Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative

If you haven't figured it out my now I love the ocean.  If I could I would spend every moment of every day next to or in it, and I want to protect the ocean and its beaches for future generation.  It seems here in Southeast Florida there are many like minded people. 

The Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) is a local action strategy group that works with government and independent partners to identify and impart action to help prevent the key threats the Florida's coral reefs.  The group is funded through a long line of governmental agencies flowing all the way down to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Coral Reef Conservation Program.  

Their mission is to, "To develop an effective strategy to preserve and protect southeast Florida's coral reefs and associated reef resources, emphasizing the balance between resource use and protection, in cooperation with all interested parties."

The main issues they are addressing through Local Action Strategies are

• Land sources of marine pollution
• Maritime industry and coastal development
• Proper fishing, diving, and other recreational practices
• Overall awareness and appreciation of our oceans

Their website has extensive knowledge about coral reef biology PLUS lots of lesson and activities that educators can use to educate others about these important coral reef conservation issues.  Their newest project Our Florida Reefs plans to involve community member in the planning and conservation of the Florida reefs.  This is a project I am trying to also get involved in.  I am a proud Floridian and also proud of our local corals!

I hope all of you can find your way to the coast sometime soon and see for yourself how amazing the ocean truly is!

See more of SEFCRI at:  http://www.southeastfloridareefs.net/

Mark Langan

Enviro Artist of the Day!

-MARK LANGAN-

The humble cardboard box is an object that all of use have seen.  UPS delivers them, movers pack them, and Mark Langan creates art with them.  His works feature commissioned logos from corporate clients, other cardboard images not related to companies, as well as works that promote the use of green products.  Featured in several green reports, such as The Daily Green, Langan's work has brought recycling to the media. 

He calls his work "corrugated art" keying off of the term used to describe the boxes themselves.  impressively he will send between 80-100 hours for each of his images.  His images range form abstract designs, still life images, to references to famous works or posters.  His "Uncle Sam" touched me in its humorous image that "Uncle Sam Want YOU to Recycle."  His use of various colors and textures of cardboard give his works a definite aesthetic appeal, and his environmental message can be felt throughout. 

To see more of his corrugated art: http://www.langanart.com/mark-langan-art.html

Ethan Estess

Sorry all of you out there for my absence.  The past weekend was spent writing my final Capstone paper, so the Artists had to wait.  BUT good news is I have an awesome artist that was introduced to me by my professor, thanks Dr. Roland, and I think all of you will like him too...

-ETHAN ESTESS-

Estess began his schooling as a marine and environmental science student completely influenced by his love of the ocean.  He found that through sculpture he was able to express himself more easily and learned to incorporate his artistic sense with his love of the ocean and science and engineering education. 

He, like me, learned that the more information he found the more he learned that the oceans were becoming the earth's garbage dump, and more and more pollutants are found in the ocean with every passing year.  The goal of his art is to protect the marine environment through his art, specifically his sculpture. 

Every image of his I look at I cannot help but be moved by because I feel that he and I are kindred spirits.  He, too, is using his art to educate and inspire others about important oceanic issues.  I love the beach, the ocean, the sands, and all the creatures within that deep blue mystery.  Finding alternative methods to benefit or protect the oceans is what I love to do, and with it hope to preserve the coastlines for future generations. 

You gotta see his stuff.  Do yourself the favor, trust me... http://www.ethanestess.com/

Keeping Our Ocean Clean

Yesterday was the big day! A nervous, exciting, trying, stressful, but successful day filled with fun, art, and a lot of patience.  When I saw the average age of my group was a lot younger than expected I worked to re-design the slideshow presentation I had prepared as well as the questionnaire for the children.  When I got to the Y in the morning I was ready! The day started and I was excited to share with my passion for environmental issues and motivating them to get involved. 

The day began with introductions and the initial evaluation of what the children already knew about pollution, the oceans, and recycling.  I found that most of the children already knew about recycling but were unfamiliar with the topics of reuse and repurposing.  After an interactive slideshow the kids were ready to start painting and creating our collaborative mural.  They were excited about being part of something larger than themselves and interested in the idea that their work would be seen by others. 

