For the second consecutive year, Caymanian Shrubbhavi Choudhary’s artwork will be featured in the 2023 International Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar organised by the Mangrove Action Project.
The 8-year-old, who attends the Montessori by the Sea school, was excited to have her artwork showcased in the calendar and hopes that her message of ‘saying no to plastics’ and protecting the mangroves will reach the world.
“We need to protect the mangroves because if there’s like tsunamis or if you live near the beach and if anything happens like a hurricane, it can save you from the water coming into your house,” she said.
Last year, artwork created by Shrubbhavi and schoolmate Arshiya Anuj, who also attends Montessori by the Sea, was chosen from entries from all over the world sent to MAP for the 20th anniversary calendar. The artwork depicted mangroves and Grand Cayman’s various districts.
Shrubbhavi, who said she was very happy to be in the calendar, explained that her artwork, entitled ‘Restore and protect our mangroves and save our island’, shows the cycle of a baby mangrove growing.
All together, there were 300 submissions from 35 countries, and her creation was chosen one of the 13 finalists.
Parents Bhavesh Choudhary and Shruti Pandey were understandably thrilled about their daughter’s selection.
“As a family we are really happy, very excited and are feeling proud about it,” Choudhary said.
He said they are still waiting to hear what month her artwork will be featured, but it is Shrubbhavi’s message that was most important: “Save our mangroves.”
Last year, for the first time, Cayman was represented in the calendar, and Mangrove Education Project executive director Martin Keeley at the time explained that was a particularly special calendar to be featured in, as it marked the 20th year that the children’s international calendar has been published and distributed worldwide.
Keeley, in a statement to the Compass Tuesday on Shrubbhavi’s selection, welcomed the achievement.
“Shrubbhavi’s art, like all the children’s art at the [Mangrove Arts Festival], helps to bring the beauty and value of the mangrove ecosystems to those in the community who attend the festival – whether they are local artists, family members of the young artists, or simply those who love art,” said Keeley.
The Mangrove Rangers organises the annual festival, and Keeley noted the Children’s Art Calendar “represented young people’s fascination with the magical world of mangroves all over the tropical world”.
“This magic has, in turn, been reflected in Cayman’s annual Mangrove Arts Festival which is held in July to celebrate World Mangrove Day,” he said.
He pointed out that art plays a significant role in preserving the mangroves.
“[It] provides an understanding of why we need to protect Cayman’s mangroves, and how they are essential to those who live and enjoy life in Cayman,” Keeley said.
Last year, the girls’ artwork was featured in December.
Shrubbhavi thanked her art teacher Amrita Debnath for her support, and encouraging her art.
She added that Debnath helped her a little by showing her how to use the hot glue gun.
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