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FALL 2020 "ARTISTS FOR A GREEN PLANET"

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Artists on the news! Join us in congratulating each of the following artists whose inspirational stories are making news around the globe!

Barbara Tyler Ahlfield and Alexandra Ahlfield, founders of the inspiring brand Sisumoi, have been featured in New York weekly. SISUMOI is an online retailer of fine art inspirational accessories that empower you to channel your strength, activate your gifts, and manifest your destiny. Barbara's hand-painted illustrations and signature glamour art style are the heart of SISUMOI. Over the past 40 years, Barbara's art has been highly published, commissioned, awarded, and shown globally.

Evelyn Adams' story was discovered in the pages of ArtTour International by Kivo Daily, who featured her in an inspiring article. Her story has also been featured on New York Newswire, KTVN 2 News, Daily Heral, Yahoo News, Sign On San Diego, Star Tribune, SNN News, Fox40, Fox21, WFMJ, Minyanville, among other 110 news outlets. Evelyn Adams brings her Ghanian origins to life by clothing her paintings with various textiles and beads.

Brian Rock is impacting the world with his Portrait of Jesus, a work created with recycled acrylic on canvas, sending a message of peace awareness and touching the environmental conservation theme. Featured on: The Daily Herald, Fox40, The StarTribune, Lifestyle News Today, U.S. Marine Corps News Today, KTVN, Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, Observer News, WallStreetSelect, among other 80 news outlets.

Kimberly Berg is creating an impact with his mixed media paintings, which speak actively against women's abuse and discrimination. Kimberly was featured on Kivo Daily, The Buffalo News, Journal Sentinel, The Morning News, Wall Street Select, International Business Times, The Star Tribune, The Daily Herald, KTVN, Fox, among other 75 news outlets.


Lawrence R. Armstrong's was featured in The Chicago Journal, Los Angeles Wire, Yahoo News, Architecture News Today, 21WFMJ, JSOnline, The Daily Herald, Star Tribune, Press-Telegram, WBOC16, Fox40. Fox21, The Daily Press, Minyanville, Wall Street Select, International Business Times, among other 100 plus news outlets. Armstrong creates large-scale, gestural paintings, layered metal, and layered glass structures built through his visionary approach in design and continued exploration of layers.

Liv Babra's new book "Art of Debt Management" was featured on Yahoo Finance and the American Reporter, and Accesswire. With more than enough qualifications under his belt, Liv Babra, after having emerged victorious from what many might call the impossible, is laying the foundation of financial freedom and recovery for everyone.

Michelle Larsen impacts the world with her revolutionary mixed-media technique of creating paper sculptures on canvas. She was featured on the American Reporter, Yahoo News, Press-Telegram, Daily Herald, Sign on San Diego, Star Tribune, Observer News, BPAS, Wall Street Select WRAL, International Business Times, among other 80 news outlets.

Ric Conn was featured on Los Angeles Weekly, Kivo Daily, Daily Herald, Fox40, 2News, Daily Reporter, The Buffalo News, Star Tribune, Sing On Sand Diego, Press-Telegram, Pitsburg Gazette, Observer News, ABC, Wall Street Select, International Business Times, among other 100 news outlets worldwide. Ric Conn art amplifies Women Empowerment Through Expressionism.

To get your art on the news visit

WWW.MEDIAKIT.ART


CONTRIBUTORS

Tiarra Tompkins, Paul Simpson, Selas Smith, James Tailor, Aser Jameson,

Katrina Sevilla katrina@arttourinternational.com

ON THE COVER

Get Featured! ArtTour International is delighted to feature artists who are making a difference. We have several ways for you to get featured. Email info@artTourinternational.com for more information.

2020

“The Great Debate (American Flamingos)� by Cher Anderson "Stardust" Oil On Canvas By Jerry Venditti


