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Welcome to the 5 th. edition of Pool 32 When I think about the first edition of Pool 32, things have changed a lot since then. I was really struggling to understand how all these new digital platforms worked, but I got through it all and today it is something I just couldn’t imagine living without. To shoot pic’s from beautiful and exotic places, visit different cultures, exploring new fishing grounds, meeting new travel companions and of course pursue the essence and spirit of fly fishing, a sport which we all enjoy so much, that is what Pool 32 is all about. But no matter where I have been, I somehow always run into a vide range of environmental problems, created by the human existence on our amazing blue planet. So it’s very important to me that Pool 32 continues to bring focus on relevant issues, things that worries me, situations which need to be brought up for debate or persons who stand out by doing something extraordinary to fight for the rights to protect and preserve essential areas on our planet.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that Pool 32 share the same point of view, which is presented in interviews or comments. Every statement presented in for example interviews brought by Pool 32, belong to those persons who make the comment or to those we interview, and not to Pool 32. The simple reason why I bring this up, is because I unfortunately have seen how some of these big corporative companies have used their raw economical power to “put a lid on” issues they don’t like getting exposed. It’s kind of sad but necessary - and shows clearly that our world society is very much dominated by big corporative interests. So the best advise I have is to stand up by using something I mentioned earlier “Consumer Power”. Don’t underestimate that we are all a part of it. If we don’t buy these companies products, I can assure you things will change rapidly. The shareholders are expecting eternal growth, so if all of us don’t buy “their stuff” for what ever reason (pollution, child labour, animal treatment, decieses etc.) things will change. Only problem is, we have to stand together as one consuming unit, and of course that is the difficult part. But think about it for a sec......you are also gambling with your health, by eating poorly produced products.......it’s a “win..win” situation......what are you waiting for? Well enough talk, let’s start exploring some pure fly fishing. Welcome to the 5th. edition of Pool 32 Magazine, a visual journey through a wide range of fly fishing content from all over the globe. And thank you all so much for your fantastic support.
contents
cap 1 The Magic Moment
cap 2 Silenced Science by Alex Morton
cap 3 Los Roques - a slice of Paradise
cap 4 Georg Miciu - Artist Talk
cap 5 Canada - The Miramichi
cap 6 Rivers of Recovery
cap 7 Camille Egdorf - Save Bristol Bay
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CHAP 1 Time for a little magic.....
story & photos m.wengler
The
Magic
Moment a state of mind
A couple of months ago I attended a dinner party. During my conversation with the nice lady besides me, she asked me why I had such great passion for fly fishing. The answer was quite simple...”it’s just pure magic”, I replied. Then she asked me what I meant by “pure magic”.
I could not give her a better and more precise answer to her question, instead I showed her some of my fly fishing pictures on my phone. Pictures of beautiful sunrises, amazing evenings and a wide range of other magical fly fishing moments. She was overwhelmed by the small pictures on my phone. As they say - a picture says more than a thousand words.
I then explained to her that for me fly fishing is a way of life. I follow the weather forecasts, changing tides, water temperatures, feeding cycles of the fish I want to catch. I tried to make her understand how much I’m tuned in to Mother Earth because of my passion for fly fishing...it’s a 24 / 7, all year emotion.
Even though I use a great deal of effort following “the rhythm of Mother Earth”, there are still very few days where everything really comes together in “complete harmony”. This visual journey you are going through, was shoot at my birthday last year. It describes exactly what I tried to explain to the nice lady besides me at the diner party.
I was completely alone, to begin with, 4 o’clock in the morning, at one of my favorite Sea Trout spots in Denmark. It’s a typical early spring beat, and this morning turned out to be one of the best gifts I could possible get.
I arrived just before the first rays of purple light burned through the morning darkness. The forrest was completely quiet while I walked through it to get to my favorite spot. The smell of early morning dew filled my soul with gratitude. Then slowly birds began to sing. First just a few. Then a whole symphony of sounds surrounded me, but only for a short while before the song quiet down again, like an honoring of and a solemn salute to the beginning of a brand new and wonderful day.
But it didn’t end here. Then all the fun began. “it was time for a Sea Trout Fiesta”. Like a magical stroke, something triggered the fishes. Suddenly they got very active, constantly feeding. Constantly “head and tailing” all over the place. I simply had to sit down and just watch and shoot the magical scenery played out around me.
Some of the Sea trout we catch, looks like Brownies. It’s be cause they stay in this brackish water for long periods.
My friend Svend, tying to reach one of the bigger ones further out.....
This is what it’s all about for me, the essence of fly fishing, days where everything comes together on a higher level. It’s a gift from “The Supreme Being”, a reality check, which reminds me about how insignificant I really am, just a tiny part of a much bigger interaction. And by God how I love it, makes me feel alive and very privileged.
While I was enjoying this amazing morning, then suddenly two porpoise whales, a mother and her little cub, showed up. They swam directly against me, while I had my camera in my hands. I stood completely still. The mother somehow sensed that I was standing in my waders in waist high water, but the cup was a curious little fella. He came very close to me, looking up at me trying to figure out what I was doing there.Â
The young cub looking at me while it swam around me a couple of times......Pure magic.
Then they both continued their journey and I was left with a feeling of happiness and gratefulness....It was truly a magic moment.....
CHAP 2 Serious stuff.......
