.
I paint a lot of Penguins in watercolour, like this one, including portraits of penguins from my travels. I use masking fluid to create exuberant bubbles and splashes.”
Sharon Sprouse
Antarctica. I love penguins 🐧 ❤️
“My visit there was something I always wanted to do. I love penguins 🐧 ❤️ and wanted to help to keep Antarctica pristine. I was on a ship with scientists on board doing real field work
I got to help in a small way. I learned so much and saw all kinds of animals.
Media is mosaic art. Glass and pebbles on compressed wood product that is prepped with primer acrylic paint. My inspiration was from my incredible visit to Antarctica.”
Kid competition
Honorable Mentions
TM, age 8
A Heart for Penguins
“I just love Penguins because they are cute and lovely. They live in the coldest region of our world. And warm up our hearts with ease.
We are a family, and each of our contributions speaks for itself while also telling a story together. It begins with “The jump into the promising unknown.” “A Heart for Penguins” follows. “A Wish Comes True” and “Full of Hope” bring our story to a close. The circle is complete—the circle of life.
“A Heart for Penguins” symbolizes discovery and togetherness. It represents all the joy and responsibility that a relationship brings—in this case, the bond between penguin parents that lays the foundation for the future. It is also a metaphor for the relationships we cherish: with people and with nature. It takes the contribution of every single individual to preserve and protect something much greater—together, we can succeed. Just as the penguin pair succeeds in giving life.”
JM, age 10
A Wish Becomes Reality
“Penguins fly. However, they fly in the water, not in the air like all other birds do. They are something special and bring diversity to the bird world and to our world. They always wear a tuxedo and are bursting with humor. This unmistakable charm speaks for itself. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we were all equally stylish and relaxed, and if unique qualities enriched our everyday lives?
We are a family, and each of our contributions speaks for itself while also telling a story together. It begins with “The jump into the promising unknown.” “A Heart for Penguins” follows. “A Wish Comes True” and “Full of Hope” bring our story to a close. The circle is complete—the circle of life.
“A Wish Becomes Reality” depicts a penguin parent selflessly, devotedly, and patiently caring for its egg. Without knowing whether the effort will be worth it, it takes on all the challenges and cares for the helpless egg—full of confidence and courage. We often don’t know in advance whether something is worth the effort. However, it is the hope and the will that things will turn out well that give us enormous strength and enable a joyful existence even in the face of adverse conditions.”
Finn Falcon, age 7
Wobbly Penguin on Ice
“Antarctica is a very special place on our planet. It is an important part of the Earth’s big ecosystem, which means everything in nature is connected. Keeping Antarctica safe is a bit like taking care of our own health. When we protect it, we are also helping the animals who live there—like penguins—and making sure our whole planet stays happy and healthy for everyone.”
He carefully cut the cardboard into different shapes and, with a little help, put everything together to create his special piece.
Yuka, age 10
Wonderful Penguin’s Palette
“Whenever I think about painting, I find my inspiration in penguins.Penguins are import to me because not only their cute creature brings a warmth to a cold world but also happiness to me.
I used paint and colored pencils. My creative focus is to express the world of color by highlighting the dynamic movements of penguins.”
