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| Christoph Hrdina and Kitty Harvill in the Art of Making Friends |
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Christoph Hrdina and Kitty Harvill in the Art of Making FriendsProgram Alexandre RodriguesAlexandre: As I promised you in our last program, we are here together with Christoph and his wife, Kitty, who is a painter and I must tell you that I am deeply impressed with her artwork through which she combines their passion for nature and translates this passion into her world of art, just fantastic. During this program today you will be able to see some of her paintings and you will see that some of them even have a photographic realism. They travel to study the subject matter within the tours that Christoph organizes and then she translates these impressions into art. It's a big pleasure to have you again on our program and today especially Kitty will talk to you about her work. And, Christoph, I would like you to tell us more about your work in nature with animals in the state of Paraná.Christoph: It is my great interest to cooperate with the existing non-profit conservation agencies who work specifically in Paraná for the preservation of nature in general. Like agencies who have their own natural reserves to manage and take care of all the creatures living within these areas. So, it is my interest to stay as close as possible with these organizations which are serious and who employ people who are passionate about their work with nature, who work with utmost sincerity. In my opinion, these young scientists are our heroes of nature and we who are not scientists but still work daily in favor of nature should have the maximum respect towards these people and offer to them the best possible support. I want to help to make a bridging between the business world and the world of nature, and also´people who would like to help but don't know how. The local agencies have the "know how" to make the difference. I see in this bridging, my major task.Alexandre: I would like to point out that in our last week's program we have told you how Christoph came to this point of his activities. He was pursuing an international banking career being 29 years old and started to live a life totally focused on nature and its conservation. Since 30 years, he's dedicated to this work and he doesn't earn anything with these activities. His income is based on his company, André Safari & Tours whose main activity is the promotion, organization, and leading of safaris throughout South America with entrepreneurs and I want you to talk a moment about this part of your work.Christoph: I have some strong well-established contacts in the United States, and my fluency of the English language facilitates my work, and as I led, guided, and organized birding and birdwatching tours for over 12 years in Brazil, I'm acquainted with all the regions of Brazil, and as I'm European, I have strong ties also to Europe and since I speak German and French, it's very easy for me to work with people of different nations. So, groups are arriving from the U.S. and Europe with the intent to become acquainted with certain regions of Brazil and I'm the person indicated to do this because I know the places and the people and I have enough knowledge about nature in remote places, or not so remote, like, for example, the Pantanal. The Pantanal is not remote.Alexandre: Well, you have recently visited Antarctica.Christoph: Yes, it was a dream of ours to know ths remote area, see the penguins walking around, an animal which we are not accustomed to meet in Brazil. I know well all types of animals in Brazil but we have never met a penguin walking around here ! Now, Kitty will be able to paint penguins and the exubrant landscapes which are in contrast to Brazil. The more you have knowledge about nature, the more you are able to act on her behalf.Alexandre: Tell me something more about the Pantanal. I have just seen a photo taken by you where a jaguar is only at a distance of about 20 meters (about 60 feet).Christoph: Yes, a jaguar.Alexandre: They went to the Pantanal only to get as close as possible to a jaguar in order to take first-hand close-up photos, so that Kitty will have the reference material to be able to paint this animal.Christoph: Kitty has something very profound as a wildlife artist, she is only willing to paint animals or birds that she has seen and felt in their habitat.Alexandre: Otherwise, she will not paint the subject ?Christoph: If not, she is not able to interiorize sufficiently the animal's life to be able to paint the animal truly, the soul of the animal or bird, So, that's why I will take her to be face-to-face with a jaguar. So that one day I will have the pleasure to see a fantastic painting of a jaguar !Alexandre: Kitty, now I would like to talk with you. It seems that you were invited to be a member of a group of 500 of the best artists of nature. What is that organization ?Kitty: Artists for ConservationChristoph: "Artistas para Conservaçao". An organization from Canada.Kitty: Yes, based in Canada...26 countries...Christoph: ...makes part of those asked... as the best artists to be members...of the world.Alexandre: And she achieved to be...Christoph: ...the first from Brazil...there are only two from South America.Alexandre: My congratulations...see, Brazil again, although she's not Brazilian, but she is with us, and thus, under our flag.Christoph: That's it...she emphasizes that she's painting under the banner of Brazil.Alexandre: How long have you painted ?Kitty: My whole life...Alexandre: Yes, that's it...Kitty: Since I was a child.Christoph: So, she's at least already painting for 40 years.Alexandre: How wonderful...and you always worked with nature ?Kitty: No, only since I live in Brazil.Alexandre: Since you're living in Brazil, your subject matter became the animals and birds of Brazil. What did you do before in your artwork ?Kitty: Many things, I worked in advertising, design, portraits...Christoph: She has a special talent for portraits.Kitty: Portraits of people and animals also...Now, only nature.Alexandre: So, this helped a lot for your fantastic paintings. You can confirm this by looking at her work seen in this program. Well, what more would you like to share with our audience, although there's very little time left. But I insist that we will be back in February or March to continue our talks and to hear more about your activities and show the painting of the jaguar. And also, about your exhibition which you are planning in the United States.Christoph: Yes, in the United States, in Little Rock, Arkansas.Alexandre: And when will the exhibition be ?Christoph: At the end of the year.Alexandre: The end of the year. So, we cannot participate personally, but you will take photographs and bring them so that we can share them with our audience in another program. I have certainty that it will be a great success for you. Thank you very much again and thank you for having given the interview. And I want Christoph to be one of our personalities of our program so that he can talk and invite the business world watching to contact Christoph. The phone number is on the video or the webiste so you can know how you can help nature. And by helping nature we are finally helping ourselves. Because without concern for nature, things are getting more and more difficult, and the consequences are already unfolding in front of us. It's sufficient to look at the year 2009 which ended with a lot of tragedies. A big "abraço" (hug) for everyone and until soon again. |
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