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S
ilenced cience
story & photo Dr. Alex Morton
Wild salmon are essential to everything living on the coast of British Columbia
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Wild salmon are essential to everything living on the coast of British Columbia, Canada. They deliver the rich energy of the open ocean to eagles, bears, whales, the trees of the forest and human communities. Salmon are a nomad and they have many predators. This means the waste they produce never builds up in one place and when a fish slows down due to disease, a predator takes it out of the population. These things are essential to wild salmon.
When salmon are held in feedlots, however, the natural laws are broken and that is why wild salmon tip into extreme decline wherever salmon feedlots operate (Ford and Myers 2008). Feedlot salmon are bred as eating machines. They are crowded and stressed.
O M G
Their manure is never shoveled it just drops around the pens. So disease spreads easily. Without predators sick fish fester allowing disease to mutate and produce billions of infectious particles. Whether it is a local pathogen getting into the pens, multiplying and pouring out in unnatural levels such as sea lice, or it is foreign viruses leaking into new oceans – this is an assault wild salmon seem unable to survive.
While the industry likes to call itself “farming,� they are feedlots designed to grow as many fish as possible, as fast as possible, in as small a space as possible, on an unnatural diet that produces less fish than are killed to make the feed. A GMO salmon has been developed and is seeking approval for commercial production.They are feedlots.
Throughout history, infectious diseases have entered the human population via animals. Anything that allows disease to increase and mutate should be tightly contained. ( check Information link ) Influenza viruses are particularly dangerous because they mutate so easily, unlocking ability to infect new species, higher levels of virulence and better means of spreading. Chicken feedlots are now tightly quarantined to stop an influenza virus from spreading to wild birds and going airborne. Inexplicably this precaution is recklessly ignored when it comes to salmon. The ISA virus, of the influenza family, is spreading wherever Atlantic salmon are imported in feedlots and pouring into the ocean. ISA virus has become much more deadly to salmon since it was given access to salmon feedlots.
In 2009, the Government of Canada called a commission of inquiry into the mysterious decline of Canada’s largest wild salmon run, the sockeye of the Fraser River.The Cohen Commission instructed federal and provincial scientists to handover all documents that could possibly pertain to the 18-year decline. I was part of this inquiry and what I found altered the course of my life.
Most of the Fraser sockeye runs began collapsing in the early 1990’s precisely when salmon feedlots were put on their migration route. The only population increasing, is the sockeye of the Harrison tributary and their DNA is uniquely not found with the others taking the feedlot infested route. Harrison sockeye appear to travel a completely different route (Tucker et al. 2011) ( check Information link )
H ISA M I
I read every line of the government salmon feedlot disease records. I became very concerned reading the numerous reports by the provincial government farm fish vet, Dr. Gary Marty of the “classic lesion associated with ISA virus�. He also reported symptoms of the Norwegian heart-wasting virus, piscine reovirus and salmon alphavirus. Piscine reovirus reportedly causes HSMI and salmon Alphavirus causes Pancreas Disease, all three of these pathogens are causing significant losses to the salmon feedlot industry in Norway because they kill so many salmon. They have never been reported in British Columbia, but 3 Norwegian companies own 95%percent of the salmon feedlots in BC.
Commission o h e n In the course of the $26 million Cohen Commission, the salmon feedlot industry and government swore under oath that there was no evidence of the ISA virus in B.C. Marine Harvest went further saying “The level of surveys done in the country of origin and then again, the quarantine and follow-up sampling here in British Columbia has been successful in preventing any exotic disease, including this particular one, ISAV.� (Clare Backman, Marine Harvest, Cohen Commission testimony). But I had doubts, and began testing BC farm salmon I bought in supermarkets for these three European viruses. The lab reports came back positive for all three, but Canada refuses to accept these results.
photo
/
Twyla Roscovich
Bil The Federal Minister of Fisheries’ response was “Canada’s reputation has needlessly been put at risk.” The BC Minister of Agriculture said “lawmakers” in the US and Asia wanted to close their borders to BC farm salmon. The BC government drafted Bill 37 to make disease reporting in farm animals punishable by 2 years in jail and a $75,000 fine. Thankfully this law did not pass.
l 3 7 The Cohen Commission, however, did take the results serious and re-opened the inquiry to review the positive lab results for ISA virus. We were in for a shock. Despite the sworn testimony from government that there had been no indication of ISA virus, a draft research paper by senior government scientists turned up reporting 100 ISA virus positive test results in the most endangered Fraser sockeye population, the Cultus lake sockeye. Canada never did reveal this work to the commission. An independent scientist submitted the findings.
Censored
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y n o m i
t s Te
In extremely revealing testimony, Canadian Food Inspection Agency suggests ISA virus could close markets for BC farm salmon:
“So if, let’s say, we do find ISA in B.C. and all of a sudden markets are closed, our role is then to try to renegotiate or negotiate market access to those countries... We’ll let them know what we can do and whether we can meet that market access. If we can’t meet it, then there will be no trade basically.” (Testimony Dec. 19, 2011, page 119, Cohen Commission transcript).
Despite the obstacles and difficulty raising funds the work continues. The credibility of the international labs I am using is under attack, their careers threatened – it is a nasty business, but we continue to work to get to the bottom of this because of the enormous threat they represent to British Columbia. After 25 years of trying to protect my home against this industry through science and dialogue, today I support the boycott of farm salmon: www.salmonfeedlotboycott.com because only the consumer can stop the blizzard of feedlot salmon feces and viruses pouring over wild BC salmon. I am in a race against an epidemic and government has given the viruses the head start, the viral spill has to stop if we are serious about wanting wild salmon in British Columbia.
