Wondering what this popular Marine Artist is doing? Here’s an update straight from Rogest.
Divers are some of the last adventurers of the planet who travel into hostile and foreign environments for the shear joy of the experience. With the knowledge that we are adventurers who explore frontiers of our choosing comes with a special trust, the preservation of the environment we encounter in the dive world.
So many seemingly trivial interactions between people and the environment present us with opportunities to make a difference and leave the world a little bit better. Here are some ways I helped to make a difference over the past year.
November 2008: Collaborative art raises thousands for Fiji Mamanuca Environment Society (M.E.S.). In 2007 Over $6,000 was raised for MES in Fiji. Visiting divers painted a collaborative painting that was auctioned off by Rogest to raise funds for the local Marine Park Area, M.E.S. www.mesfiji.org
July 26, 2008: Roatan Medical Center gets dotty dollars
Rogest, families, kids and friends did make a difference while on vacation at Anthony’s Key Resort. Rogest along with visiting divers painted two canvases that were auctioned off and raised just under $5,000.00 US for the local recompression chamber and doctor’s office. www.anthonyskey.com
Rogest created a giant turtle painting for one of the local orphanages. At local school, Mud Bay, Rogest also did a two-day outreach program that taught art and an environmental lesson.
June 12, 2008: Bonaire Learning by Experience
Rogest and the Caribbean Club support Stichting Project. This is a foundation project and an experience directed program for youngsters on Bonaire (N.A.). Rogest worked with these wonderful kids and created artwork that was then auctioned, raising $4,1285 US.
www.stichtingproject.com. Thanks Buddy Dive . www.buddydive.com
May 31, 2008: Curacao Dive Festival 2008 a great success
Rogest and the Curacao Dive Festival inspired 67 different paintings by dive festival participants and 16 local school children. An eclectic and inspiring painting was auctioned at the closing ceremony with proceeds going to a local children’s home for kids with cancer and aids. www.curacaodive.com
February 20, 2008: Adults go Dotty
Rogest hosted a paint workshop aimed to provide opportunities for participants to learn new skills and each painting conveyed a message about the environment. Paintings were auctioned off and $930 was raised to support the Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society and the Library Grove, resulting in 25 trees being planted. www.birdsonthebay.ca
November 2007: 50 Turtle’s set free at DEMA
At DEMA 2007, Rogest painted with 120 kids from the Freedom High school in Orlando,
At the Gala dinner, this painting was auctioned for 50 bids of $140.00 a total of $7,000. Each bid bought the release of one green turtle. Wow, just look what we can do when we all pull together. For more info on the turtle release program, visit www.cobaltcoast.com/TurtleRelease.
So what is planned for 2009:
Just a ton of events, art and environmental programs around the world
* Kids Seacamps in Bonaire, Roatan, Galapagos and Curacao
* Outreach programs in Canada and the USA
* Adult Art and Dive programs that do some good
* PADI society events
* The Rogest Kids Gallery Programs. Designed to provide a learning environment that focuses on lifelong learning, relationships and respect for oneself and others. One of the initiatives is to bring the study and concepts of environmental education and visual art to life
