Gathering of Artists Overview and proposal
PROGRAM CAMPAIGN & CONSERVATION PRODUCTS
Phase I – Artistic Visionary Study of Babcock Ranch
Phase II- Exhibit Format Book / Video
Phase III- Exhibition / Feature Event
Overview:
The Babcock Ranch is a 91,361 +/- acre ranch located in Lee and Charlotte County, Florida. This Ranch is unique in that it represents swamps, flatwoods, watershed(s), lake(s), pasture areas and home to many endangered / threatened species. The Quest Foundation will organize and deploy a group of noted Florida conservation / cultural artists to conduct a visionary study of Babcock Ranch. This artistic study will provide the critical media needed for the promotional book, exhibit and feature event. The book will be a limited edition publication used to bring immediate attention to the conservation of Babcock Ranch. The fine art book, video, exhibition and orchestrated feature event developed by the Quest Foundation will be premiered at the Florida Gulf Coast University.
Phase I – Artistic Visionary Study of Babcock Ranch
The main purpose of the environmental ecosystem documentary assignment(s) is for Florida’s leading conservation artists to produce high quality mixed media: paintings, photographs, sculpture, and video that captures the beauty and biologic diversity of Babcock Ranch.
Subject matter to include:
Time Frame: Years 2007 and 2008
Interpretive Planning Elements / Art Development
The artworks will be used for promotional material including but not limited to:
1. Exhibit Format Book / Video / Exhibit
2. Exhibition Fine Art Prints
3. Feature Event
4. Web-Site Development
Phase II- Exhibit Format Book / Video
The Babcock Ranch book and Video will showcase one of Florida’s remaining great wild places. In order to fully portray the magnitude of the ecosystem / wildlife diversity found on the ranch we will engage Florida’s leading nature artists; painters, sculptors, photographers, film makers and poets to document its vast beauty. We are mounting a major force of committed artists, authors, volunteers and trail blazers to facilitate this artistic endeavor. It is hoped the Babcock Ranch will provide their lodge, meals and logistical support to help get the artists and associated volunteers out into the field. We are united as a creative conservation minded team; communicating and composing to produce the finest conservation book. The timing of this book is critical to disseminate copies to policy makers, funding sources, governmental entities, to thank those organizations and people who are dedicated to the conservation of Babcock Ranch and to promote sustainable development.
The artistic visions will be not only be utilized in the book but shown in the exhibition and feature event.
Phase III- Exhibition / Feature Event
When approaching the earth from outer space the forests and oceans of the world are a singular living art form. These same mosaic living fractal designs are replicated in an infinite number of analogous patterns in every organism and within the human ecosystem. Thus people’s and nature’s ecosystems are mirrored living systems and are totally dependent on each other and on environmental education. This feature presentation depicts this viewpoint; reflecting how humans have strived through their art forms and environmental education to depict healthy wilderness
ecosystems and wildlife which in turn provide health and well being for humans. This interrelationship of art, ecology and environmental education is one and the same. We will go on an incredible art, poetry and music journey through the eyes of
Florida’s leading nature artisans, poets and writers to witness Babcock Ranch and wild Florida. This program features why art plays such a major role in how we heal ourselves, others and the planet. Our health depends on the health of the earth as celebrated through the arts.
The Discovering Babcock Ranch / The Artist For Critical Lands exhibition and feature Event will feature the unspoiled beauty that still remains in the Babcock Ranch and backcountry, trails, natural areas and parks of the Sunshine State. The show celebrates the largest land acquisition program in the country: Florida Forever.
Each of the six sections of the feature show and exhibition explores a distinct eco-system with its varied landscape, moods of weather and seasonal change. The imagery consists of photography, paintings, writings, poetry, and nature sounds depicting the dynamic interaction of open space/wildlife/wilderness.
The environmental imagery in this presentation will forever change how you see the state; you will leave with a heightened awareness that what we see is irreplaceable and cannot be taken for granted.
This quadraphonic sound orchestrated performance and exhibition will heighten one’s awareness, action to celebrate and preserve Florida’s wilderness / wildlife.
Florida’s Wild Places
Discovering Babcock Ranch
The Artist For Critical Lands
and
Six Environmental Sections With People
Springs, Caves, Aquifers and Sinkholes:
Above and below water environments.
Wetlands and Waterways:
Rivers, streams, lakes, seepage bogs, swamps and wet savannas.
Forests:
Temperate forests and tropical hardwood hammocks.
Uplands:
Scrub, dry palmetto prairies, sandhills, flatwoods and prairies.
Coastal:
Beaches, coastal strands, dunes, salt & fresh water marshes, mangroves, estuaries and marine offshore.
Florida's Wildlife:
Florida Panther / Manatees: Mammals / Birds / Reptiles / Amphibians / Fresh Water & Salt Water Reef Fish
This show is developed around the existence of nature’s sacred lighting presented as one of the most powerful healing elements on earth and how it helps create life. For eons artists have been aware of the incredible drama of light and immersed themselves into the inner dimensions of the beauty of nature through paintings, photography, music, sculpture, poetry and related disciplines. To tell the story we have assembled and present some of the greatest artists, writers and musicians and educators in Florida who are dedicating their lives to the preservation of nature and humanity. Artists, poets, writers and musicians who are truly dedicated to nature spend a life time understanding light and how it is portrayed on their medium of expression, the enlightened poem or creating an inspiring musical composition.
“Around the world, wilderness is falling at a catastrophic rate. The statistics are shocking: annually, 90 million human beings are added to the global population while 25 billion tons of topsoil erode away; every second, nearly half a acre of tropical rainforest disappears, cumulatively eradicating an estimated twenty thousand species per year. Add widespread pollution of air, water and soil, atmospheric degradation and climate change and we have a recipe for unprecedented global disaster. Wilderness is disappearing throughout the world so quickly that each remaining untouched area becomes that more rare and precious.” David Suzuki – Carmanah In contrast our culture is plagued by post industrial diseases that are a direct result of the destruction of the planet.
Florida’s Wild Places / Discovering Babcock Ranch
The Artist For Critical Lands
Book – Video - Exhibition - Feature Event
Provides a positive counter-balance to this destructive course through awareness and direct action for healing ourselves through the arts, environmental education and the preservation of nature. These productions offer a very uplifting and positive celebration of life through the eyes and orchestration of Florida’s noted nature artists: poets, painters, photographers, writers, sculptors, educators, composers and musicians.
Songs Available: Musician Velma Fry
Florida Song I Am Thankful
Eagle So Free Small Green Island
This Pretty Planet Bright Morning Stars
Chant For the Seasons What A Wonderful World
Please address any questions concerning this book, feature event and exhibition with:
James Valentine: Quest Foundation / Breathing Earth Productions & Orchestra
P.O. Box 3575 / Tallahassee, FL 32315