Dr. Morton surrounded by prespawn morts
Salmon are scared
Sup por t & w eb Inf o
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CHAP 3 Make yourself a nice cup coffee, Relax for a little while...then prepare for a huge photo journey from Venezuela
LoS ROQUES a little slice of Paradise
story & photos m.wengler
A
s we arrived at Caracas airport, the devastating Hurricane Sandy was dragging a destructive trail on the east coast of the US. And because of these massive powers of Mother Earth, the weather situation was of course affected in most of the southern part of the Caribbean region, where we were going. It was raining heavily with powerful gusts when we landed, reminding me of the danish winter I had left behind. Not exactly the Caribbean image I had in my mind.
The airport at Los Roques
First sight that greets you on Los Roques
“Bones’n Jacks” Los Roques Flats
I
t was my first visit to Venezuela, and Caracas is a town with a very bad reputation because of a significant crime rate. A town with serious poverty, not exactly a place you would recommend to you mother in law - unless you want to get rid of her of course!! We were picked up in the airport by the WWMF “meet & greet” crew and everything went completely smooth, but I would not have enjoyed to be on my own in this situation. Caracas is not a town for “weak souls” and I recommend that if you are planning a trip to this place, you should arrange some kind of travel agency like the WWMF to pick you up in the airport. Just to be sure and to avoid any kind of trouble. We were escorted to the respectable and exclusive Marriott Playa Grande hotel on the waterfront, 10 min. drive from the airport for a “one night in Caracas”. I got a room on the 12 th. floor with a brilliant view over the ocean and some very dark clouds in the distance from Hurricane Sandy.....I felt very privileged...
N
ext morning the sun was shining from a clear blue sky, while we drove to the airport for our final destination - Los Roques - a little “slice of Paradise” only 35 min. flight from Caracas, “placed by God” in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by turquoise colored beaches......finally I could smell the coconuts and imagine the taste of a “dark Caribbean Ron”. It was my fist real tropical saltwater experience, so I felt pretty excited about every single aspect of this trip. Would I manage to catch a Bonefish or maybe even a Tarpon??..or would I be a total disaster??. No matter what happened, I was in an excellent company. Justin Maxwell the owner of WWMF - who had a lot of experience with this place and his fantastic wife Tania, who was “such a positive vibe” all through this trip. Life was good and......I was really feeling privileged.
Our excellent guide Carlos....Just another day at the office.
I
felt dizzy, my stomach made strange sounds....I simply couldn’t wait to cast my fly into these turquoise waters. Our head guide Carlos was politely on a standby and after an agonizingly long 45 minute book in, see room, eat breakfast, fix our fishing kit, we were finally ready to hit the water. After a relatively quick attempt to entice one of dozens of large Tarpon which harassed a bait ball of minnows no more than 50 metres from the mooring we headed by boat to a small bay adjacent to the airstrip, just minutes away. This secluded spot, a mere stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of the waterfront contained an incredibly dense shoal of minnows and amongst these cruised any number of Bonefish of around 3-7lbs. As the Bones scythed through the minnow cloud the grey mass would magically open up a few inches in front of the fish and then reclose moments after it had passed. I was in fly fishing heaven.......constantly feeling very privileged...
n o i t c a l erfu is w o p th ced n n i e t i r n e e p We ex where we w ter Paradise “ every ittle saltwa l g n i z a am
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A school of jack’s , such a magnificent and strong little fish
“The World is yours�- interesting name for a boat.
M
y general fishing experience on these unique islands were absolutely fantastic. I have never caught so many fish before in my life. The ocean surrounding these beautiful islands is unbelievable, just so full of life. First of all there is “a carpet� of minnows all over the place, secondly the amount of Bones we caught were beyond my wildest imagination, I simply lost track of how many Bones we caught after a few days
Tania - always spreding possitive vibrations
fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES fun lovin’ BONES
Barracuda & Horse eye Jacks
Los Roques power jaws
M
y first experience with some of the “Los Roques power jaws” was a Barracuda. A true sea monster which show absolutely no mercy to the bait. It’s ripped apart in a single bite, like a tiny “monster snack” served only to please this “saltwater pike”. We landed a couple of these scary looking creatures in a shot time, guided greatly by Carlos our brilliant guide. Amazing experience. Same thing with the Horse eyed Jack, pure power fishing. The take feels extremely powerful on a 9 -10 ft. rod, and when you hook in, you have to work for it. My rod simply “snapped” right over the rod handle, which was “a first time” for me, but I kept on dragging it in directly on the reel and got it into the boat, with some help from Carlos.
Tarpon’s
Mangrove exploring
J
ustin was anxious to get me into my first Tarpon, the rod was handed over and I proceeded to hook and jump just about every Tarpon in the school we were perusing ‌literally! But instinctive trout fishing striking techniques as opposed to the requisite strip-strike, a requisite to drive the hook home into a Tarpon’s bony mouth, resulted in an adrenaline-packed 15 minutes accompanied by a good deal of commentary on the LDRT (long distance release technique). In other words I was a total disaster...but I enjoyed every moment. These shots are from on of our Tarpon hunts.
