The fourteenth annual exhibition of wildlife art by the Marwell international Wildlife Art Society (MIWAS) commenced with a fantastic turn-out on the opening Special Guest evening in September. The main hall was so full of people that queues had formed in the corridor trying to get in to see the official opening by Benjamin Mee, owner and Director of Dartmoor Zoological Park. Supported by the BBC Wildlife Magazine Editor Sophie Stafford, the official opening and awards ceremony kicked off the exhibition in a spectacular style, with both the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year artists being named – Heather Irvine winning the over-all prize of a safari in Botswana and the MIWAS awards being passed to the recipients.

The following Friday morning, no-one expected to see so many visitors pouring into the exhibition venue of Rookesbury Park and the main exhibition and Art Market were kept very busy throughout the day. The evening Art Market recorded good success and again visitors packed both the main exhibition and the Art Market rooms and sales were brisk.

The weekend proved to be even busier with an incredible number of visitors thronging the venue throughout each day – anyone looking in on the Art Market was immediately struck by the noise and buzz in the rooms. ‘Stephen the Skunk’ made an appearance on the lawns and a small crowd soon joined him – the tea rooms were hugely popular with over a thousand visitors passing through on the weekend alone. The catalogue was beautifully produced and over 600 were snapped up by the visiting crowds.

Special thanks go to Benjamin Mee and family; Sophie Stafford; Heather Aitkenhead; Jessops; Hampshire Wildlife Trust; the owners of Rookesbury Park; the MIWAS Committee, the many guests who took the time to attend and support the show and finally all the MIWAS artists who gave so unselfishly of their time to help stage the event. A wonderful success all round!

Pip McGarry
Chairman, MIWAS.