Reputed to be home to the greatest range of biodiversity of any country in the world, Costa Rica is a natural paradise. Artist Manuel E Gonzalez aims to transport these riches onto canvas.
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Image: Manuel Gonzalez
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Painter Manuel Gonzalez has admired the flora and fauna of his country since he was very young, and regularly went on camping trips that allowed him to observe the variety of life and colours in his natural surroundings. "I was so surprised and still am by the affinity I felt for the forest - whether cloudy, rainy or dry - for the mountains, the tundra or the beach."
Mangroves play a vital role in biodiversity conservation, protecting against coastal erosion and providing a habitat for numerous speciesImage: Manuel GonzalezI simply try to imitate mother nature on a canvas. It would never be possible to drink the water from a creek in my paintings, or see one of my birds flying, but perhaps I elicit a small tear of nostalgia for what is lost and a smile of hope for what can be saved. My work is a legacy for the future, and shows us what we had and failed to appreciate, while issuing a call to save what we still can.
Almost 900 species of bird have been recorded in Costa Rica, which is more than in the US and Canada combinedImage: Manuel GonzalezHe sees it as his duty, and that of other artists, to use their talent in a constructive way, which for him, is increasing environmental awareness. His paintings, which can take a month to execute once after the period of preliminary studies, have been well received. "Some people have never been so close to a tropical forest, and this might be the only chance they ever get."
Of the seven species of sea turtle in the world, five nest on the beaches of Costa RicaImage: Manuel GonzalezBesides seducing the viewer into a world of exceptional natural beauty, the project, which Gonzalez has been working on for six years now, has an educational value. "Each canvas," he says, "shows flora and fauna native to the type of forest I depict." He is now hoping to sell reproductions of his work in order to be able to continue.
