If you’ve attended even just one yacht show, you’ve surely seen people wearing T-shirts depicting marlin and other sportfish. Chances are, the artwork on those shirts is by Guy Harvey. He’s a renowned artist, scientist, diver, angler, and conservationist, along with a passionate sea explorer. Harvey is the 2024 SeaKeeper of the Year, receiving the award from the International SeaKeepers Society this fall.
Harvey grew up in Jamaica, where fishing, swimming, and diving instilled an attraction to the ocean. His artistic side blossomed after he received a copy of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea from his mother. The story of an aging fisherman’s long struggle to catch a marlin resonated to the point where Harvey created 44 pen and ink drawings at age 18. Notably, after earning degrees in marine biology and fisheries management, he exhibited some of his drawings, selling numerous prints. That convinced him to put off science for a bit and instead pursue art as a career.
Harvey later realized he didn’t need to prioritize one over the other. In fact, he discovered that his ability to draw scientifically accurate, colorful fish and sea creatures could help raise awareness and money for ocean research. He established the Guy Harvey Foundation to support education and research and therefore benefit marine conservation. It further sells clothing, art, home goods, and more bearing his art for the same purpose. “It is our collective responsibility to conserve our marine environment and maintain the biodiversity of this planet,” Harvey says.
Harvey further is a recipient of numerous awards. They include, for example, the Simon Combes Conservation Award, which is the most prestigious award and highest honor from the non-profit Artists for Conservation. Additionally, he’s an inductee in the Fishing, SCUBA Diving, and Swimming Halls of Fame.
Besides honoring Harvey, the International SeaKeepers Society is presenting its NexGen Award to Shireen Rahimi. Rahimi is an Iranian-American marine scientist, visual storyteller, and founder of Lightpalace Productions, a video-production company. The videos share stories highlighting climate change’s impact. They also share the impact of humans on natural ecosystems and the people dependent upon them. Her work focuses on one of the earliest and most significant ecological casualties of global warming: tropical coral reefs. Ultimately, the goal is to encourage action.
Harvey and Rahimi will receive their awards at the International SeaKeeper Society’s Founders gala on October 31 in Fort Lauderdale. Simultaneously, SeaKeepers will honor the dozens of yachts and megayachts in its Discovery Fleet. These boats all support in scientist-led expeditions, citizen science, educational outreach, and/or community engagement.
The event is open to the public. Megayacht News is a media sponsor.
International SeaKeepers Society seakeepers.org
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