Source: Cairns Post
A CAIRNS artist claims he has been given two blocks of land within the Amazon rainforest for free.
Contemporary mixed media artist Rod Ramage recently returned from a trip to Brazil, where he said a town authority offered him 200m x 100m of cleared land to establish an artists’ retreat to help others appreciate the beauty of the rainforest.
Mr Ramage said the town of Curua, within the Brazilian state of Para in the northern region of the country, gave him the land for free.
"They gave it to me for nothing," Mr Ramage said.
"They are looking for ways to inject income into that area."
Mr Ramage, who embarked on an 11,000km travelling art exhibition around Australia in 2004 and again in 2006, funded his own study tour to Brazil two years ago after watching news stories on television about the plight of the Amazon rainforest.
"I thought oh my god, what if I could do something better in my art exhibition and become someone more unique," he said.
"In Far North Queensland I used the rainforest as my paint palette.
"The Amazon is the biggest paint palette I could ever have in my hand."
Funding of the retreat will come through sales of Mr Ramage’s artwork.
The artist said once his retreat was completed, it would enable locals to paint souvenirs for tourists, recycle materials for sculptures in order to beautify the region, and paint wall murals depicting the Amazon way of life.
Mr Ramage said it took much negotiating with the town authority before it agreed to help him with his vision.
"It took a lot of talking and a lot of showing who I am," Mr Ramage said.