A Message from our Editor-in-Chief

What happened to the conversation about our planet? This question is on my mind in times when the world is distracted by political events, and a pandemic is taking its toll on humanity. In the meantime, while we take a forced break from our hectic routines, nature seems to be catching up and starting the healing process of its own. Sightings of dolphins on coasts where they had been absent and blooming marine life are giving us a sneak peek of a world without human interference. To support the Green Planet initiative, we are excited and pleased to share our "FALL 2020 - Artists For A Green Planet". It is a publication to celebrate mother earth and artists who bring awareness, making bold statements to protect our planet. This issue is quite close to our heart because it came with added challenges that 2020 has brought. Connecting with people, sharing the message, and making it universal so that every individual can relate and understand it while inviting and featuring artists trying to bring change, stir up people's souls for a brighter and better tomorrow with their art. Our cover story, Cher Anderson, is a master artist who dedicates her life and career to wildlife and environmental conservation. Read my article on Cher, "A Life For Conservation," and enjoy her art and story! We also bring you a selection of top artists from around the globe, art activists who impact the world by bringing awareness. , Brimming with vivid and exclusive images and multimedia articles, this issue celebrates artistic expression's ability to elevate our collective consciousness. For digital readers, this issue, available on iTunes, Magzter, and Issuu, offers you the opportunity to click on breathtaking images and be redirected to the accompanying videos. Let's keep our hopes up, maintain a positive outlook for the time ahead, and pray for those suffering worldwide. While we live in trying times, I believe that a new sunrise is here, and change is around the corner. Let's open our eyes to the beauty surrounding us and spread love, healing, and peace. Let's appreciate our planet and all living things and create a better world for generations to come. Thanks for being part of the ArtTour International Family. I'm glad you're here to share the journey with us.

Stay inspired,

Viviana Puello CEO/Founder ArtTour International Publications, Inc.


Cher Anderson

“My passion for nature’s beauty, chaos and wonder has lead me to create images that bring to life the spirit of what I see in quiet places, and try to make you feel the awe and the

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“A Life For Conservation”

“Touch” Acrylic on Canvas, 35” X 18”

Essence of its Beauty. Life is a miracle – enjoy it, experience it and share it!” - Cher Anderson -

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“Aussie Rosellas (Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo)” Acrylic on Gesso Board, 32” X 24”

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by Viviana Puello

ur cover artist for the Artists For A Green Planet issue is an award-winning naturalist and environmentalist Cher Anderson. She is a wildlife painter and photographer who creates hyper-realistic paintings that explore nature and wildlife themes that mirror her immense love and dedication to the conservation of our planet. Anderson's work is rich in detail and the illusion of movement, often capturing wild animals and showcasing their majestic poses and powers. She makes use of imagery to convey their effect on the human experience. Her intimate relationship with these creatures is seen through her use of light and color. She pays close attention to the details and characteristics that enhance the depiction of her subjects. Cher Anderson's predisposition for wildlife traces back to her childhood years, an inclination that only seems to have grown over time. She has traveled around the world, photographing her subjects in their element. Over the past 20 years, she has experienced, first-hand, the beauty of nature in various ecosystems throughout the globe. According to the artist, once she's back in her studio, she determines which image represents her subject's best moment or behavior and moves on to the painting stage. Intrigued by animal behavior, she describes getting that one perfect photograph to be equivalent to a surge of adrenaline felt by a thrill seeker. “Fire in the Sky” Acrylic on Canvas, 36” X 48” - Reference Photo by Necip Perver

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Anderson's commitment to her art and the natural world, as well as her passion for animals, has been the base of a selfteaching exploration journey that has helped her lead a successful artistic career. Always aiming to share a message of environmental conservation awareness in unique and creative ways, she gives the audience a view into the heart of these magnificent creatures. Her art focuses on their strength, movement, kindness, and grace. She is continuously studying technique from the incredible wildlife artists that she has had the privilege to meet and learn from. Mainly working in watercolors, gouache, and acrylics, she brings her subjects to life. All the while, she remembers her first glance at the animal's eyes, an unforgettable experience that extends to her canvas. Cher Anderson was born in Kingston, New York, and spent her youth in Mexico City. She now resides and works in Chandler,

Arizona, where she has her art studio. Anderson is an avid conservation supporter and a Signature Member and Ambassador of Artists for Conservation, Vancouver, B.C. Anderson has a keen appreciation of natural environments. She has a genuine love for horses, which she breeds and raises in Arizona. True to her wildlife conservation and rehabilitation spirit, Anderson donates most of the proceeds from her art sales to conservation efforts. Cher Anderson is a master artist whose work has reached a level of excellence and outstanding contribution to the art world. As an individual, she is a true inspiration, teaching us, through her art and life journey, about the possibilities of living on this planet with an appreciation and respect for mother nature and all her living forms. Cont. next page

“There are times that through research I find an amazing image that was taken by professional photographers that moves me so much that I seek them out to license it for future paintings. The collaboration with those that have had the ability to reach far away places and work so hard to get the perfect image are just as important as those of us that paint them in the effort to bring their beauty to the public eye whether its for species awareness or simply to show the world their beauty”. - Cher Anderson -

“Pounce!” Acrylic on Canvas, 36” X 48”