A dead Barracude is a gentle Barracuda
Los Roques’n The Locals
In search for the local spirit
When you carry a camera on a fishing trip like this one, it’s always a choice between the rod or your camera, can’t really do both and achieve good results. But when you are surrounded by a combination of beauty and a very exotic atmosphere, it isn’t such a hard choice after all. Camera fist, fishing comes secondly. After a while we had caught an insanely amount of fish, and I knew I had plenty of good fly fishing shoots on my Hard Drive. That’s the moment where I get the need to explore some the local community. A need to meet the locals, see how their every day life is, shake their hands and just explore on my own. I love that feeling and Los Roques was defiantly a place to explore. So I went out by self with my tripod and camera focusing on shooting a bunch of pictures without any kind of flash equipment, just long exposures, to give it all a more authentic touch. First I was a little cautious walking around alone with an expensive camera, I don’t speak a single word of Spanish, and the price of my camera house could feed one family for a very long time. But everywhere I went I was meet with outstanding kindness and courtesy. It turned out to be an amazing experience I would not have been without. It’s a tuff life for these locals, compared to our western privileged life style filled up with all kinds of “material BS”, and it somehow struck me how it makes us all stressed up and constantly chasing new things, like a vicious circle - work, buy, throw out, work some more, buy some more... All of the shoots you see in this section of my Los Roques photo journey, is from these great exploring moments.....I can honestly say that after every “exploring stealth night and day mission” I went on, I returned to the posada with a feeling of being extremely privileged and very warm inside from all the positive response I had received from the local community.
huge smiles and a very positive atmosphere.
“I was meet with a unique local kindness, “
I
went out on some “night exploring missions� for a couple of nights, as I mentioned earlier it was an extraordinary and really pleasant experience. I was invited into peoples houses, shooting the whole family surrounding the farther at the dinner table. I was greeted by huge smiles everywhere I went, I was invited to join the local Petanque match, I drank beers with the locals kids.....somehow I got pretty close to the local community, on these missions, just by showing a positive and humble attitude.
“The local wild bunch� shoot in the evening with a long exposure. I had a hard time trying to make them stand compleatly still.
“The purpose of our lives is to be happy” Dalai Lama
It’s not always an easy life for the locals on Los Roques, compared to our western modern living standards, but everybody was so extremely kind, smiling and friendly.......Despite I didn’t speak a single word of Spanish. I’m wondering......are we really that rich in our part of the world?, always stressed out, striving for new materialistic standards...
The local school kids asked me to take a shoot of them.......how could I say no to such a smiling crowd
The master chef in charge of the local school kitchen
One day I gave a little kid (5-6 yrs. old) a new cap I didn’t use (got it for free) and I can’t find the right words to express his reaction, the gratitude he showed me was overwhelming, he was such a cool little guy. All of these experiences made me think a lot about how we live our everyday life at home, how much materialistic junk we all surround us selves with and yet we have the highest alcohol rate in the world among our young kids in Denmark.....”something is rotten in Denmark” Shakespeare once wrote, and it’s still highly relevant.
Smiling young soldiers infront of the local military base
Huge smiles at the local breakfast stand right outside our posada
One of my favourite bars located 10 meters from the shore break.
It should have said : “los que quieran patria vengan conmigo” Which means something like : “Those who love the homeland, join me” Then this political slogan has been wonderfully changed by the locals to something like :
“Those who love (with) me”
....and again wonderfully changed to :
“Those who love to fish, come with me�
The local “discoteca”
Every evening we enjoyed the most exquisite sun set,....no need for a television
From 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013 Chavez was the President of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when it merged with several other parties to form the United Socialist Party of Venezuela which he led until his death in 2013.
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías
Following his own political ideology of Bolivarianism and “socialism of the 21st century”, he focused on implementing socialist reforms in the country as a part of a social project known as the Bolivarian Revolution, which has seen the implementation of a new constitution, participatory democratic councils, the nationalization of several key industries, increased government funding of health care and education, and significant reductions in poverty, according to government figures.
Under Chavez, Venezuelans’ quality of life improved according to a UN Index and the poverty rate fell from 48.6 percent in 2002 to 29.5 percent in 2011, according to the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America. Born into a working-class family in Sabaneta, Barinas, Chávez became a career military officer, and after becoming dissatisfied with the Venezuelan political system, he founded the secretive Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 in the early 1980s to work towards overthrowing it. Chávez led the MBR-200 in an unsuccessful coup d’état against the Democratic Action government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez in 1992, for which he was imprisoned. Released from prison after two years, he founded a socialist political party, the Fifth Republic Movement, and was elected president of Venezuela in 1998.
Chávez was a highly controversial and divisive figure both at home and abroad, having insulted other world leaders and compared U.S. president George W. Bush to a donkey, and called him the devil. Whereas he was derided by the US media, others called him a progressive democrat, saying the US tries to undermine and de-legitimize his government in Venezuela. Chávez died in Caracas on 5 March 2013 at the age of 58.
Los Roques’n The beaches If you wish to have a couple of “non-fishing days” then Los Roques have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world., surrounded by crystal clear turquoise water. A guided Kite surfing tour on your own little island for a day could be an option, if you are into some “fun in the sun”.
The Madrisqui - Just one of the glorious beaches around the archipelago – Taking a dip should be mandatory
Lobsters
Los Roques style
Lobsters are a priced delicacy. So when Justin and Tania asked me if I was up for a “lobster farm lunch”, I couldn’t resist. Despite the obvious simplicity of the surroundings of this place, we were treated to an exceptional four-course feast with mussels, lobster, and a variety of assorted fish. Hmmmm......I only have one word.....delicious!!!
