2020’S BEST ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHERS NAMED BY 25 GALLERIES:

Thom Bierdz
5 min readNov 7, 2020

TANIA CHOLWICH, FEDOR LASHKOV, JACK PUHL, LESLEY BOHM, PABLO MCLOUD, BONNIE MCDOWELL

Painters, photographers, sculptors and digital artists from 62 countries competed in the most prestigious online art call, AMERICAN ART AWARDS, https://www.americanartawards.com/, where America’s 25 best galleries and museums score art in 50 categories. In this column, I’ll reveal the world’s best contemporary artists of 2020 one category at a time.

Winners in this category are from South Africa, Russia and USA.

BIO OF FIRST PLACE WINNER:

My African dream can be captured as the magnificent beauty and behaviour of the wildlife, the African sun tingling on my skin and a camera ready to capture the unique moments which last a lifetime.

I absolutely love what I do but am not your run-of-the-mill photographer. My passion for nature and wildlife photography stems from my natural love for Africa and all of her breathtaking beauty.

Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, I see the broader African continent as my home and have an insatiable desire to travel and explore the African continent.

I fell in love with photography 10 years ago and I have never looked back since.

Through my photography I share the wonder and awe that I feel when I am in Africa’s wild and mysterious places.

I draw inspiration from being surrounded by nature. The tranquility and the vastness of the true wilderness makes me want to capture the split-second moments to the best of my ability.

I come alive behind the lens of a camera. I see the world from a different perspective through my camera. I am never more comfortable than when my camera is in both hands, fearlessly clicking away, capturing moments.

I love adventure. I love trying new and exciting things — it revives my soul and I am blessed beyond words to be able to do what I do.

Website: https://taniacholwich.com

Each May the American Art Awards organization selects the 25 Best Galleries and Museums in America, then in autumn these revered art institutions vote on online art to decide the world’s best contemporary artists.

Last month America’s 25 Best Galleries scored almost 2,000 works in 50 categories from 62 countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic Of Korea, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Serbia, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, UK, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.

COLLECTORS wanting to acquire these pieces or contact the artists can get direct links here: https://www.americanartawards.com/2020-winning-art/

Enter here: https://www.americanartawards.com/register-to-enter-3/

CONTACTS FOR CATEGORY 41. NONMANIPULATED PHOTOGRAPHY — ANIMAL

1ST PLACE TANIA CHOLWICH SOUTH AFRICA www.taniacholwich.com “Hippo Action” Photo.

2ND PLACE-TIE FEDOR LASHKOV RUSSIA fedial@yandex.ru
“Defenders” 36–45cm Photo.

2ND PLACE-TIE JACK PUHL USA JackPuhl@gmail.com
“The Adventures Of Chickie” 8x10" Photography.

3RD PLACE-TIE TANIA CHOLWICH SOUTH AFRICA www.taniacholwich.com “Deadly Mara River Crossing” Photo.

3RD PLACE-TIE TANIA CHOLWICH SOUTH AFRICA www.taniacholwich.com “Gathering Before The Crossing” Photo.

4TH PLACE LESLEY BOHM USA www.lesleybohm.com
“Yawn” 16x25" Color photograph.

5TH PLACE-TIE TANIA CHOLWICH SOUTH AFRICA www.taniacholwich.com “Choas And Dust” Photo.

5TH PLACE-TIE JACK PUHL USA JackPuhl@gmail.com
“Mohegan/At Night We Ride” 36x48" Photography on canvas.

6TH PLACE-TIE PABLO MCLOUD USA www.pablophotography.com “Flight” 12.5x8” Digital photograph of soaring male great frigate bird.

6TH PLACE-TIE BONNIE MCDOWELL USA childonlineprotection@yahoo.com “Saying Goodbye” Photo.

100 ARTICLES and 50 VIDEOS on the 50 CATEGORIES of the 2020 AMERICAN ART AWARDS WINNING ARTISTS will be at this link: https://www.americanartawards.com/press-on-2020-artists/

American Art Awards 25 Best Galleries & Museums for 2020, in alphabetical order of state, who were asked to vote on this year’s art submissions:

Arizona / EXPOSURES INTERNATIONAL GALLERY OF FINE ART

California / CODA GALLERY

Colorado / CLYFFORD STILL MUSEUM

Delaware / THE DELAWARE CONTEMPORARY

Florida / MAC ART GALLERIES

Georgia / WESTOBOU GALLERY

Illinois / KOMECHAK ART GALLERY

Louisiana / ARTHUR ROGER GALLERY

Kansas / EVA REYNOLDS FINE ARTS

Maine / PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART

Massachusetts / QUIDLEY & COMPANY

Missouri / KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Nebraska / KIECHEL FINE ART

New Hampshire / ROCHESTER MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

New Jersey / EVALYN DUNN GALLERY

New Mexico / ANDERSON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Ohio / DAYTON ART SOLUTIONS

Oregon / ROGER YOST BAY STREET GALLERY

Philadelphia / PHILAMOCA

South Carolina / MARY MARTIN GALLERIES OF FINE ART

South Dakota / SOUTH DAKOTA ART MUSEUM

Utah / LOGAN FINE ART GALLERY

Virginia / LAZARE GALLERY

West Virginia / PARKERSBURG ART CENTER

Wisconsin / THE MADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

MORE INFO ON THIS YEAR’S WINNERS

HOW TO ENTER

OR GET AN OFFICIAL GALLERY RATING: www.AmericanArtAwards.com

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Thom Bierdz

One of Medium’s TOP ART CONTRIBUTORS, award-winning author, actor, film-maker, painter. 12 books: 6 on art. President of WAA & AAA & ACCA.