Marine Wildlife Artist Guy Harvey to Receive AFC’s 2011 Conservation Award
OutdoorHub 10.18.11
Grand Cayman, FL October 19, 2011— A unique blend of artist, conservationist, scientist, diver, angler and explorer, Guy Harvey’s lifetime of extraordinary support of conservation through artistic excellence is being recognized by the Artists for Conservation (AFC) during a November festival gala in Vancouver, BC Canada.
One of the most recognized and celebrated marine wildlife artists in the world, with his art adorning everything from clothing to large-scale murals to the walls of museums, Harvey has been named the recipient of the 2011 Simon Combes Conservation Award. He joins the likes of David Shepherd and Robert Bateman.
Harvey will receive the award, a trophy design created by Peter Gray of South Africa, on November 5th, during the opening weekend of the 2011 Artists for Conservation Festival at Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver, Canada. Go to http://www.artistsforconservation.org/programs/awards.
The AFC created the Simon Combes Conservation Award in 2005 to honor Simon Combes, a world-renowned painter, author, instructor and dedicated conservationist. He served as Director of the Kenya chapter of the Rhino Rescue Trust. Combes was tragically killed by a charging Cape Buffalo (wounded by poachers), while hiking near his home in Kenya in 2004.
“The great significance in receiving this year’s Simon Combes Conservation Award is being included among other artists whose work I have admired over many years,” says Harvey, who over the years has received numerous awards and accolades. “We are living in times when artists can make important statements about the condition and over-exploitation of the natural world around us.
Also a professor of marine biology, Harvey’s conservation efforts embrace many threatened and endangered species of marine wildlife, including sharks, marlin, bluefin tuna, Nassau grouper, sea turtles and other species.
Collaboration between Harvey and Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Oceanographic Center resulted in the creation of the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) in 1999, with a mission to provide scientific information necessary to understand, conserve and effectively manage the world’s marine fishes and their ecosystems. In 2008, Harvey started the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, www.guyharveyfoundation.org, a non-profit dedicated to funding leading scientists as they develop new strategies for sensible fisheries management, and educators, who will create novel instructional programs to stimulate futures scientists and new stewards of the marine environment. For some of the 2011 GHOF highlights, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifyYMSc05MQ.
About Guy Harvey
Guy Harvey is a world-renowned painter, underwater photographer, diver and marine biologist. Harvey, with permission from the Ernest Hemingway family, made a name for himself by debuting two sets of pen and ink drawings, including a collection titled Santiago’s Finest Hour, inspired by the author’s book, The Old Man & the Sea. Since then, Harvey expanded beyond pen and ink to develop an artistic style of painting and photography that captivates fish and ocean lovers. He is a member of the prestigious Society of Animal Artists.
Guy’s books are collectors’ items, including his new “Panama Paradise” book featuring pictures and illustrations of the world famous Tropic Star Lodge in Panama. Among his many other accomplishments, Harvey’s Portraits from the Deep book was made into a television fishing series currently airing on Fox Florida TV Network. The series received a Telly Award.
Much of Harvey’s distinguished work is on a grand scale, having created full-wall murals at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, the Hollywood-Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman. Harvey is the recipient Panama’s highest recognition, The Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Grand Cross and Silver Star, presented to those who make a positive impact in preserving Panama’s ocean resources. Solomon Shamah, Panama’s Minister of Tourism, presented the medal to Dr. Harvey. For additional information on Guy Harvey, visit www.guyharvey.com.
About Artists for Conservation Foundation
Founded in 1997, the Artists for Conservation Foundation (AFC) is a non-profit, international juried organization dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the natural world and is the world’s leading artist collective dedicated to the environment. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the Foundation has a membership spanning five continents and nearly thirty countries. The AFC’s mission is to support wildlife and habitat conservation, biodiversity, sustainability and environmental education through art that celebrates our natural heritage.
