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Steward of the Week: Curt Redden
By FishRecycler | November 23, 2011
Curt Redden is a generous supporter of Recycled Fish – his work was featured as the 2010 holiday card, and a variety of his works are awards in the annual 24 Hour Fish-A-Thon. But he also won a most beautiful legs contest?
Curt Redden appreciates the beauty of the outdoors, and knows the magnificence of a big fish. He is grateful for the memories of the fight with a big fish. How does he choose to remember this experience? By putting its image on canvas.
Curt paints trophy fish in exact size and also captures beautiful images of nature for those who witness them to remember. One thing he takes exceptional joy in painting is a big fish caught by a child.
“The excitement of landing a giant trophy is something that will turn a kid into a lifetime nature fanatic,” he says. “And that’s a very good thing for our planet.”
Something that became very apparent to me was Curt’s significant respect for nature and specifically, a fish that chooses to bend a fishing rod.
“I’m a catch and release fan,” he explains. “I figure if a fish is smart enough to reach a huge size, I shouldn’t be the one to end that contribution to the gene pool.”
Curt is a retired University Vice President who finally has time to travel, fish and enjoy the outdoors. He’s an avid boater and has seen some of the most beautiful waterways of the world, including a recent trip to Alaska. He considers the views he enjoyed in Alaska a growing exception however.
“I have been dismayed by the pollution and impact of overpopulation,” Curt recalls, “particularly around water in America.” This, and the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, has inspired Curt to use his paintings to remind people what we could lose if we don’t take our responsibilities to protect our environment seriously.
“I hope my art will bring some appreciation of the raw beauty of nature,” he explains, “that an emphasis on catch and release for trophy fish will help conserve our fisheries and that this and future generations learn that to enjoy nature means leaving it natural.”
I like to get to know our Steward of the Week recipients better by asking them something about themselves that might be unique about them, that maybe not everyone knows. Curt’s replied to this and I had to read it back to myself a few times. In college, he entered a beauty contest, in which he wore a (unknown comic) bag over his head, net stockings, and a short skirt. He won The Most Beautiful Legs Competition twice. I did not ask him for any pictures backing up this story. Maybe if this painting thing doesn’t work out….
Curt’s wife, Petra Schneider-Redden is no slouch either. She is a plastic and general surgeon, musician, fluent in several languages, serves on many charitable and medical boards. Of of her many hobbies, she is a certified open water diver and underwater photographer. That led to her taking photos that are on our website or or used by me for inspiration for painting underwater scenes. Most recent shots are taken on the Redden’s annual trip to Grand Cayman where they dive with The Ambassadors of the Environment, a program hosted by the Costeau family.
Ultimately, Curt wishes to share with people he meets fishing and painting the importance of reducing litter and pollution, specifically on our waters and their surrounding banks. He hopes that education, changing attitudes and technology can help. His paintings certainly inspire a changing of our attitudes towards our precious natural environments and encourage us to education ourselves. He believes technology can help hold those accountable who abuse our world. Game cameras to catch illegal dumping and the use of a cell phone camera on a license plate of someone littering out their window are two examples he cited of this.
“The electronic age will give us miraculous tools to protect our environment,” he says. “Let’s muster the courage to use them.”
Want to see some beautiful artwork of fish and nature? Visit Curt’s website at http://fishportraits.com or http://redden.artspan.com. Petra contributes underwater photography to accompany Curt’s fantastic collection of paintings. They’ve recently added a section called Nature, inspired by the creatures most threatened by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill. Curt encourages you to leave any feedback on the website or you can email him at fish.portraits@comcast.net. Recommendations for fish or animals not included on the site, as well as ways that he can help Recycled Fish or other environmental causes are also encouraged.
In order to have Curt paint you a picture of your big fish you have to go out and catch a big fish. As he suggests, “Take a kid fishing, get a photo of your catch, let the fish go back to fight another day and I’ll paint you a memory!” All you need from there is an empty space on your wall.
Topics: Recycled Fish | 1 Comment »
November 24th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
I love the sentiment and paintings. It would cap off the story nicely if the photo showed someone handling a fish with catch and release in mind. The fingers up the gill pose is clearly not “fish friendly” nor does it convey proper handling techniques for catch and release.