Seeking Native Artists

Details: 

Native Artists and Photographers!  The Native American Fish and Wildlife Society (NAFWS) is looking for artwork and photographs that depict natural resources on Tribal lands and want to hire Native artists. Your artwork and photographs could be used for several projects between the NAFWS and the Native American Rangelands Partnership.

Website Projects (www.nafws.org and www.nativeamericanrangelands.org) :

NAFWS can pay a one-time fee of $100 for digital use (only) of photographs. Any other uses such as prints or tee-shirts will be renegotiated with each artist.

NAFWS can pay a one-time fee of $200 for digital use (only) of artwork. Any other uses such as prints or tee-shirts will be renegotiated with each artist.

Each image or artwork will be linked to the artist’s preferred location (website, Facebook, Etsy, etc.). NAFWS will also have an “artist’s” page with a biographical sketch of each person with their contact information to help promote your work.

NAFWS is looking for the following professional level images or artwork:

1. Landscape images that will fit (or can be cropped) into a 2000 x 500 pixel frame (6.75 x 1.75 inch). These will be used for sliders on website pages. See our websites for examples.
2. Ledger art that depicts cultural uses on rangelands, rivers, or other natural areas. We would specifically like to see images of elders teaching young people.
3. Project images such as Natives involved with natural uses or research involving natural resources. Photos must be accompanied by “release waivers” to ensure that individuals give their permission to be photographed and posted on websites.
4. Images that depicts food sovereignty.

See samples of artwork in the New México Native Plant Society’s coloring book at https://www.npsnm.org/native-plant-coloring-book/.

Images and artwork will be selected based on their application to the website uses, but not all entries will be selected. Some may be selected for archival use, but not necessarily immediate use.

NAFWS will request a signed agreement between each organization and each artist.

Applicants can submit samples of their work via email by August 15 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Images or artwork will not be used until artist agreements are signed. Please submit low resolution images as samples, but higher resolution images will be requested later. For questions, contact Ashley Carlisle, NAFWS Education Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Coloring Book Project:

NAFWS is constructing a series of “coloring tiles” of native plants and animals that will be downloadable on the NAFWS websites.  These tiles should have a distinct Native appearance and cultural reflection (ledger art or other form). Tiles will be categorized by region, and each will be placed on an 8/5” x 11” page to include space for a description, Native language, and cultural use. We are looking for the following:

• Each black and white drawing should be contained in a 5” x 6” portrait rectangle that is easily colorable by a child.
• While these tiles are intended for fun, they should also provide enough detail to help children (or adults) identify different plants and animals in their respective regions (See sample at https://www.npsnm.org/native-plant-coloring-book/). This would include seed heads of native grasses, fruits on shrubs and trees, and other distinctive features of each plant. For animals, specific traits should be visible (for example, hump and claws on grizzly bear vs. short claws and longer ears on black bears).
• The fee will be negotiable when NAFWS selects an artist that is willing to collaborate for the project.