TWS chooses winner for 2017 conference Logo Contest

With such diverse cultural and ecological influences in the American Southwest, there was no shortage of unique designs submitted to the Logo Contest for TWS’ 2017 Annual Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. One particular design, however, submitted by TWS member Lauren Bradley, strongly captured those regional influences and has been chosen to represent the Albuquerque conference.

At first the logo’s featured animal, a bobcat (Lynx rufus), appears subtle, blending almost seamlessly into a gray mountain backdrop. But upon closer investigation, the animal’s darker shade of gray becomes apparent, and the logo takes on a 3-D feel as the feline seems to be leaping out of the design. The mountainous background and setting sun, as well as the colors that Bradley used, were inspired by a photo taken atop the Sandia Crest just outside Albuquerque. The photo was published with the Logo contest kick-off article on wildlife.org on March 31.

“The idea of blending an animal into the backdrop was actually the basis of the entire design,” Bradley said. She felt that the bobcat, in addition to her personal keenness for the animal, was a good candidate to represent the idea of coexistence among humans and wildlife. Bobcats are not only native to New Mexico, but much of the rest of the United States as well. “I felt that it was important to recognize a ubiquitous North American animal to encourage participants of the conference to bring their own experience to the conversation.”

Bradley graduated from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, in 2015 with a master’s degree in anthrozoology and a focus on human/wildlife coexistence. She joined TWS to stay informed about important wildlife and industry news, and to stay connected with the society’s vast network of wildlife professionals.

She heard about the contest in the eWildlifer, and although she has not had any formal training she did have some prior experience and basic graphic design skills.

“I enjoy being creative and pushing myself to try new things. Once I had an idea of what I wanted the logo to involve, I knew I had to give it a shot.”

Although Bradley is currently working in an unrelated field, she is hopeful that her membership in TWS will provide new opportunities in the wildlife profession as she wraps up with her current position in the coming months. With her logo serving as the face of 24^th Annual Conference, Bradley aspires to make Albuquerque the first TWS conference she attends.