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Antarctica G

by Viviana Puello

A Global Meltdown

lacial melting is sounding the alarm of global warming in Antarctica, one of the world's most rapidly warming areas over the past fifty years. Antarctica has experienced air temperature increases of 3°C in the Antarctic Peninsula. Studies show that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is warming at a higher speed than the global ocean as a whole. Researchers suggest that the situation has reached a critical point where glacial melting will accelerate and become irreversible. Nasa's study found that Thwaites glacier could probably flow into the sea and generate a fifty centimeters rise in sea level. Other glaciers are in a similar situation. Global warming is making significant changes to both living and physical environments. The permafrost, which had initially been resilient to warming in the Pole region, is now starting to melt. The measurements confirm that some areas are melting ten times more rapidly than ever before known. Most recent researches have found that the rate of ice loss from Antarctic glaciers has doubled in the last six years and is now five times faster than in the 1990s, creating a significant reduction in thickness at some sites of up to 100 meters. Satellite data has shown that Antarctica has lost as much sea ice in the last four years as the Arctic lost in the last thirtyfour years. While this change is concerning for various reasons, it holds the potential to affect both animals and humans significantly. We're starting to feel the effect through the food chain since the changing habitat has already impacted many species of animals that rely on Antarctica's cold temperatures for survival. Though the full effects are unknown, it is expected to threaten crops, livestock, and aquatic species. These changes can, in turn, affect the availability of food, driving up prices and possibly even making some foods unattainable.

For those that travel around Antarctica for fishing or recreational purposes, the rising ocean will significantly change its weather patterns. Regions and channels known to be safe may become dangerous, a problem that will impact shipping lanes and cause delays. Overall, the two primary changes that we, as humans, will experience are potential food scarcities and higher costs for products obtained overseas. Antarctica is home to animal colonies, which are now in danger with rising temperatures. The distribution of these colonies has already been affected. We will see a decrease in their numbers over time, and some species may even become extinct. As the sea ice conditions keep altering, the distribution of penguin has changed. Melting of perennial snow and ice covers gave way to increased colonization by plants. A decline in Antarctic krill abundance may be associated with reduced sea ice cover and reduced provision for animals that depend on this species to feed. Massive changes have occurred in the ice cover of the Peninsula. Many glaciers and ice shelves have retreated in recent years, and some have collapsed completely. Furthermore, many seals and whales are dependent on the sheets of ice for their food and reproductive purposes. They are in danger of not having access to these sheets, which will also decrease their life expectancy. The minke whale and orca are particularly in jeopardy. The study suggests that those losses in ice can't be regained, even if temperatures return to preindustrial levels. The simulations indicate that temperatures would need to drop to at least 1 degree Celsius below preindustrial times for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to regrow to its modern extent. Global warming in Antarctica is a significant danger, posing a real but sad example of how the rest of the world may be affected. Keeping an open mind and staying informed will help us find ways to contribute individually, as families, and at community levels. Our contribution is more critical than ever; finding local solutions will help with this global crisis. Our responsibility is not only with our planet, the only home we know but with all generations to come.

Antarctic Melting Glacier in a Global Warming Environment Photo Copyright Š Stu Shaw 2019. All rights reserved.

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Polar Bear on Melting Sea Ice Photo Copyright © Benjackson.Photography 2019. All Rights Reserved.

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Shifra Levyathan

“The Blessing of Rain” Photography

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by Viviana Puello

apturing layers of life and a whole new reality, Israeli master artist Shifra Levyathan reveals to us the diversity and colorful personalities of people, old and decrepit buildings, and the grandeur and sophistication of modern architecture. Her photos tell a story – each detail in the scene forms an integral part of the tale.

Her use of intense symbolism and digital alterations are the hallmarks of her brilliant photography, which continues to win over many art enthusiasts worldwide. Embodying a combination of excellent technique with a profound desire to help make the world a better place, Shifra Levyathan is undoubtedly one of the greatest photographers of our times.

www.shifralev.com

In Levyathan's works, the viewer discovers a new level of thought with each glance. She captures beautiful details like parts of the city's architecture that go overlooked by passersby, the fantastic colors of the light hitting the skyline, and scenes of human interactions that strike us all with a profound message, finding and understanding the beauty of ordinary things and everyday scenes. Capturing lines, shadows, textures, and light, her works highlight otherwise invisible aspects that give insight into social, cultural, and sometimes economic facets of an urban setting. In her technique, photographs are subjected to digital alterations that blend with realism to convey her message. The computer-aided alterations add a twist to the images, seemingly like recounting a story that has already been told by the environment. Her artist's soul is drawn to subdued color, reflections, and vacant spaces. Shifra Levyathan's uncanny eye for beautiful, animated scenery and scenarios sets her apart from the average photographer. She utilizes surreal scenery to document reality and send a profound message of awareness on the state of humanity and its world. “The Essence of Life” Photography

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New release!