Ohhh yes.......fresh caught lobsters, una cerveza frĂa, and a hammock.........c’est la vie
Accommodation
Posada Acuarela
Our stay at the Italian owned posada Aquarela was brilliant in every way, nice rooms, superb Italian inspired cuisine based on sea food, of course - what else would you expect with such a natural resource of fresh caught fish right outside. We were also blessed with a crew of really good and very experienced guides and all of these factors put together provided a fantastic atmosphere and superb frame for our stay at Los Roques. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every moment in this nice and very charming posada.
If you are thinking about planing a fishing trip to Los Roques, then think fast, and get going before this unique place changes into a “Mc Donald infected insignificant tourist burned out� place like I have seen it happen to so many other places on this amazing planet. It is a true little paradise, so far without any significant western influence, which was a really refreshing and interesting experience...not to forget...the fishing is beyond anything you can ever imagine.
You burnt my soul with your insane beauty. You changed my personality, with your warm atmosphere. You made me realize how poor my rich life is. Your existence is a gift. How will I ever forget you....
Hasta la vista Dear Los roques
WEB info’s www.wherewisemenfish.com WWMF facebook page
Two indepentent Los Roques Facebook pages
CHAP 4 Artist talk with Georg Miciu Nicolaevici
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Georg Miciu
To all those who love ““whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.. . excellent or praiseworthy“ Saint Paul, Phillippians, Chapter 4, verse 8
Dear Georg Thank you so very much for taking some time off to do this interview with me, it’s a real plesure and we are very honored to get this oppotunity to show some of your amazing art work in this edition of Pool 32 So let’s get right to it. Georg, you come from a very historical artistic family, which goes all the way back to 1907 in Konstantin. How old were you when you knew in your heart that you would also choose the same path as you farther, being a professional artist? Eighteen years old I completed a five years piano study with one of the best “maestros” in Argentina, but somehow I understood that it wasn’t my future field, because it’s a very demanding life in order gain succeed. I wanted to have a family and to live a life independent of a traditional city life. I therefore asked my father for advise, because he knew that I always had a hidden desire to be a painter and an artist as well, but he didn’t want to interfere. He himself was a respected artist with a master degree in the Vienna Fine Arts Academy, and as my farther he knew my love for the great outdoors, so his recommendation to me was not to study in any formal school, but go straight to nature. That’s what I did and you are looking at the result. You are born in Austria in 1946 - but how did you end up in Argentina? During World War II my parents were living in Austria, after leaving Moldova, where they were originally from. They were living a very good life as artists in Austria. Because of the chaotic economic situation,people were investing their money in especially art work. But after the war ended, they had to emigrate because of the terrible hunger in Austria and most of Europe. The Red Cross gave them the chance to migrate to Argentina. I was only three years old back then and very sick.
Georg, please tell me how old were you when you sold your first art pice? I was about 22 years old, helping a friend out as a waiter, at a summer camp in the Argentine Cordoba’s Hills. The place was visited by many American missionary’s at that time. Here I painted some small “water-colour landscapes” and sold them for 4 US $ a piece, but I also made some personal portraits of their children, which I sold for 15 US $, so that is more or less how it all began. When, how and by whom where you ‘discovered’ as an artist and included in a gallery? My career as an artist has always been very atypical. I have only worked twice with a gallery or a dealer, despite of the circa 300 one-man-shows I have held in my life. People by themselves ‘discovered’ me as a painter. It was a slow and long process, receiving people one by one in my studio. But I believe there must have been some kind of eager for a new fresh and natural expression. How did it influence your career as an artist? I got complete freedom!! Which image would you characterise as your first real artistic work? Well, you ask me a question with no real answer. You see, manny years ago I created a pice “by coincidence”. Then manny years later, people made me understand that it was one of my best paintings ever. So you’re asking me “would you characterise as your first real artistic work”?. Well the story behind it is that I was going to destroy this painting...!! That’s why I use the expression “by coincidence”... When I decided to exhibit my very first painting, done “au plein air” (of some riders used as life models, while they were passing through) I noticed that the palette-knife oil work, which is done with the skills achieved from more than 1500 paintings, has the same ‘freshness and movement’ as my old little “simple water-colour pice”, even though people consider the oil much more artistic than the humble water-colour painting…!? So now I’m asking you Mark, which one is my “first real artistic work”?
Are you assigned to any galleries in Europe at this moment? Not anymore. I have held 33 one-man-shows in Europe since 1974 through 1979, in different galleries in France, Germany and Spain. Today we only exhibit my work in Patagonia. I really enjoy you work created with a palette knife, to me it gives the paintings a very “unique soul”. Do you prefer to work with a palette knife or do you equally work with other artistic tools? How do you think your choice of artistic tools affect your artistic expression? Oil paintings I do with palette knife, but for portraits I use brushes because I prefer to paint portraits using watercolours, it was the technique I became familiar with, when it all began for me. At the time where I started painting with “oil’s”, I discovered that by using a palette knife technique, it made it possible for me to come very close to the “watercolour look”, which I like so much. So you could say that my love for the “watercolour look”, has affected me to use the palette knife, in sense of adding that “unique soul” to my “oil’s”, you’re mentioning. I developed my own ‘big spot technique’ by using large strokes, working with very big spatulas, which is rarely seen. Your beautiful art works in general seem very impressionistic and remind me of the artists Krøyer, Michael Ancher, Guillaumin, Degas, Renoir, Monet and Manet (just to mention a few). A. Are you inspired by some of the old impressionistic masters? If yes, who and why? A. Yes, I received a strong influence from impressionists. All of these you’re mentioning plus a bunch of Russian painters from the same period, artists like Repin, Kuyindgi, Cerov, Levitan, Shishkin… Spaniard Sorolla and some post-impressionist like Van Gogh, all of them are (very important to mention) “plein-air painters”. B. Have your artistic style always been impressionistic or has it changed over the years?
