Keeping It Wild At The WILDCOAST Virtual Art Auction

The international conservation group, WILDCOAST, is hosting its second annual virtual auction to raise awareness and funds for its ocean conservation and climate action programs. More than 30 artists from the US and Mexico have joined together and graciously donated coastal and environmentally-inspired artwork to support WILDCOAST’s mission of conserving coastal and marine ecosystems and addressing climate change with natural solutions.

WILDCOAST Art Ambassadors include:

• Internationally renowned, contemporary painter, Eric Zener
• Renowned photographer Aaron Chang
• Surrealist painter, Merrie Okie
• National Endowment for the Arts fellow Michael Davis
• Encaustic painter, Pam Beverly Quigley
• Celebrated ink artist, Marissa Quinn
• Live painter Clare Salisbury Ruf
• Muralist, Stefanie Bales
• Exciting artists such as Silvestre Miranda, Edwin Vasquez, Michael Davis,, Diana Ragsdale, Karissa Kaye, Hilary Dufour, Robin Piper, Hannah Vanveen, Cami Abel, Beatris Bourgoin
• Photographers Zemina Zaferakis, Drasko Bogdanovich, Troy Brajkovich, Bil Zelman and Zach Johnton

38 million acres already preserved

WILDCOAST has conserved more than 38 million acres of iconic and globally important coastlines, islands, coral reefs, mangrove lagoons, sea turtle beaches, grey whale birthing sanctuaries, wetlands and ocean ecosystems in partnership with governments and local communities in California and Mexico.

The harsh reality

The realities of ocean pollution, overfishing, acidification, coastal degradation, and the effects of climate change like sea level and temperature rise are taking its toll on humans, wildlife and the planet. WILDCOAST is taking action by managing protected areas and ocean habitats, protecting coral reefs, sea turtle beaches and whale breeding lagoons, and addressing climate change by planting and resorting blue carbon ecosystems like mangrove forests and wetlands in both Mexico and California.

What WILDCOAST does about it

Proceeds from this event will benefit WILDCOAST’s continued efforts to conserve the most threatened coastal and ocean habitats and wildlife in the Californias and Mexico and tackle climate change. WILDCOAST also engages youth from park-poor communities and local tribes in educational outdoor experiences to encourage a new generation of ocean ambassadors.

Get registered + how to bid

The 2nd Annual KEEP IT WILD Virtual art auction kicks off with a VIP Virtual Experience, Sneak Peek Art Preview + Happy Hour on Thursday, October 14 at 5PM (PST) on Zoom with live painting, art previews, WILDCOAST’s team live in the field, wildlife videos and more. Registration is free, with a $10 donation requested.

The KEEP IT WILD Virtual Auction will run from October 14-16 online. Bidding is managed online and can be done here starting October 14th.

For more information about WILDCOAST and the event, visit here. Follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.

See you there, San Diego!