Robert Clark
ROBERT CLARK is a freelance photographer based in New York City, working with the world's leading magazines, publishers and cutting edge advertising campaigns, as well as the author of four monographs: EvolutionA Visual Record, Feathers Displays of Brilliant Plumage, First Down Houston A Year with the Houston Texans and Image America - the first photography book shot solely with a cellphone camera. During his twenty-year association with National Geographic, Clark has photographed more than 40 stories. His cover article "Was Darwin Wrong?" helped National Geographic garner a National Magazine award in 2005. Early in his career, Clark documented the lives of high school football players for the book Friday Night Lights. In 2003, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston brought Clark back to Texas to capture the first year of the new NFL team, the Houston Texans. Clark recently directed the short film "8 Seconds" as part of an advertorial campaign for Russell Athletic. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughter, and is the owner of Ten Ton Studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yards. He can be followed on Instagram.
3 things Nature taught you?
Patience
The awesome power of geological evolution
How fragile it all is when we ignore it
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Joshua Tree
The Kluane National Park, Canada
The Andes, above the Sacred Valley
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Full of possibilities
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
I find forests spooky.
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
I repelled into Vesuvio for a National Geographic story and it made me feel the power of Nature at awe of the amount of force that was released in the blasts from the volcano.
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
I think about good light for photography, and either way it is a new beginning.
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Reminds me of my childhood in Western Kansas.
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Running in Western Kansas, it is always windy in my home town.
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
l love the desert.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
Increasingly more important after living in Brooklyn for so long.
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
My home was on the Monarch butterfly migration route, I remember going to a creek in a park and sitting down and having the butterflies cover me from head to toe.
Chef Nyesha J. Arrington
A former apprentice of legendary French Chef Joel Robuchon, Nyesha is celebrated for her advocacy of using farm fresh, locally, and responsibly sourced ingredients.
In 2012, she was recognized by Zagat.com as one of the 30 Under 30 - LA's Hottest Up-And-Comers as well as Where LA's top talent under30. She was also profiled in LA Weekly's People issue as one of the most 69 interesting people to watch in 2012. In 2013 she won the cooking competition show Knife Fight on Esquire Network and later returned to Knight Fight in 2014 as a Guest Chef Judge. In 2015, Nyesha crafted the creative cooking vision behind Progressive California Cuisine at LEONA, in the heart of Venice, CA. During her tenure with LEONA, GQ Magazine named Arrington’s Hibiscus-Cured Yellowtail dish “ Most Sexy of 2016 ”, and Nyesha was also awarded the title of " Chef of the Year " - EATER LA. In 2016 Chef Arrington was awarded “Top 10 Dish of Los Angeles 2016” - Jonathan Gold .
Currently, Nyesha continues to innovate by drawing inspiration from her diverse cultural background and French-technique while maintaining her mission to spread the message of love through food using every plate as a new canvas of creation.
3 words to describe Nature?
Life, Inspiration, Seasonal
3 things Nature taught you?
Respect, Culture, Lifecycle
3 most treasured Nature spots?
1 Vasquez rocks
2 Poppy fields antelope valley
3 Monkey canyon ( hidden waterfall)
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Zen
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Rooted
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Respect
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
At peace
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Vulnerable
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Like a pilar
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean for sure!
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
Fishing with my Dad is one my my favorite childhood memories. I remember going out to lakes and catching my first fish made me feel powerful. I'll never forget the respect for life I learned those days.
Carine Clark
CARINE CLARK serves on the Executive Board of Silicon Slopes. She has decades of experience building successful software companies and most recently was the CEO of MaritCX, Allegiance Software and CMO of Symantec.
She has been recognized with numerous awards, including being inducted into the Utah Technology Council Hall of Fame, named 2016 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Utah Region, and 2015 CEO of the Year by Utah Business magazine. She was ranked by ExecRank as #47 of all CMO’s worldwide in 2012. Clark received her bachelor’s degree in organizational communications as well as a master’s degree in business administration.
In 2012 Carine was diagnosed with a rare form of Ovarian Cancer. She did 18 months of treatment and is nearly 5 years clear from her toughest chemo. She works as an advocate for cancer research, works with newly diagnosed patients and mentors many young people in her spare time. This summer she will be riding on the Hunstman Cancer’s Survivor team at the Little Red Bike race. She’s hopelessly devoted to the men in her life: her husband of 34 years and her two amazing sons. She’ll tell you she’s the most blessed human on the planet.
3 words to describe Nature?
Captivating, Breathtaking, Peace
3 things Nature taught you?
1. That the planet is glorious.
2. That nature has a soul and a personality.
3. That she can delight in the smallest and biggest ways.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
1. Napali Coast in Kauai, Hawaii
2. Zions Canyon in Southern Utah
3. The Pennine Alps which includes Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn.
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Anxious - the power scares me and yet I'm drawn to it.
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Protected.
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Awestruck that the planet is creating new parts of the planet.