B. The critics, who wanted to place me in a “certain category”, had a hard time finding out where to fit me in, so they said that “ Georg started as an impressionist, but he developed into something different”. Actually, I experienced that in the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, there is a very small group of painters gathered under the name of “La Realite Poetic” which is the only category I really feel I can identify myself with. Actually impressionism is more a philosophy about art than a style. I just adapted some of their “good habits”. For example going outside to find inspiration and work. In that sense my style didn’t change. There are stages of more figurative or more abstract works, I continuously try to synthesise and simplify my strokes, but do not always succeed...... C. And have you ever tried to experiment with other types of artistic genres? C. Yes, music for instance, but the truth is that, if you want to reach the excellence, you have to focus on just one genre. In music I couldn’t keep the skill for piano performance, but today I’m experimenting with creating some compositions through a musician friend. D How would you characterise your own artistic style compared to your artistic ancestors? D. From my father to me and from me to my son, there are two great steps of synthesis and freedom, appropriating all the modern master’s experience we picked up around the world museums.
What is your creative workflow when creating a piece? Do you make any kind of research, sketches, drawings, etc. before creating your art? - Do you carefully plan each piece before a you begin creating? There are two main levels in my creative workflow: 1) Inspiration 2) How to create a technical plan for the layout, from my inspiration. The most difficult thing is to build the painting in your mind. When you got it, it normally takes just a short time to transfer that image to the canvas. The faster you are able to do it, the better it comes out. Painting “in spot” is the fast and easiest way, because it’s all there. I just have to plan the “order” of the two or maybe three oil layers, in which I mix or cut. In the studio I normally use sketches and photos, which I always transform into B & W before I begin. As colour is created in my mind, a colourful image distracts me and makes it difficult to achieve a good creative harmony, because “it” interferes with the one “building up” in my mind.
As an eager fly fisher I really feel very much “at home”, when I spend my time in outdoor environment. Since landscapes are your primary motives, can you tell me how you feel painting outside, compared to working indoor in a studio? It is a much stronger emotional feeling to paint outside close to nature, But also a much more complex situation, because you only have on shoot to get what you see down on your canvas.
What inspired you to paint your stunning fly fishing paintings in 2000? - and have you ever fly fished your self? I have never fly fished myself, but Isaias my youngest does and he is a professional photographer as well. He helps me to observe the movements of a good cast and the elegance of a good fly fisher. Somehow I experience a harmony in this magnificent sport which fits perfect into our Patagonian landscape.
I could not imagine a life without music and I always listen to music when I’m creating my e-mags for Pool 32. Are you inspired by music and are you listening to music when you are creative? If yes, what type of music do you prefer? I always listen to music! As a matter of fact, when something is not working well when I’m working on a painting, I have noticed that it’s often because of a bad musical influence… and changing the music, normally helps me fix the problem. I love classical music and alternate I also listen to a large variety of Argentinean folk music. What has been the biggest challenge and best experience in your artistic career so far? Maybe to get to the point where some collectors actually did hang a “Georg” beside one of the well known and famous artists. Georg I really like your art work and wonder if you have certain themes and ideas in your art, you pursue? What and who inspires you in general? Nature, and great outdoors. The harmony and natural life of animals or human beings Art critics analysing art can sometimes be too much in my perspective. Have you ever experienced an analysis in an art review of your work that you couldn’t relate to? Yes, in one case a female critic in Paris found my talent was a waste… I asked her why? - and the answer was: “Because you represent life as beautiful, which it isn’t”!! Obviously it’s a matter of subjective experience. Have you ever tried to feel uninspired (a lack of creative thoughts) and have been unsure of your career as an artist, or have you always felt a need to keep on developing your artistic expression and constantly be creative? As I’m inspired by nature and natural life, there is permanently so much around me to keep me inspired. Sometimes I even suffer, because I simply can’t find the time to paint all of the beauty surrounding me…!
Have you ever worked together with other artists creating collaborative art projects? Not as a “collaborative project” but more like “companion based” projects. You know spending “creative time” together under different circumstances, shared the plein-air experience. It’s a very interesting process and helps because you are looking at everything with “four eyes” Being a father myself, I have always tried to let my daughter choose for her self what she wanted out of life and she has chosen to pursue her dream of being a photographic artist out of pure passion, which I of course support 100%. Have you ever had any artistic expectations for any your nine children, carrying on the artistic family tradition? - or do you and your wife support their dreams in life, what ever they might be?
