ART FOR CORALS
This past month, Shane, our Education Program Intern, attended an art show titled “Visions of Harmony” hosted at Florida International University. The Palette Knife Artists of Miami and Miami Shades of Clay brought a new light to the problems facing our reefs through rich colors, dramatic textures, and abstract forms in clay and on canvas.
Each year, the Palette Knife Artists of Miami hosts an art show focused on a subject that requires help and attention, such as the mangrove-focused show they held last year. This year, they chose to focus on Florida’s coral reefs, bringing awareness to those attending and raising money in support of Coral Restoration Foundation™.
Art show "Visions of Harmony" highlights the beauty and sheds light to the crisis of coral reefs.
The pieces painted an image of gorgeous corals and what many can only hope to see along the Florida Reef Tract. There were vibrant colors and abundant life displayed on every canvas. The clay creations took advantage of their medium, bringing corals to land in many unique ways. These artist groups were able to bring in nearly one-hundred guests with their passion and talent giving CRF™ an amazing platform to address the issues facing our reefs today.
Education Program Intern, Shane, gives a presentation on the state of our reefs and CRF™'s role in restoring them to attendees at "Visions of Harmony."
Shane spoke to the crowd, sharing a different perspective with them. An extremely important part of what we do is informing the public about the state of our coral reefs through visual presentations.While the art showed the beauty of our coral reefs, the unfortunate truth is that most of our reefs don’t look like this. Many were shocked to see the coral graveyards we work to restore everyday. But the audience turned optimistic when Shane showed them the work we do at CRF™.
We hope that our combined efforts to show the beauty and potential of our reefs invigorates passion within the public to join our mission. Thank you to MaiYap and Lorraine Tucker, and all the wonderful artists who participated in Visions of Harmony for giving us this wonderful opportunity to share our work!
ACHIEVER'S ACADEMY
CRF™ interns Shane and Haley conducted a Coral Anatomy workshop with Ms. Hazel Arroyo’s 5th and 6th grade class at the Advanced Achievers Academy this past month. As soon as the students entered the classroom, we felt so much positive energy coming from the students. A few students immediately came up to us and started talking about all the things they had learned about corals and the environment.
Before the workshop started, the students were throwing questions at us in all directions. We sat down and had a conversation with the students about not only corals, but a variety of topics including mangroves, the ocean, hurricanes, climate change, and plankton. They took turns sharing their different projects they’ve been working on as a class. The students even gave us hand scrubs they made for one of their projects made of coffee and coconut!
Interns, Shane and Haley, demonstrate the Coral Anatomy workshop to Ms. Hazel Arroyo’s students at the Advanced Achievers Academy.
© Shane Gallimore/Coral Restoration Foundation
Once the workshop on coral anatomy got started, the students could not contain their excitement! They were extremely engaged throughout the entire presentation, and couldn’t help but ask every question that came into their heads! They asked many clear and thought provoking questions, and didn’t hesitate to ask for more details or clarification which spoke to their passion to learn.
This simple workshop about coral anatomy turned into an amazing Q&A. These students are being taught in an engaging environment and we are so happy we got to be a part of it!
KEY DIVE PROGRAM
This fall, we're focusing on our Key West Dive Programs, and we invite everyone to join us in our coral restoration work in the Lower Keys. The next restoration adventure in the Lower Keys is scheduled for Sunday, December 8th. Begin your morning with Coral Restoration Foundation™ for an educational discussion about our work, and then apply this knowledge in the water with CRF™ and Captain’s Corner for a hands-on, tailored SCUBA diving or snorkeling program! Our programs are designed to suit all levels, so ocean lovers of any age can have a positive impact.
Photo courtesy of Captain's Corner
Key West Nursery. © Tiffany Duong/Coral Restoration Foundation™
For more information or to sign up, contact our Recreational Dive Program Coordinator Roxane (roxane@coralrestoration.org) or Captain’s Corner at info@captainscorner.com.
Please note: all in-water activities are weather dependent.
"Heads Up" Editorial Intern
Shane's love for the ocean was obvious from a young age. During family trips to Cape Cod, he would spend all his time digging in the sand or wading through water and grass, net and bucket in hand, looking for any creatures he could catch. He continued to explore his passion by learning as much as he could from books and documentaries. He began scuba diving in 2011, and would eventually graduate from Stony Brook University in 2018 with a B.S. in Marine Vertebrate Biology. It was during his time at Stony Brook that he developed a desire to not only improve the conditions of our oceans and planet, but to educate others and share his passion. Shane is ecstatic to be a part of the CRF team. He looks forward to learning as much as he can while directly contributing to the health of our reefs and educating and inspiring future generations to share his passion.