Bristol's Wake the Tiger launches a new Spring-themed art competition

From March 27 to May 19, plant pots sprout around the Dream Factory, marking the start of spring.  

Each pot has a different growing seedling buried within aligned with one of the four elements (earth, air, water and fire), each representing one of the Four Guilds within the world of Meridia. 

Fettlegarm, a highly adaptable weed with colourful vines useful for weaving and textile-making, is aligned with the earth.

The Prickly Gloomtrap is aligned with air and is a thorny succulent whose leaves can be burned as incense to cleanse vibes and alleviate bad moods.

Aligned with fire is the Spicy Grassroot, whose beans can be grounded and enjoyed as a hot beverage, increasing community productivity and engagement.

The final plant is the water-aligned Crystality, which only blooms in freezing temperatures and whose pollen can be used in medicine and food preservation.

Families are invited to take a peek at the seedlings and create their own interpretive drawings of what they think they will bloom into.

Submissions can be made between March 27 and April 14 on the Wake The Tiger website and will be judged by Luke Mitchell, Founder and Creative Director at Wake The Tiger, and George Cook from Avon Wildlife Trust.

Winners will be announced at the end of April, with a lucky few getting the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have their work created into an art installation by the wonderful in-house production team. Winners will also receive their names on a plaque and an annual membership to Wake The Tiger.

Once completed, the new art installations will be on display until July 14.

George Cook said: “I’m here to spread the joy of nature and wildlife, so I’m super excited to be asked to connect with Wake The Tiger and bring together our passions for the environment and art.” 

Luke Mitchell shared: “We are super thrilled to invite aspiring artists to unleash their creativity and be part of Wake the Tiger’s immersive world. 

"Our drawing competition offers a unique opportunity for entrants to collaborate with our creative team, turning their visions into reality. 

"The chance to see their artwork come to life within our experience is truly extraordinary and embodies the spirit of community and creativity that defines Wake the Tiger and Bristol at large.”