My father did the same with us (me and my brother), I supported our nine children unconditionally when I saw what “path in life” they had chosen, no matter if it didn’t seems to be an economically profitable choice. I always told them: “No matter what you choose do in life, be honest and reliable, and you’ll see that there will be no competition”. So when they told what path in life they were determined to pursue, I even advised them to stop their traditional school studies, in order to follow their dreams and passions in life. With that feeling of freedom in their lives - one have chose fine art, two of them have chosen photography, one girl went for pottery, two others became musicians, an other girl became a decorative silk painter, one is building lighting systems and one is a programmer analyst…
Georg I know you live in Argentina so could you tell me a little about how the art scene in Argentina works - do you have a supportive art community or is it very difficult for new and upcoming artists? As I mentioned earlier, the development of my artistic position has not been typical. I started alone (first five years supported by my father) and when I earned enough, I together with a close friend opened a small gallery in the province of Cordoba in Argentina. Later on we both moved together with our families, to the Patagonian Andes. After many years of struggling and hard work, we finally was able to build the “Colección Georg”, a kind of museum, where we hold exhibitions, not only my early and actual work, but those of the whole family as well. ( www.colecciongeorg.com ). It’s really difficult for an upcoming artist, no matter how great a their talent they might have. How will you describe the political incitement for supporting artists - established as well as upcoming - in Argentina? As I never worked with any government or official institution, I have no knowledge of any kind regarding this question. I don’t bother them and so far they haven’t bothered us.... :) In Denmark, many galleries go bankrupt because of the financial crises, sometimes cheating their artists. This situation creates insecurity and instability for the artists who are therefore anxious about tying themselves to a specific gallery. Have you ever had negative experiences with galleries and how would you describe the survival situation of the galleries in Argentina at this moment? In big cities all over the globe this is happening “Thanks to the Good Lord” all these famous galleries worldwide don’t even know I exist. We work with many foreigners here in Patagonia, with whom we get in touch directly without any middleman. As an exception we’re working with a permanent exhibitiont in the hotel hotel Llao-Llao, one of the best known hotels in our country, through a BA (Buenos Aires) gallery, but with a special arrangement. People contact us instead of the gallery, and we give the gallery a small percentage in a common agreement, depending of the sale.
I often experience that here in Denmark galleries and art institutions only want to exhibit the established artists or artists with the “right CV.” How would you describe this situation i Argentina? It’s exactly the same “down” here. In my begginings I use to argue with some art dealers when they criticized me saying that I’m not suppose to have same prices as the established who have the right CV. I answerd them that it is not the truth, because they compare established´s discarded and rejected works with my very best selection. The good and first selection paintings remain in private collections and change their owners among collectors, without passing through the galleries, who normally manage those rejected ones. It happens that dealers and some people evaluate analyzing by ear instead of by sight!
How do Argentinean culture, politics, social environment, etc. affect your art, if they do? Well, these situations of course affect even us, but sometime it’s the other way around. Instability promote a different level of investments compared to real estate, because it’s easy to carry such an investment with you in any case… And when there is insecurity, all the good merchandise disappear out of the country and then there will be less competence! As an example, my father did his best business during the WW II in the midst of Europe, as I already told you. But those who comes from wealthy establishments, always look for good investments. How do your family and close friends relate to your choice of career as an artist and to your art in general? My family (especially my parents supported me from the very beginning) and all the rest of my relatives, together with my friends, have supported me in every way and even sometimes given me advise, which are no bad at all! What role does an artist and art in general have in society according to you? “Art comes from the word “artificial”. So it means that we must place something artificial, which will give people the idea of the real thing”. According to my experience and knowledge, we artists are not “Creators”, because only one is the real Creator and we humans are all just “Recreators”. If that is the truth, we must respect the Creator’s laws. The braking of those fundamental laws produces the actual mankind mess we see so many places today. Some other artists makes “protests” by mocking the generals ignorance by which people don’t distinguish the “good art” from the “kitsch”. Today many artists do ugly, morbid and aggressive works, as real representation of human society. They don’t lie, they don’t “pull the leg”... they show the truth. I’m an independent of everything that happens there, I’m a “Nature lover” a true Patagonian painter and that’s enough for me!
Dear Georg since you are an established artist today, inspiring a lot of people worldwide, maybe you could share some relevant advice for aspiring and upcoming artists?
Well, time will tell us if what you say is truth or not. Anyway I see that the recognition comes from a very small and selected society group, even though most of my admires are artists themselves. As many of them ask me for teaching and as I don’t have time and energy for that (I have only been teaching in the Flagstaff Art Centre of Arizona, in the seventies). But we have made a special 2-DVD’s video which show seven works in almost realtime (some ‘au plein-air,’ some inside a studio) with detailed explanations, many anecdotes of my work and a portfolio of one hundred selected paintings. There are as well quite a few artists / painters from around the world, who came to have a more in depth knowledge of my work, which is something that honours me greatly! My little and humble advise is very simple: - Go to Mother Nature for colour, don’t stop to work and don’t trust in your own opinion – Pride is a great enemy!
Contact info :
www.georg.com.ar www.colecciongeorg.com
CHAP 5 Let's go to Canada.....
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Miramichi the gentle one
H
ad never been to Canada before, so of course I was very excited when I arranged my trip to the Miramichi river through WWMF. As always in salmon fishing you don’t want lot’s of sunshine and high temperatures...but that was exactly what we got. One very early morning I measured the water temperature to 22 degrees c’s...and of course none of us caught a single fish during the whole trip. But never the less I really enjoyed my trip to the Miramichi river. Thanks to a great group of people and a splendid crew, I really had a great time a the Miramichi Old river lodge. The river is a gentle beauty, a crystal clear, healthy river, a really well producing river which holds lot’s of fish, not exactly a common sight these days. So instead of catching fish on my rod, I decided to “catch the Miramichi atmosphere” through my camera lens....And this photo journey is the result, hope you’ll enjoy some of these shots.
We saw a lot of jumping fish, but they were...........“The Untouchables”
John Harrison giving me some attitude.!! Pure “Gangsta style fishing.....Snoop Doggy John�
David Bishop and Justin Maxwell Stuart from WWMF...