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Happy to still be on the planet. I try to watch the sunrise everyday over Mt. Timpanogos in Utah.
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Alive. I can watch it for hours.
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Like it's trying to tell me a story with highs and lows.
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Mountain.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
Can I say 20? I get super cranky when I can't get outside every day.
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
When I was 10 my parents would alternate summer weekends between Virginia Beach and the Blue Ridge Mountains. I remember sleeping in a tent in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the pouring rain and staying up all night listening to the rhythm of the rain not wanting to fall a sleep and not wanting it to stop. I was warm, safe and dry but I felt like I was inside the rain clouds listening to the rain in the forrest.
Davis Smith
DAVIS SMITH is the founder and CEO of Cotopaxi, an outdoor gear brand with a humanitarian mission. He is also a member of the eight-person United Nations Foundation's Global Entrepreneurs Council. Davis is a serial entrepreneur who previously started Baby.com.br, Brazil’s Startup of the Year in 2012. Davis holds an MBA from the Wharton School, an MA from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA from BYU. Davis is an adventurer who has visited 70 countries. He has floated down the Amazon on a self-made raft, camped in the Sahara Desert, kayaked from Cuba to Florida, and explored North Korea.
3 words to describe Nature?
Raw, Fragile, Inspiring
3 things Nature taught you?
I began spending time in the outdoors before I can remember, but some of my first lessons learned while adventuring with my father are that:
1. Nature needs to be respected because while infinitely beautiful, it will eat you alive.
2. In my lowest moments, nature has lifted me up and inspired me.
3. I’ve always felt that nature has shown me that there is something bigger than myself. Spending time in the outdoors connects me with things that are truly important.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
1. The red rock canyons of Southern Bolivia, where I lived for a number of years as a young adult.
2. Cotopaxi national park in Ecuador, where I spent some of my childhood and early teen years.
3. The Wasatch Mountains that tower above Salt Lake City, where I currently live.
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel…?
Small and vulnerable.
When you see a forest, it makes you feel…?
Safe, overwhelmed with beautiful sounds, smells and sights.
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel…?
Humbled and melancholy (I grew up in the Andes surrounded by amazing volcanos which I often summited with my father).
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel…?
Overwhelming joy. Is there anything that can fill a heart or bring a smile faster?
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel…?
An urge to run and duck for cover!
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel…?
Somewhat intimidated, but I love the sound when I’m in a tent.
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
I’ve spent eight years living in the Caribbean, so I’m obsessed with the ocean. I love kayak touring, diving, snorkeling, spearfishing and camping on the beach. That said, I’ve lived in Utah for a number of years now and have really grown to love the mountains.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is to your well-being?
8. I love the outdoors, but I own an outdoor gear brand and have a small family, both which keep me indoors quite often. I’ve found that surrounded by people I love, I can also get immense joy even when not outdoors.
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
Some of my fondest memories as a child were spending time adventuring with my dad. We once built our own raft and floated down the Amazon river fishing for piranha. We also survived on uninhabited islands in the Caribbean, spearing fish with home-made spears. My brother and I spent hours every day exploring and building forts in the jungle behind our home when we lived in Puerto Rico. My childhood is full of memories in nature. Most incredibly pleasant, but some memories are of times that were terrifying and scary. It was those moments, however, that gave me such a deep respect for nature and taught me to respect it and always be prepared for the worst.
Hiroko Demichelis
HIROKO I. DEMICHELIS holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and one in an Applied Positive Psychology (University of East London, Uk). She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, she is certified in neurofeedback and in EMDR. She is trained in Mindfulness (Bangor University) and she is an advocate for modern meditation. She is the owner of the Vancouver Brain Lab, a clinical practice dedicated to support individuals to heal, flourish and reach their potential. Also, She is the co-founder of Moment Meditation, a project based on science based meditation. She is the proud mom of Blanca, she loves good Italian fashion, design and gelato.
3 words to describe Nature?
Pristine, astonishing, restorative.
3 things Nature taught you?
You cannot stop the wind with your hands, everything shifts and nothing stays the same. When in the quicksand, stop fighting and try to float
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Third Beach. Whyteclyff park (the little island you can only reach w low tide), a secret little fall on the way to Whistler
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
The sound of the waves calms whatever storm is happening in my brain. I swim in the ocean all year long. I go and I scream out loud (it is soo cold so to distract myself I scream: "it's tropical!!!" ). It feels like a hug!
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Forests feels like a crowd of friends!
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Volcano! I have only seen Mount Etna in Sicily from afar. It made me feel like I should always be humble!
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
A wonderful holiday in the BVI. Romantic. ;-)
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Childhood in Venice, where everything shakes!
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Safe if I am cosy at home.
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean, big time.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
9. A lot.
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
My childhood was spent in Venice, Italy. We have a very special type of nature is Venice as it is surrounded by a lagoon. One of my best memories is being on my dad's rowing boat, in the lagoon, my mom and dad chatting, playing guitar, drinking wine with friends, and us children watching the stars.