It all began by having a meeting at the Wallace Elementary School with the art teacher and approval for the school to participate by the Principal and Superintendent. Ms. Lynn Fusco, art teacher extraordinaire, taught the students about frogs and children ages 6-12 created black and white frog drawings.
I teach part-time at the school, so every week when I came back to the school, Ms. Fusco would hand me more artworks, until all 400 had been turned in. I photographed the art and added them to our international galleries on the Flickr website Frog Art. (Just one of our many galleries)!
Finally, it was time for the judges to make their selections from the field of 1441 artworks from 35 countries. Many selected the Hoboken childrens’ artwork and they appear here and there in the many categories we have on our website. Ms. Fusco created posters by hand and put them up in a few places around the school to feature the winners.
But, I knew that I had to do more! When a school as a whole surpasses your expectations and the Wallace School delivered 400 strong, you must reward them!
First, I selected 24 artworks and they were on display in Hoboken’s City Hall during Earth Day and also in Jersey City City Hall’s caucus room. I will add that the artworks are up indefinitely in JC, unless another group needs the space.
Then, I carefully reviewed and selected 101 to publish in “101 Wallace School Frogs” A Frogs Are Green Coloring Book. I scanned the art, designed the book and published it in May, 2017.
In addition, we have collaborated with the Wallace PTO and if you buy the book on Amazon Smile and select the Wallace Parent Teacher Organization as your charity, they get a percentage.
Frogs Are Green began setting up the organization’s tent at 9 am! This year, thanks to the Washington Park Association, we had an incredible spot in the front of the “Washington Park LIVE” festival with a large tent, grid bars tied to the back, and two tables! One table for displaying educational information such as our books: the teaching resource curriculum, “Frogs, Amphibians and Their Threatened Environment,” and previewing our next book, “Rainforest Frogs,” which features Haiku poetry by Caley Vickerman, illustrations by Mark Lerer, a foreword by Franco Andreone, and designed by founder, Susan Newman. We also had on display materials about the contests being open right now, the 6th Annual Kids Art Contest & the 7th Annual Photography Contest. On the back grid we hung our posters to draw the eyes… and it worked! It was so interesting hearing which posters visitors liked the most… I’ll be ordering a bunch more of each of those!
The second table we covered with some mounted posters which were tapped down, as an inspirational guide of frog image reference for visitors. Those that wanted to draw frogs, they were right there on the table! On hand were colored pencils, crayons, markers, lots of paper and even frog stickers.
We greeted over 130 people of all ages during the day, and everyone enjoyed creating frogart. You’ll see from the gallery of images below both children and adults got into it. This was our most successful event yet as we sold out of our t-shirts and a bunch of posters.
We also enjoyed dancing to the music being played on the sound stage right near us, and there were plenty of food truck vendors for us to taste assorted delights, such as lobster rolls and chocolate treats.
I look forward to seeing the photos by others showing what else was happening around us.
GIORNATE DEL MADAGASCAR 2015 / DAYS OF MADAGASCAR 2015
The island of Marco Polo
June 12 and 13, 2015
Venice, Museum of Natural History
Isolated from Africa to many tens of millions of years, Madagascar has developed its own peculiar fauna and flora, dramatically different from that of other land masses, near and far.
Similarly colonization by man, which took place on a massive scale only for two thousand years, has seen the mix of elements Africans, Asians, Arabs and Europeans who have forged a culture of “metissage” composed of no less than 18 ethnic groups each with its particular history and traditions, have in common the basic language of Indonesian origin and the cult of the dead, called “famadihana”.
Unfortunately Madagascar is also a land of great contrasts, with widespread problems of social and economic. The days that pay special attention to aspects concerning the natural wealth and cultural diversity of this island, home to the intervention of researchers that deal with biodiversity and personnel working in health, showing how much Italy is engaged in this country.
In collaboration with the Regional Museum of Natural Sciences (Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali) of Turin and the Association “Malagasy Miray.”
Video below: Interview of Franco Andreone (herpetologist) at Andriamanero, Isalo National Park.
