Juan Varela Simó our ANF representative in Spain and dear friend has been awarded the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain.
The award will be presented on November the 18th in a ceremony at the Marques de Salamanca Palace in Madrid. and also includes a cheque of Euro 80.000.- !
The following we read in the jury report: "His excellent realistic representations of animals and plants have resulted in a wide range of media, from reference encyclopedias and books, documentaries and other educational materials and environmental awareness. Juan Varela, biologist by training, has dedicated his career to the illustration, renewing a tool that has been linked for centuries to the scientific exploration. Far from being replaced by photography and new digital formats, the illustration of nature remains today a vector of scientific knowledge which, in addition, adds aesthetic values and awareness-raising difficult to reach by other means.
The unselfish collaboration of Juan Varela with scientific and conservation organizations has made him a national and international reference as a nature artist. In addition, his permanent contribution to the teaching of new illustrators ensures the continuity of an artistic discipline of the utmost importance to project the value of biological diversity to society"
Congratulations Juan!
