Aspiring Young Artists Celebrate Mei Lan’s First Birthday

September 5, 2007

ATLANTA (Sept. 5, 2007) – Yesterday, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) and Zoo Atlanta hosted a special Paint the Panda Art Exhibit, showcasing art by children, in celebration of the first birthday of Mei Lan, Zoo Atlanta’s baby giant panda.  

The exhibit featured more than 75 paintings submitted through a contest by youth 18 years of age and younger, as well as kids from Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta in Gwinnett, DeKalb, Cobb, Paulding and Douglas counties. Paint the Panda was sponsored by Zoo Atlanta in cooperation with the International Paint Pals (IPP) program and BGCMA’s Youth Art Connection (YAC). The three contest winners are: Untitled by Ginger Whaley, age six; I'm All Alone In The Bamboo Zoo by Anyssah Johnson, age 11 and member of Lawrenceville Boys & Girls Club; and Hanging in the Trees by C. Crider, age 14. 

“The exhibit was a great way for us to involve children in the delightful events surrounding Mei Lan’s first birthday,” said Rebecca Des Marais, director of BGCMA’s Youth Art Connection. “What a great avenue for our organizations to come together and support two valuable missions in our own community and throughout the world.”   

The contest provided an educational opportunity for children to learn about giant pandas, their environment and Zoo Atlanta’s conservation efforts through the use of fine arts. Each winner received four tickets to Zoo Atlanta and a special, up-close encounter with animals from Zoo Atlanta. 

Judges for Paint the Panda included Ken Berman, art installer and artist; Xenia Zed, public school art teacher and artist; Jena Sibille, teaching artist; Linden Longino, IPP coordinator and BGCMA board member; Richard Bailey, Mason-Murer Gallery and former public school art teacher; and Dr. Megan Wilson, assistant curator of carnivores at Zoo Atlanta. The gallery of panda paintings will remain at Zoo Atlanta for the week of Mei Lan’s birthday (Sept. 4-9). A selection of artworks will also be shown on www.zooatlanta.org and www.youthartconnection.org Web sites.  

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF METRO ATLANTA

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta operates 21 year-round Clubs in 11 metro counties in addition to Camp Kiwanis and Youth Art Connection, a gallery and workspace for young artists. A trained and professional staff serves more than 17,000 youth annually by offering specialized programming and a safe haven for at-risk and underprivileged children and teens. Memberships cost only $35 per school year but scholarships are available for those who need assistance. For more information, please visit www.bgcma.org.  Fore more information on the Youth Art Connection, please visit www.youthartconnection.org. Fore more information on the International Paint Pals program, please visit www.paintpals.org.  

ABOUT ZOO ATLANTA

An accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Zoo Atlanta inspires public value and protection of wildlife by providing an educational, engaging family experience, committing to critical conservation projects and applying world-class dedication to the stewardship of animals living in naturalistic habitats. One of only four zoos in the U.S. exhibiting giant pandas, Zoo Atlanta recently welcomed the birth of its first cub. Other highlights include a preeminent great ape collection, featuring a rare set of mother-reared gorilla twins, a world-renowned herpetology department, and Wild Like Me, an innovative play space sponsored by Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. Zoo Atlanta is open daily with the exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. For more information, call 404.624.WILD or visit www.zooatlanta.org