The creatures started to take shape and the children's imagination took flight.  From one-eyed hermit crabs, to googly eyed jellyfish these creative creatures show the true artistic spirit of these kids.  The colors were every color of the rainbow and proportions did not have to matter. 

While their watercolors creatures dried we reviewed the goal of our project and how the kids can do their part to reuse, reduce, and recycle.  They loved the idea that this project was something they could take home and share with their families.  Several of the students created images that even had environmental messages.  One girl in the group drew a three legged turtle that had lost its leg to pollution saying, "Don't throw trash in my home!"  It was endearing and inspiring to me as an educator that through art these children were learning the importance of this subject. 

By the end of the day the mural was done and we could all stand back and take a look at what we, as a group, had accomplished.  I have faith that our mural will create more awareness and encourage the children and other members to action!

After the long day had ended I was tired sweaty, but I felt so satisfied of what I was able to achieve with such a young group, and what that group was able to produce in such a small amount of time. 

Overall I feel the project was a success.  As with any project dealing with children there were difficulties but overcoming those obstacles makes a job well done just that much more fulfilling.  

Now all that's left is to sit down and organize my thoughts, feelings, and information into a complete paper and finalized project!

Keep in touch, though, because I am not done with this blog.  you will still be able to find my Artist of the Day and other great art information!

Happy Fourth of July holiday weekend!

Pre-painting and Nerves

Today was the day before the big project.  Filled with nervous energy and excitement I worked to
pre-paint the backdrop, finalize my slideshow, and reword the questionnaire...

 

Today was also the day that I met the group of kids that I will be working with.  I had high hopes that the age of the kids was going to fall more on the 8-11 year range, but I quickly learned they are all between the ages of 5 to 7.  As I left with that information I immediately began thinking about all the work I had been doing and if it was too sophisticated for such a young age group. 

 

I spent over an hour re-wording the questionnaire and longer reviewing the slideshow to ensure its age appropriateness. 

 

 

I also found out that the room we will be working in is a lot smaller than the room I originally thought we would be working in.  The room pictured is about the size of a small bedroom and and filled with lots of other non-art related items such as food, costumes, or backpacks.  Working on the floor of this room gave reality to the size of it and how to best arrange the tables to create the best learning environment. 

At the end of our painting session we were pleased with the simple yet effective background that will prominently display the sea creatures created by the kids and show how we should protect the oceans by not polluting them.  Now all that's left is to go over the slideshow once more, get a good night's sleep, and get prepared for tomorrow! Here we go!!!!

Jean Shin

Enviro Artist of the Day!!!

I apologize to those of you out there in cyberspace for my miss yesterday, so I am trying to make up for a lost day today.  Fortunately, I have so many artists to chose from that it was not hard to find an endless supply of amazing art.  This last artist Jean Shin is one of my favorites.  Her work does not have an environmental theme but her use of found or collected objects to create these incredibly beautiful sculpture installations.

Her work focuses on giving new life to these disregarded items as a symbol to the optimism of giving to life to life's so called leftovers.  Most of her items are donated from old medicine bottles, umbrellas, clothes, to losing lottery tickets.  She works site specifically creating a dialogue with the people and the space.  Through her installations she wants the audience to create their own dialogue with the work about their own history and relationship to the materials.

Do yourself a favor and go to her website:  http://www.jeanshin.com/

Red Earth

Enviro Artist of the Day!

-RED EARTH-

Red Earth is an environmental artist group that works site specifically to create works.  They work with the natural landscape and ecologists, geologists, and other scientists to understand about the location and what is lacking, needed, or missing.  Their projects are usually in the form of public events that truly engage the audience in the experience.  They have held events in Europe, Java, Japan, and Mongolia.  Several of these events addressed the issue of global climate change and the effect we have on it.

The events include sculpture, performance, as well as created works.  Because of the event nature of their work the installations are usually temporary and designed with sensitivity to the local culture of the area.  Their hope is that their events educate others about the issues and the importance of them as well as things they can do to help. 

See more of their events and sculptures: http://www.redearth.co.uk/index.html