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Welcome to the first annual
Storms, Transformed
photography art competition!
Auction is now open for bidding!

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THE AUCTION

  • The winning submission is a 26 x 44 oil on canvas by storm artist Jay Bigam, based on the original image - our Storms, Transformed winner - by Ike J. taken in Świętokrzyskie, Poland in Aug 2023.

  • The final painting is now available for bid during the auction, which runs Nov 20 - Dec 7, 2023. There is a reserve price for this piece. SUBMIT A BID FOR THE PIECE HERE.

  • 50% of proceeds from the auction will benefit Girls Who Chase. 

  • Bids are accepted worldwide.

  • The winning bid will be responsible for shipping, duties or import taxes and crating costs.

ABOUT THE COMPETITION


Like any Girls Who Chase engagement, we don’t follow a well-worn path… we blaze a new one. And Storms, Transformed is no exception. Just as we transform inside, when we learn what we’re truly capable of through storm chasing and weather, so can our beautiful images of storms be transformed into art. This is a storm art competition as much as a photography competition.
 

Voting has closed and we have winners!
Check 'em out, along with all of the amazing submissions!

 

PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZES

  1. First place: Full size (max 37x44) stretched canvas giclee reproduction of the painting* ($600 value)
    *Please note: If the winner lives outside of the U.S. or Canada, du    e to international shipping costs of large items, the print will be shipped unstretched in a tube and the winner will need to have it stretched to be hung (approx.. $100)

  2. Second place: $150 ($CDN) credit to use on Jay's website

  3. Third place: $75 ($CDN) credit to use on Jay's website

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Close Encounter, 2021
40×48″ 101x122cm oil on canvas
Based on a photo by Arizona storm chaser Lori Grace Bailey from a supercell in Crawford, Nebraska, USA
in 2020.

ABOUT THE ARTIST, JAY BIGAM


My work is inspired by the landscape, sky, water and ice of a place, and especially of my home, Alberta. I’ve been painting severe weather since 2017 after attending ChaserCon Canada in the fall of 2016. I was told by one of the participants, “You must go on a chase to experience the true impact and raw power of a storm. It will change the way you look at the sky.” And it has. In 2017, I created Turbulent Skies – A Collaborative Art Project Featuring Painting, Photography and Storms! I worked with six regional storm chaser-photographers and accompanied each of them on a storm chase in the summer of 2017, and painted six large images based on photographs from the chases. I have been painting storms ever since. 
 

I am a big believer in the real-world impact of art. I’ve used my work as an opportunity to encourage scientific curiosity, education and awareness and a means to raise funds and awareness for social justice and equality causes. Girls Who Chase is a great example of a project that is doing great work in both these areas. I am thrilled to be part of this project, which will not only raise funds for but help raise awareness of the goals of Girls Who Chase.

 

Find Jay online:
@JayIsPainting on Twitter, Mastodon and Instagram
Earthskyart.ca
TurbulentSkies.ca

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Heading West Now, 2018
60×44″ 152×112 cm oil On Canvas
Based on a photo by Alberta storm chaser Beth Allan on a supercell near Wimborne, Alberta, Canada in 2017

MORE INFO ABOUT THE CONTEST

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Contest Details:

  • Submissions were accepted online from September 15 - October 15, 2023. 

  • Entrants must be female/female-identified to enter, and one submission was accepted per person.

  • Entries were free, and welcome from anywhere in the world.

  • Entrants did not have to have been previously active with GWC.

  • The winning entry is being painted by storm artist Jay Bigam (more info on Jay below), and the original will be auctioned off with 50% percent of the proceeds benefiting GWC! More detail provided below on the auction process and prizes.

  • Winners were chosen via a voting process using the criteria described below.

  • We awarded 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners based on the total number of votes received per entry. 


Voting Guidelines

  • ​Because this competition is to pick an image to be painted, we asked entrants to follow some guidelines:

    • Anyone can vote with one vote per person accepted. ​

    • This is a photography competition, but it’s not about being a professional photographer. We are looking for photos that capture the feeling of what it’s like to be in front of a storm. Technically correct photos are great, but they’re only part of the equation here.

    • Wider shots showing composition and context are preferable.

    • The more colorful, the better.

    • A distinct focus point is a good thing; where is it sending the viewer’s eye in the image?

    • Images should have good contrast featuring well-defined structure (e.g., a wall cloud, shelf cloud, mammatus, cumulus, etc.)

    • Voting on all submissions ran from October 16-22, 2023.

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