Showing posts with label artist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artist. Show all posts

Monday, June 13, 2011

Island Icon Mike Gvara AKA "Island Dog" Passes Away

The San Pedro Sun has confirmed that long time island resident and artist Mike Gvara, fondly known as "Island Dog" was found deceased in his San Pedro home this evening.

According to friends, Mr. Gvara has been suffering from ill health and was last seen Saturday afternoon letting his dogs in. No foul play is suspected at this time.

For years The San Pedro Sun printed his amusing cartoons depicting the island life he had grown to love. He will be terribly missed and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends.

Other articles about Island Dog can be read at:

Thursday, December 2, 2010

THE ART OF LIFE - By Christopher Emmanuel

“There is an art to life. Every moment is crafted by you”--Emmanuel

We are all artists of life – whether we accept it or not, take charge or follow. Whatever we choose to believe or do, we are the one who give our lives purpose by using our abilities to form joy and meaning. Artists have many tools and materials to create with; creative beings are constantly looking and learning to improve their craft, creating their lives.

There are many ways we color our world; some experiences generate disturbing purples blackish red moods and others cause golden rays to shoot from our hearts bringing joy to ourselves and others. Like the morning my partner and I observed dolphins dancing near the shoreline in San Pedro. Three Dolphins came close to the docks and we watched in amazement as they looped and danced in the air splashing in the aqua green sea. The joy these happy creatures displayed took us away from planning our strokes for the day to a timeless place of wonder. Who does not love dolphins!! I think dolphins are the true mermaids.

Did you know, there were cases of dolphins which defended shipwrecked people swimming in the water from shark attacks till rescue ships appeared. And real incidents of people saved from drowning by dolphins are known; this behavior is mentioned in many tales, from ancient Greek and Roman stories to the legends of the Polynesians and Maori of New Zealand. Sometimes they carried people more than 20 miles to shore. In other cases, dolphins guided fishermen lost in the mist or shipwrecked, and people lost at sea to the shore. But dolphins do more than save people; they create part of the wonder which transports us beyond to a magical place of hope, adding color to our canvas. Keeping the shoreline free of garbage and debris is a simple way of preserving this wonder for our children’s’ children.

Books by Christopher Emmanuel can be purchased at his Art Gallery in The Sunbreeze Hotel, Art of Touch, Pages Book Store, and Sol Spa.