A budding young artist has put Traverse City and the Grand Traverse Area Rock and Mineral Club (GTARMC) on the map with a unique accomplishment: winning first place in the National Fossil Day Art Contest, a competition sponsored by the National Park Service.
This year’s theme encouraged students nationwide to explore the fascinating world of fossils and the history they preserve, inspiring students to use their creativity to depict the prehistoric past in colorful and imaginative ways.
Iris Wild, a second-grader and budding Grand Traverse Area Rock and Mineral Club pebble pup, submitted a beautifully detailed piece that stood out among hundreds of entries from across the United States.
She is a second grade student at Lake Leelanau St. Mary.
Wild’s artwork captured the essence of the ancient world through a mix of vibrant colors, skillful shading, and meticulous attention to detail. Her artwork depicted a serene beach within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with Petoskey stones, bringing to life these ancient corals that existed millions of years ago.
Iris was very excited upon hearing the news. Fossils have always fascinated her and learning about how the Earth used to be. Winning this contest means she can now share a little bit of that history with everyone who sees her art, which is on display for the public on this website: https://tinyurl.com/3krma94u National Fossil Day, observed each year in October, is part of the GTARMC pebble pup curriculum and is an initiative of the National Park Service to celebrate fossils as a national resource that offers a window into Earth’s deep past. The contest, open to K-12 students, encourages young people to learn more about the ancient world and our planet’s history through art. This year’s submissions reflected the dedication and creativity of students who were eager to capture the beauty of prehistoric life.
As a reward for her winning piece, Iris will receive a certificate of recognition from the National Park Service. The National Park Service will display Iris’s artwork on the National Fossil Day website and social media. This will allow fossil enthusiasts, artists, and students across the country to see it.
This achievement has brought pride not only to Iris but also to the GTARMC’s pebble pups program, and the entire Traverse City community.
Steven Veatch, pebble pup leader, shared her excitement, saying, “Iris has shown a special talent for bringing history to life in her art. We are all so proud to see her earn such a well-deserved honor.”
The National Fossil Day Art Contest has become an annual highlight in the GTARMC’s pebble pup program for young students passionate about paleontology and Earth’s history, helping to foster a love for science and art alike.