Shifra Levyathan

MY INNER EYE PHOTOGRAPHY Enjoy extraordinary urban photography and surrealist imagery by the lens of Shifra Levyathan. A mesmerizing selection from ten years of photography by this award-winning urban photographer that brings you to different corners of the globe to experience the world as she sees it. "I love to take photos of life around me, of people and also of Nature. But most of all I love to create a new reality. Those are the photographs I create in my computer. The result of what I see in my imagination. I think that nowadays it is difficult to be very original. Yet I think that every photographer has his own nuances and unique eye. I hope that my personal eye, my inner eye with which I create the world I have in my imagination is mine alone. You are herewith invited to share it with me". - Shifra Levyathan

“Ghosts of War 07” 2013-2014

“The Solution” 2015

“The One Who Went Away” 2015 - 2018

Published in Israel by Matar Publishing House Ltd. www.matarbooks.co.il

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Reducing and Reusing Basics

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by Viviana Puello

common misconception when thinking about reducing one's waste footprint is the belief that recycling paper, plastic, aluminum cans, and glass bottles is the best way to do it. In reality, recycling ranks only third in the most impactful ways to reduce material waste. The actual order is: Reduce, Reuse, and then Recycle. Each is beneficial, but placing them in this priority order helps us improve our material waste impact. While a lot of us recognize the importance of recycling and reusing, reducing actually offers the most benefit to our environment and our pockets! What is Reducing all about? It's about reducing your consumption to reduce your overall waste footprint. Each consumer good is created with multiple products and materials. All those materials and products require energy not only during their creation but also during their transport to you, the consumer. Thus, by reducing our usage of products, we eliminate multiple channels of energy. This is the reason that purchasing your groceries from local markets reduces gas and packaging waste, and allows you to help the economy of your local farmers.

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Reuse Reusing goods is a great help to eliminate the demand for the manufacturing of new goods, while reducing the energy that goes into recycling. Next time you feel like you're done with an item, remember that it could still be useful to someone else. Hence, donating clothing and household goods to your closest thrift stop allows for the creation of more jobs and help for someone else to find items for a fraction of the price. Recycle Recycling is the best way to help keep material from the landfill. Be conscious when you purchase any item to make sure it can be recycled or reuse it. Go for the best option: to buy articles made of recyclable materials, whenever possible. A great economic benefit of recycling is a growing industry that continuously creates new jobs for the research and processing of recycled materials and also for the manufacturing of new environmentally friendly products. We can all implement a conscious environmentally friendly lifestyle by keeping in mind this list of priorities— reduce, reuse, recycle. By doing so, you will be reducing your waste footprint and help us preserve our planet, our only home.

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Going Green in Your Art Studio

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by Livia Owens

hat can artists do to reduce their carbon footprint without interfering with their creativity? Here are eight simple actions artists you can take right now to start going green: 1. Reuse, Reinvent, Recycle Some of the most famous artwork has been created using discarded, odd items (Duchamp's Fountain, for example) 2. Purchase Supplies from Eco-friendly Art Stores You'll find bamboo products, recycled paper, and drawing pencils made with reforested wood at these green shops.

pieces of cardboard. You can also reuse packing material to pack your products for mailing. 7. Avoid Using Aerosols and Spray Paint Supplies Aerosols no longer contain chlorofluorocarbons. Instead, this toxic chemical has been replaced by volatile organic compounds that damage the environment. 8. Energize Your Studio with Solar Power Small artist studios can be easily powered by installing solar panels on the roof. Besides, relying on solar power to illuminate your art studio can save thousands of dollars in energy bills.

3. Preserving Acrylic Paints Avoid throwing out dried acrylic paint unnecessarily by sealing paint in plastic wrap, palette lids, or impermeable containers. 4. Properly Dispose of Paint Never flush unusable paint down the toilet or dump them into sinks. Also, never toss artist paints in dumpsters or outdoor garbage cans where animals and pets can access them. Improper disposal of art supplies that are not ecofriendly can poison the soil and plants and reduce clean water access. 5. Reuse Panels and Canvases By Painting Over Unwanted Artwork Recycling old paintings done on canvas by painting over them can inspire you to create something in bolder colors needed to conceal old paint. 6. Recycle Packaging Materials Get creative with bubble wrap, cardboard boxes, Styrofoam, and other paper items to mail things. Cut up large cardboard boxes and practice painting or drawing creative ideas on

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