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.
Thank you to the Jersey City teachers, students, park association leaders, frog art fans, Jersey City Cultural Affairs and the media who attended the opening reception for “Frogs and Their Threatened Environment” in the City Hall Rotunda on Wednesday, May 20th, 2015.
Thanks to Greg Brickey and Elizabeth Cain of Cultural Affairs for their support and displaying the artwork so beautifully. Thanks to Mayor Steven Fulop for caring about frogs and the environment.
It was so rewarding to meet the students whose work I had admired these past months.
JC1TV (Stan Eason) was there and recorded a video with me, Susan Newman, founder of Frogs Are Green, Inc., about the frog art show and the issues frogs face; Ann Marley, JCBOE Regional Art Manager talked about how together we coordinated the project and an amazing 17 schools responded with 150-200 works and the plans we have for this coming Fall. (The 6th Annual Kids Art Contest will open on September 1, details coming soon.) Included in the video will be interviews with the teachers and students who were there.
Below is gallery and video forthcoming.
Frogs Are Green showcases international student artworks in City Hall Rotunda, May 2015.
Mory Thomas of Washington Park Association attends Frogs Are Green's City Hall Rotunda opening.
JCBOE Art Regional Manager, Ann Marley at Frogs Are Green City Hall Opening Reception.
Jersey City Student Artist, Rachel Shneberg with her winning artwork in City Hall.
Jersey City student artist, Sarah Mongare with her winning artwork in City Hall.
Frogs Are Green opening reception in City Hall, May 2015
Laura Skolar, President of Pershing Field Garden Friends and Daniel Levin, Associate Publisher at Jersey City Independent at Frogs Are Green City Hall opening. Also pictured Greg Brickey, Jersey City Cultural Affairs.
Michael Markman, art teacher for JCBOE at Frogs Are Green City Hall opening.
Chris Styler, Chef, at Frogs Are Green City Hall Opening Reception.
International frog art by students ages 3-16 inside Jersey City's City Hall Rotunda May 2015.
The last few months have been very exciting. The international children’s frog art is taking over Jersey City! The next exhibition is up now inside Jersey City’s City Hall Rotunda. It will be up until May 30th and the opening reception is May 20, 2015 at 6-8 PM EST. (You can visit weekdays and weekends, just see the event page for the hours.)
I’m reaching out because I expect the city will send the video team (JC1TV) and they would love it if the students whose work is on the walls could be at the reception. So, if you are one of the students that entered and won, or you don’t live too far away, please join us on May 20th!
3rd Place Winner, Cynthia Cao, USA, Frogs Are Green Kids Art Contest, Best Environmental Art
Frogs and toads, just like so many other animal species, are suffering a decline in numbers. This is due to environmental problems, climate change and human factors and show that the changes we are seeing in the environment are signs that something is wrong.
What many people should realize is that frogs need to be viewed as an important part of the ecosystem.
Frogs and toads are not only very beautiful and diverse (Frogs per Wikipedia – approximately 4,800 species); they can also prove to be very beneficial for your garden.
Every ecosystem is comprised of multiple species that create a chain. It is what keeps the balance in nature and what maintains life as we know it. As such, frogs and toads have their place under the sun and should be protected. This is the reason why you will do very well to ensure that frogs can find shelter in your garden. If you provide the right conditions and features for these amphibian creatures, they should appear.
Frogs are good bioindicators. There is a lot that you can learn from the frogs in your garden. Frogs can show you that something is wrong in the area, or if they are happily breeding and living in the area, then everything should be okay. If you are dedicated and want to have a perfect garden, you can use the indications from frogs to know if the conditions in your garden are good, or if the frogs that used to dwell there suddenly go missing, you will know there is a disturbance.
Pest control – frogs are amazing at cleaning the garden from harmful insects. If you are having such problems, you can easily eliminate them by introducing frogs among your plants. A single frog can eat over 100 insects, such as caterpillars, sow bugs and cutworms and more. These can destroy your entire garden if left unchecked. With frogs around, you won’t need to use harmful pesticides, either.
Toads and frogs can be one of the best solutions for your garden. Not only will you have a garden safe of bugs and insects, but you will also have very pleasant amphibians hopping around.
The young artist’s family and friends step out the cab and walk into the gallery one by one, parents and children of different ages. They begin looking and move down the wall, admiring the variety of each artwork. The young artist turns and as she walks across the gallery I see a shy smile across her lips. Yes, she has spotted her own artwork and moves closer to see it. I ask her if I can take her photograph with her artwork and she agrees. Her family takes pictures also.
We have a conversation about whether she had a lesson in school about frogs and the environment before she did her artwork (statement) on pollution. She tells me that she did some research but just created this based on her own imagination.
It’s a wonderful and sometimes strange feeling when one sees their artwork hanging on a gallery wall. For an artist, it’s what we all dream of. Visibility and the opportunity to share what we think.
As we’re talking, I see the parents and the other children moving around the gallery discussing the other works and taking photographs that will hopefully be shared with the extended family and perhaps on social media.
The youngest of the children takes me around to show her favorite pictures and why. She’s about 4 years old and drawn to the cutest and friendliest of the pictures.
They all say how much they enjoyed the exhibition and will be sure to do more frog art next Fall.
During the afternoon parents and children come by to see the student artworks but some people walk through the gallery on their way to a separate destination and do not even look at the walls, as if there is nothing there.
This baffles me and makes me wonder if there are some artists who think only their art is what’s important. Isn’t being an artist about appreciating self-expression, both your own and others?
Do seasoned artists think that because they are at a certain level of success, a young artist’s vision is of no consequence? Aren’t their artworks worth a look?
I believe that every person has the right to be seen and heard.
Having an appreciation of the arts (in its various forms, from dance and opera, to fine art and yes student frog artwork too) means stepping out of your own little world of self-expression and seeing what others have to say too.