This video is in Italian: #madagascarexpedition2013: Betampona Rainforest
Screening of the film in English “Island of lemurs in Madagascar” by David Douglas and Drew Fellman, with narrated by Morgan Freeman and with Patricia Wright
Introduction and presentation of: Franco Andreone (Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali Regional Museum of Natural Sciences of Turin) Giuseppe Donati (Oxford Brookes University)
Entrance to the Cinema Giorgione free until all available seats
Saturday, June 13, 2015 – Natural History Museum
10.30 Welcome and opening of the day
Gabriella Belli (Director Civic Museums Foundation of Venice)
Paola Casagrande (Director of the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali Regional Museum of Natural Sciences of Turin) Randrianantoandro Solofo Theophile (Minister Counsellor Embassy of Madagascar)
Franco Andreone (Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali Regional Museum of Natural Sciences of Turin)
Madagascar: stories from a biodiverse land biodiverse
Giuseppe Donati (Oxford Brookes University)
Survive the next day: the lesson of lemurs
15:00
Riccardo Bononi (IRFOSS Padua)
Life, death and disease in the ancestor worship
Italian volunteers in Madagascar
Friends Amici di Jangany
The Italian volunteer in MadagascarVolontari Italiani in Madagascar
Olga del Madagascar
Culture, nature and music: songs taken from ‘album “Ma nature”
Tasting The with Malagasy vanilla
Hours 10:00 to 18:00 – Gallery of Cetaceans
Photo exhibition “Madagasikara” by Franco Andreone: throughout the day and until August 2, 2015 will be exhibited suggestive images dedicated to the nature, history and traditions of Madagascar.
Information points: voluntary associations will be on hand to talk about their experience in Madagascar
WORKSHOPS:
appointment until all available seats
Hours 10:30 to 12:00 and 15:30 to 17:00
Children aged 7 to 11 years
“The nature of the island”, edited by Coop. Silty
“Sounds and rhythms of Madagascar”, edited by Olga del Madagascar:
10:15, 11:30, 15:00, 16:15
For children 4 to 6 years accompanied by their parents
“The chameleon says narrates, animal stories and legends of Madagascar” by Barchetta Blu
INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS:
The day is free entry until all the places available, except for laboratories that require an admission ticket to the museum (free for residents and people born in Venice, upon presentation of a photo ID).
To book workshops call 041 2750206
The photo exhibition will be open for free only on the occasion of this day and until August 2, 2015 is required to be in possession of a ticket to the museum.
Each year as Earth Day approaches, Frogs Are Green goes into high gear.
Sunday, April 19, we celebrated with our local (and not so local) area, as many came out on a beautiful spring day to the Pershing Field Vietnam Veterans Memorial Community Center in Jersey City Heights, to see the winning artworks done by children around the world.
Visit this link to see the whole gallery of the event on Facebook: 2nd Annual Green Dream
Pictured above is Laura Skolar, President of Pershing Field Garden Friends; Jersey City, City Council President Rolando Lavarro, Jr. and Me.
We’ve published our “Frogs, Amphibians and Their Threatened Environment” six-week curriculum book on Amazon and Createspace!
Pick it up here >> Frog and Art Curriculum
We have two new awesome posters: one for “Saving the Bees” with a gorgeous micro close-up by wildlife photographer, Wes Deyton… and our adorable “Naturally FROGADELIC” illustrated by the always original, Mary Ann Farley.
Visit our shop here: Frogs Are Green Shop
Earth Day Buzz – Save the Honeybee – Photograph courtesy of Wes Deyton.
Naturally Frogadelic – Earth Day Poster 2015 by Susan Newman, founder, Frogs Are Green; Illustration courtesy of Mary Ann Farley.
We also want to share that our favorite Frog author, Irwin Quagmire Wart has written a new book and you can pick up a free download 4/21 – 4/25: >> Green Is Good
On Saturday, April 25th, Frogs Are Green will visit Liberty State Park’s Earth Day Festival and Sunday, April 26th, we will have a tent/table at the Earth Day festival in front of Jersey City’s City Hall! Children will be able to sit and draw pictures of frogs and nature. Art supplies and frog/amphibian reference on hand.
Swing by and visit us and have a fabulous EARTH DAY (week) and Happy Save The Frogs Day too!
Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your mission and goals.
I’m a frog so I’ve always been interested in our health and welfare. I have a baby brother and young cousins so I want to see our habitats preserved for them and for all future generations.
What is your educational background and what lead to sharing “The Land of of Lily Pad?”
I’m sorry to admit it, I have no formal education, but I’m loaded with street smarts… swamp smarts, if you prefer. Even though my name is Irwin Quagmire, lots of people know me by my initials, IQ because I am a very smart frog. I began writing books in 2011, after my first trip to France. Since then, I have written three other books, including a book on environmental stewardship for kids. After all, who knows more about being green than a frog!
Do you travel to exotic places and if yes, tell us about some of them.
The most exotic place I’ve been to is my home… Land of Lily Pad. It’s the most fabulous frog pond on earth… where humans are not allowed. So it’s still a beautiful, healthy, safe environment. Otherwise, I’ve only traveled a little in the US and Europe.
Please share your books and/or publications?
I have written, as I said before, four books: Irwin Quagmire Wart Travels to Paris, France… a kid’s guide to the City of Lights Irwin Quagmire Wart Travels Back in Time… a kid’s guide to life in Pioneer America Green is Good… a kid’s guide to environmental stewardship Perfectly Perfect – a rhyming book for young children that embraces the idea of self-acceptance and self-love no matter what you look like
What are some challenges you have faced and how did you deal with them?
I’m luckier than a lot of frogs. My family and friends have a clean, safe home. My biggest challenge is where to find the juiciest flies… all kidding aside, I am trying really, really hard to get my message out to the world and to get my books published. But it’s hard and very competitive.
What can people do to help? Donate, and contribute to your cause?
It would be helpful if my message and my website got promoted more. And it would be a dream to find a real publisher or literary agent… but I’m not holding my breath.
“Ask not what your swamp can do for you but what you can do for your swamp”…Irwin Quagmire Wart (and maybe John F. Kennedy). I believe this whole-heartedly and want to help your organization as much as I am able. I am planning on including a link to your website on mine: on the page, Irwin’s Favorite Things. If there’s more I can do, please let me know. My amanuensis can write pretty well and is very willing to contribute whatever she/we can.
How do you reach your targeted audience?
Is it through your website, advertising or social media or another route? Which is most effective and why?
I have a Facebook page: Irwin Quagmire Wart
A website: http://www.irwinquagmirewart.com/
Twitter account: @IrwinQWart
So far, none of them are effective but I am hoping that through Twitter, and reaching out to other frogs and frog-related people, I can drive more traffic to my website… and eventually, my books.
How do you keep the audience engaged over time?
I update my website often and try to include subjects that will be of interest to kids and adults, but are also near and dear to my heart; the environment is my big passion.
Tell us about your events around the world and some of the campaigns you have started.
None yet, but I have big plans…
What is in the works for the future? What haven’t you yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
My goal is to write a series of travel books for kids, focusing on unique world locations, both large and small. I believe that through travel, both children and frogs can learn that differences in appearance and culture are both good and interesting. By helping children to “see the world” (through a frog’s eyes) as a beautiful, non-scary place filled with interesting people, beautiful art, and amazing things to see and do, I hope to make the world seem a little smaller and certainly a place that needs protecting.
Robin Moore is a conservationist, photographer and the author of In Search of Lost Frogs (In Search of Lost Frogs).
Since gaining a PhD in biodiversity conservation, Robin has been a powerful voice for amphibian conservation.
He is a Conservation Officer with Rainforest Trust, Global Wildlife Conservation and the Amphibian Survival Alliance, the largest global partnership for amphibian conservation.
He is a proud Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (www.ilcp.com), represented by National Geographic Creative, and recently Co-Founded Frame of Mind (www.frameofmind.org), an initiative that empowers youth around the world to connect with their natural and cultural worlds through photography and visual.
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About Suzy Brandtastic interviews:
Susan Newman, an environmentalist and brand visibility designer knows how important it is to tell your “why.” Susan hosts a podcast series, live action video series and a written interview series, all featuring environmentalists, innovators, creatives and small business owners.
