TEN DAYS TO PAINT THE FOREST

EXPLORE
Peru & Ecuador’s unknown Dry Forest with top Wildlife Artists

SEE
the place, the birds and the bears through their eyes

STORY

An international group of artists* have just 10 days to paint the Dry Forest of Peru and Ecuador and put the place on the map.

See how they do it: from the moment they spot a bird to the last stroke of the brush. Watch them draw and paint, and listen as they explain what motivates them and what their feelings are for the forest and its creatures.

Travel with them and experience this fascinating but little known Tumbesian region of South America from the Pacific surf through the Sechuran desert to the cactus dry forest and the cloud forest of the Andes.

BE THERE as LARS JONNSON paints the breath-taking action of the little Amazilia Hummingbird mobbing a vine snake and talks about what he is doing and why.

BRUCE PEARSON narrates the story of their trip and also shows how he gleans visual information in the field even though his oil crayons are melting in the searing heat. He is fascinated by the complexity of the animal story around the Algarroba trees and sets about trying to acquire the visual grammar of this language before he starts on the final work.  “I am not interested in just making pretty pictures, I want the picture to say something”.

Vadim Gorbatov wrestles with his Spectacled bear painting and Kim Atkinson on her visit to a local homestead finds a great subject for her charcoal sketch in the figure of a woman weaving. She is drawn by the contrast of the solid shapes and thin twine. She hopes the book they are producing will show what the people are doing for themselves.

The video features extraordinary film of Spectacled Bear, and White-winged Guan during their breeding seasons; endemic hummingbirds dance above a waterfall as they bathe; the rare Marvellous Spatuletails fight over their mupa mupa trees; traditional fishermen surf the waves in their flimsy reed canoes and the Andean Condor soars over the dry forest symbolized in rock art of great antiquity.

This film gives a deep appreciation of one of the world's three richest areas of biodiversity.  Though faced with many threats, a small corner has been saved by the bold community project at Chaparri Reserve: The first reserve of its kind to be owned and run by the campesinos themselves it is already realizing the benefits of replanting and conserving their forest and is an example for other communities to follow.

The video film produced by Richard and Julia Kemp available direct from Augur Films Ltd,  Whitwell,  Norwich NR10 4SQ 01603 872498 / email: augurfilms@gmail.com

Also available from: Jarrolds (Norwich); Borders (Bristol); Wildlife Art Gallery (Lavenham) http://www.wildlifeartgallery.co.uk; RSPB Shops; In-focus Norfolk, NatHistoryBookSoc’s Sales page in BBC Wildlife November 04 http://www.nhbs.com/ , Wildsounds Catalogue http://www.wildsounds.com/

Duration 1hr 22 mins. English version: available now. (Spanish / English version: to order).

DVD £ 17.95 or VHS £15.95 (postage to uk free) email: sales@augurfilms.co.uk

Clip Gallery showing frames from the movie

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