Guy Harvey

Infobox Artist
name = Guy Harvey
Born = Lippspringe, Germany
birthdate = birth date|1955|9|16|mf=y
location = Lippspringe, Germany
nationality = Jamaican
field = Painting, Printmaking

Guy Harvey(September 16, 1955 –) is a marine wildlife artist and conservationist. His depictions of sealife, especially of sportfish such as marlin, are very popular with sportfishermen, and have been reproduced in prints, posters, t-shirts, clothing, and other consumer items. Harvey is also an advocate for marine conservation and the cofounder of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Biography

Guy Harvey was born in Lippspringe, Germany on September 16, 1955 while his father was serving as a Gunnery Officer in the British Army. He grew up in Jamaica, West Indies. Harvey is a 10th generation Jamaican of English heritage as his family immigrated to Jamaica in 1664. Harvey attended Aberdeen University in Scotland, graduating with highest honors in Marine Biology in 1977. He then obtained a doctorate in Fisheries Management from the University of the West Indies in 1982. [ [http://www.guyharveyinc.com/home.html] ]

In 1985, he depicted Ernest Hemingway's famous fishing story "The Old Man and the Sea" in a series of 44 original pen-and-ink drawings and displayed them at an exhibition in Jamaica. Based on the positive response he received at this show, Guy began painting full time and, by 1988, was providing custom artwork for use on a variety of products. [ [http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/aboutgh.html] ]

Artwork

Guy Harvey's artistic style is mostly to realistically depict warmwater marine sportfish in dynamic poses in their natural settings. His media include water color, oil, and acrylic. His original paintings have been composed on water color paper, canvas, and wall murals. His art is routinely reproduced on canvas, fine art prints, posters, and books, as well as merchandising such as T-shirts.

Commercial Ventures

"Guy Harvey's Portraits from the Deep" is a syndicated television series that combines the showcasing of sportfishing destinations with educational information from marine scientists in an entertainment format.

"Guy Harvey's Island Grill" is a chain of seafood restaurants located in Grand Cayman, Key West, and Marco Island. It also serves and sells a line of Guy Harvey-branded wines, spices, and sauces. The restaurant chain states that it does not serve any overfished species. [ [http://www.guyharveyinc.com/home.html] ]

Guy Harvey maintains a gallery of his artwork along with a store containing art prints and other merchandise with depictions of his art on it. It is located next to the Grand Cayman location of his restaurant.

Conservation

Guy Harvey has donated portions of the proceeds from the sale of his artwork and merchandise to various causes dedicated to the protection of the marine environment and advocacy for responsible and sustainable commercial and recreational fishing. In 1999, he teamed with Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to found the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova's Oceanographic Center. The institue conducts research on the ecology, genetics, behavior, physiology, and evolution of fishes. Research areas include shark ecology and conservation, stingray ecology and conservation, and artificial reef design and monitoring. [ [http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/aboutgh.html] ]

References