ARTIST’S STATEMENT REGARDING WILDLIFE
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	"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way in which its animals are treated."    Mahatma Gandhi.

 

"Wildlife is an important part in my quest for meaning and truth.  There is so much we can learn from animals.  To understand nature is to understand ourselves, as animals tend to mirror humans.  By studying nature, we can get in touch with our instinctive powers. As in Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self Reliance" he states, "Society never advances. It recedes as fast on one side as it gains on the other."   "For everything that is given something is taken. Society acquire new arts and loses old instincts."   In this fast-changing world where people are losing their identities, they can reconnect and be grounded once again through studying animal medicine.

I believe that when you connect with an animal, if it appears over and over again to you, study it and say, " What is this animal trying to teach me?"

I support the preservation of wildlife. Recently a friend urged me to "be a voice for those who do not have a voice." This inspired me to present a heavily researched study before a NM State Legislative Committee in an effort to stop a bill that would allow the killing of 34 cougars a year for the next five years.

I care about all life. My wildlife images are painted for all to enjoy. When beating the drum, like the heartbeat, it breathes life into the animal that is represented and lets their spirit soar. "    Giovanna Paponetti

Giovanna's early interest in nature began as a young child. She was nurtured by her grandfather, Jacob Lass, who frequently took her to the Bronx Zoo (see photographs below.)

Now some of her happiest moments are spent hiking in the lush mountains surrounding Taos, where she can observe wildlife in its natural habitat.