The Wyland Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on the protection of the world's waterways, oceans and marine life had conducted a painting competition to paint on the children’s mural for the Olympic Games to be held in Beijing. As they were sorting through the thousands of entries Manty Earlabaugh, the director of the Wyland foundation was stunned at the beauty of the drawing of the 7 year old, Paris Shewfelt’s.
The panel of judges included Mr. Earlabaugh and two instructors from the Laguna college of Art & design. The participants included kids from Kindergarten to seniors in high school from all the 204 Olympic countries.
She drew two otters amid a jellyfish, kelp and corals which showed that they all are in the ocean like a family. Paris says, "I want people to know that the ocean is special,”
It took 7months on her chalk, pencil and crayon masterpiece. When she came to know about her win she says, I started running all over the house," and she says that she was feeling great. "It was wonderful to watch the piece slowly unfold and come alive," Paris' mother said. "This opportunity is an honor for her art."
She has been selling her paintings at the Pacific Whale Foundation in Maui, Hawaii and the money earned goes towards a very noble cause, she donates it to the scholarship fund through the Pacific Whale foundation, which goes towards the education of Maui school children.
Paris has been selling her artwork at the Pacific Whale Foundation in Maui, Hawaii, since December, and donates all proceeds to a scholarship fund through the Pacific Whale Foundation, which educates Maui schoolchildren about the ocean by taking them on whale watching trips around the islands of Maui and Lanai.
"It's fair to say that Paris' artwork is distinctive among children of her same age," said Earlabaugh. Judges selected one winner from each grade level, she said.