No fish, but lot’s of laughs and plenty of cold white wine to keep up the spirit
“Mr. Malcolm� constantly cracking jokes and our fantastic guide Marthy with a huge grin.
Martin McNutt, always in a good mood..... and a bit Nutt’s............But with that last name, what ells can you expect !! :)
David Bishop and Anie Richer dropped by the lodge, and shared some “fun’n smiles”
Wonderful Darlene was running the excellent restaurant, and provided us with gastronomic gracefulness
We meet this kind old man, who had worked most of his life in the Canadian mines, but he had also fished the Miramichi for decades, had a huge knowledge of this magnificent and gentle river.
John Harrison on a early misty morning mission.
Cast, cast an cast some more..........no fish, but stunning scenery
The view from The Old River lodge
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e had a really great time by the banks of this beautiful, graceful and gentle river, even though we had the worst conditions regarding the water temperatures. But there is absolutely no doubt that this river is a healthy and very interesting river. If you are interested in a more detailed info about the Miramichi river then get in contact with WWMF, they surely provided me with a unique and very possitive experince.
www.wherewisemenfish.com
CHAP 6 My deepest respect.......
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Rivers Recovery
story & photo credits Leif Milling
R
ivers of Recovery is an innovative rehabilitation program for injured and disabled veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The program was founded in 2008 by Dan T Cook, an international fly fishing adventurer from Colorado.
T
he program utilizes fly fishing to build confidence and self-empowerment; a group setting to facilitate social interaction and a medical curriculum designed by experts in the field of psychological combat injuries.
E
ach Rivers of Recovery trip hosts six combat veterans on a four-day science-based experiential rehabilitation program that focuses on confidence-building, outdoor activities,talk therapy in a relaxed, positive environment and proven techniques on the self-management of symptoms, stressors and responses.Â
T
hrough fly fishing, instruction increases selfconfidence,skill-improvement builds empowerment, and achievement facilitates enthusiasm and resiliency. During the fishing day, participants apply newfound skills on the river, demonstrate ability and build confidence.
T
he social interaction among participants reinforces a sense of success, empowerment and a reconnection to self. A medical curriculum designed by experts in the field of psychological combat injuries equips the veterans with tools which allow for the mitigation and self-management of symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other psychological injuries.
I
ndependent medical researchers have proven the efficacy of the Rivers of Recovery program. Here are the results. Percentage decrease in symptoms: One Month PTSD Symptoms: Stress: Depression: Anxiety:
20% 21% 51% 32%
Six Months
14% 17% 34% 21%
This data, some of the first to measure the benefits of outdoor-based rehabilitation, reinforces the belief (held by most fly fisherman) that......
...nature truly does heal...
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CHAP 7 Save Bristol Bay...before its too late
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E
ver since we brought a huge focus on Bristol Bay in the second edition of Pool 32, we have been VERY concerned about the development in this pristine and important area of Mother Earth. When the government are making serious plans to establish one of the biggest mines in the world - Pebble Mine - in such a fragile and giving nature resource, then we simply have to follow what is going on up there, and of course support those who are fighing to preserve this area, in what ever way we are able to. Unfortunately there is only one way we can support this very serious cause., is by giving it some exposure in Pool 32.. So when we saw this very honest and relevant video - Forget me Knot. - made by Camille Egdorf, about the life style in Alaska, we just had to bring it. We got in contact with Camille and she gave us the permission to bring it in this edition of Pool 32. Here is Camille’s own words about why she spent over100 hours of filming, to create and share this sublime video with the world.
I
grew up in a small town located in Southeastern Montana. My family owns and operates a fly fishing lodge in Bristol Bay, Alaska and it was there that I learned to love the great outdoors and the sport of fly fishing. Today I currently live in Bozeman, Montana where I attend college and take advantage of the collegiate rivers around the area. I’m also a travel host for a booking agent called, Fishing With Larry where I host groups of avid fishermen to places around the world. Then during the summers I continue to return to Alaska where I guide and help my parents run the family lodge. Forget me Knot, is a short film that depicts and shares a way of life I’ve known from childhood. I wanted to present our family business in a way that wouldn’t be seen as an advertisement or promotional tool but simply give people a glimpse into remote, Alaskan bush life. So I spent over 100 hours documenting the set up, the guide lifestyle and then the break down of our season so others could see and understand the things I hold so dear to my heart. I will be returning to Alaska again this coming summer and plan to do more filming for another, shorter version of Forget me Knot.
If you want to learn much more about Bristol Bay and Pebble Mine, then here is a couple of very relevant links : www.savebristolbay.org / www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org
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This is the end Beautiful friend This is the end My only friend the end Of our elaborate plans, the end Of everything that stands, the end No safety or surprise, the end I’ll never look into your eyes....again Can you picture what will be So limitless and free Desperately in need...of...some stranger’s hand In...a desperate land Lost in a roman...wilderness of pain And all the children are insane All the children are insane Waiting for the summer rain, yeah There’s danger on the edge of town Ride the King’s highway, baby Weird scenes inside the gold mine Ride the highway west, baby Ride the snake, ride the snake To the lake, the ancient lake, baby The snake is long, seven miles Ride the snake...he’s old and his skin is cold The west is best The west is best Get here, and we’ll do the rest The blue bus is callin’ us The blue bus is callin’ us.............
“The End”
Lyrics by The Doors (Click here to watch the Doors video)