Hours:
Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat:
9am to 5pm
Thursday:
12am to 8pm
Sunday:
1pm to 5pm
|
|
| |
|
The Valley Land Fund: "Wildlife Exposed"
 |
1st: Birds Division
Photographer: Patty Raney
Landowner: C. L. & Patty Raney |
Do you wonder where the wild things live? This month they are "Exposed" at the International Museum of Art & Science in McAllen. Working in partnership with the Valley Land Fund, the Museum is featuring a new show of award-winning nature photographs. These images reveal in breath-taking color and vivid detail the wild splendor that surrounds us in the Rio Grande Valley. These 180 photographs, all winners of the recent Valley Land Fund Wildlife Photo Contest entitled "South Texas Shootout," remind us why this area is so often called the "Magic Valley."
|
1st: Dragonflies & Damselflies, 3E
Photographer: Sean Fitzgerald & Jeremy Woodhouse
Landowner: Roberto & Fran Yzaguirre |
The Museum exhibit runs through November 24th and may be the only time all 180 winning images will be shown together. Vernon Weckbacher, Curator of the Museum, says that "this is a bi-annual event at the Museum, and this year's show is by far the most spectacular we have ever seen. Everyone who lives in this remarkable area or who visits the Valley should come to this show. It will open your eyes to a world that few of us will ever see in such lush detail."
The goal of The Valley Land Fund's "South Texas Shootout" is to create a partnership among businesses, private landowners and wildlife photographers where all participants benefit while promoting the conservation and protection of wildlife habitat. Successful photographer-landowner teams devote time and resources to enhancing the land and attracting diverse wildlife for the best photographic opportunities. Well-managed habitat provides the best chance of winning.
The Valley Land Fund's annual contest is the richest of its kind owing to its cash awards, and it is known among photographers as the "Iron Man Contest" due to the demands it places on photographers. Photographers range from backyard amateurs to well-known and widely published professionals. For over six months, the photographers endured Texas heat and the rugged terrain to produce an estimated photographs from which the 180 winning images were selected. The contest is a fundraising event run by the Valley Land Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit land trust dedicated to preserving the unique natural habitats of South Texas.
This year's winners include a wide range of photographers and landowners:
1st Grand Prize:
Rolf Nussbaumer, Photographer
Rio Grande Container Game Ranch, Harold Jones & Mark Gibbs, Landowners
2nd Grand Prize:
Sean Fitzgerald & Jeremy Woodhouse, Photographers
Roberto & Fran Yzaguirre, Landowners
3rd Grand Prize:
Larry Ditto & Greg Lasley, Photographers
Payne Ranch, Landowner
4th Grand Prize:
Tom Urban, Photographer
King Ranch, Landowner
5th Grand Prize:
Bill Draker, Photographer
El Tecomate Ranch Partners, Landowner
Best of Contest:
Bill Carter, Photographer
Cozad Ranch, Landowner
People's Choice:
Randall Ennis & Alberto Gutierrez, Photographers
San Pedro Ranch, Baldo & Danny Vela, Landowners
THE SMALL TRACT COMPETITION
1st Grand Prize:
Rex Hewitt, Photographer
Rio Viejo, J.D. Hensz, Landowner
2nd Grand Prize:
Victor E. Sanchez, Photographer
Marsha Gamel, El Rocio, Landowner
3rd Grand Prize:
Scarlet & George Colley, Photographers
Barbara Kennett, Landowner
4th Grand Prize:
Bryan & Linh Thiel, Photographer
Vieh's Bed & Breakfast, Charles & Lana Vieh, Landowners
5th Grand Prize:
Patty Raney, Photographer
C.L. & Patty Raney, Landowner
Best of Contest:
Patty Raney, Photographer
C.L. & Patty Raney, Landowner
People's Choice:
Patty Raney, Photographer
C.L. & Patty Raney, Landowners
THE YOUTH PHOTO CONTEST
1st Grand Prize:
Richard T. Moore, Photographer
2nd Grand Prize:
Blaine Davis, Photographer
3rd Grand Prize:
Schuyler Moore, Photographer
4th Grand Prize:
Analisa Rodriguez, Photographer
5th Grand Prize:
Stephen Leidner, Photographer
Best of Contest:
Blaine Davis, Photographer
People's Choice:
Richard T. Moore, Photographer
Come to the Museum now through November 24th and see these brilliant photographs. Fall in love all over again with the wild creatures of the Rio Grande Valley!
 |
2nd: Javelina
Photographer: Lary Ditto & Greg W. Lasley
Landowner: Payne Ranch |
Photo credit on front page:
1st: Buntings, Grosbeaks and Woodpeckers
Photographer: Sean Fitzgerald and Jeremy Woodhouse
Landowner: Roberto and Fran Yzaguirre
|
|
|
