In the Company of Masters
John Banovich Named a Master Signature Member from the Society of Animal Artists
John Banovich has received his fifth Award of Excellence from the Society of Animal Artists, earning the organization’s highest distinction.
Some honours carry a story that reaches far beyond the moment they are announced. John Banovich’s recognition by the Society of Animal Artists is one of them.
After receiving his fifth Award of Excellence, John becomes a Master Signature Member of the Society.
The distinction recognises artists who have received the Society’s Award of Excellence five or more times. It also places John in the company of artists including Robert Bateman and Bob Kuhn.
The Society’s own history began in New York in the 1950s. In 1958, artists who met to paint at the Bronx Zoo organised an exhibition at Burr Gallery, sponsored by the New York Zoological Society. The response inspired the formation of the Society, which was formally established in 1960. In its early years, it became a member of the Salmagundi Club and held exhibitions in New York galleries. Its first members’ exhibition included works by Carl Rungius and William R. Leigh. John Clymer and Robert Kuhn were among the artists who served on its early jury of admissions. www.societyofanimalartists.com
That history gives the recognition a particular resonance. For generations, the Society has brought together artists committed to interpreting animals and the natural world through fine art. Its story connects the wildlife artists of today with a long tradition of observation, skill and artistic ambition.
For John, that tradition is visible in the way he invites us to look. In his 2026 painting Shared Waters, he places the viewer at water level, inside a moment of gathering in Botswana. The curve of an elephant’s trunk frames the scene, while a pied kingfisher rises from the water with a fish. The stillness is only apparent. Life continues to move through the painting.
John describes the work as a reflection on coexistence. During Botswana’s flood season, known as Pula, water draws the largest and smallest creatures together. In this shared need, he sees a fragile balance and a reminder that survival, beauty and harmony can be found where lives intersect.
Shared Waters, oil on Belgian linen, 30h x 30w x 1.25d in | 76.20h x 76.20w x 3.17d cm
John Banovich, Shared Waters, oil on Belgian linen 30h x 30w in.
The painting is oil on Belgian linen and measures 30 by 30 inches. It offers a way into the ideas that have shaped John’s work throughout his career: close attention to wildlife, respect for the natural world and a desire to bring the viewer into the scene.
The Society of Animal Artists’ recognition marks a significant moment in that career. With his fifth Award of Excellence, John joins the ranks of its Master Signature Members and becomes part of a history that began with artists painting together at the Bronx Zoo nearly seven decades ago.
