Thrity ‘3t’ Vakil
Biography.
3t, born of Zoroastrian parents in Kenya, East Africa, has been an avid explorer of the natural world and her travels have taken her all over Europe, India, Nepal, east and north Africa, and USA. Her painting and digital work have documented her travels.
Since 2000, 3t lives in the Puerto Rican rainforest where she is Director of Tropic Ventures Rainforest Enrichment Project in Puerto Rico, and is involved in tree research, identification, selection for harvest, logging, sawing operations and the marketing and selling of sustainably-grown and harvested valuable hardwood trees. On-going projects include ethnobotany of the area, the establishment of an educational trail through the rainforest, vine identification and uses, frog and lizard studies, bee-keeping, and agroforestry.
She has been an Associate of The Institute of Ecotechnics since the early nineties, and has hands-on experience in various fields of research, ecology, business, arts, theater and management. She spent two years as a diver researching coral reefs in the Red Sea & Indian Ocean on the RV Heraclitus, and for four years co-managed a 500 tree organic fruit orchard, in the high desert near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In addition, 3t enjoys an extensive background in theater, and, as an artist, 3t is an accomplished painter, web & graphic designer, documentarian & photographer. 3T has shown various artworks works since 2000 at the October Gallery, London, UK, in several well-known Transvangard shows. She is currently exhibiting her “Eye On The Rainforest” Series in various venues in Puerto Rico, highlighting her work and learning in the rainforest.
In January 2008, 3t was elected as a fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science.
Thrity '3T' Vakil
CV
To Present
2007- Director, Institute of Ecotechnics, (U.S.A. Not-for-profit, U.K. Educational Charity)
2007 - President, Tropic Ventures Education & Research Foundation, Puerto Rico.
2006 - Director, Tropic Ventures Rainforest Enrichment & Sustainable Forestry Project, Puerto Rico.
Painter and digital artist. The Artwork of 3T Vakil
1999 - 2005
Tropic Ventures Rainforest Enrichment Project, Puerto Rico:
Field assistant, and Field Team leader in research areas including: tree identification, tree surveys, tree planting, data collection, biodiversity studies, and frog studies. Manager and crew member of planning, selective felling, & hauling operations, sawing of wood, drying wood, marketing, selling lumber and high-end valuable hardwood products. Project website designer, newsletter editor, and photographic documentor. Responsible for homestead, logistics, safety, and team management. Youth group task co-ordinator, management and leadership.
Synergia Ranch, Santa Fe, New Mexico: Co-Manager of Organic Fruit Farm. Design & implementation of drip irrigation system for 500 fruit trees and all aspects of tree care (including pruning, thinning fruit, application of organic treatments for pest control, disease and blight research, composting, harvesting, marketing & selling of fruit). Website design.
Synergetic Press Publishing Company, Santa Fe, NM: Research Artist, web design & marketing.
Institute of Ecotechnics, Global Ecotechnics: Web-design, Archive manager.
Painter and digital artist.
1997 - 1999
3T spent several months traveling, painting & exploring in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania & Zanzibar, East Africa. She lived for short periods, in San Francisco, California, & Ashland, Oregon, and Bellevue, Washington, working as a visual artist.
1995 - 1997 Coral Reef Research
As Assistant Expedition Chief , 3T spent two years on the Indian Ocean and South East Asia Expedition, on board the RV Heraclitus, (an ocean going vessel built by the Institute of Ecotechnics). Main coral reefs studied were off the coasts of Egypt, Oman, the Maldives, the Seychelles, and Kenya.
The study of each reef comprised of four major data gathering missions:
a)Vitareef data on at least 2,000 coral colonies on the reef, identified to genus.
b)Video/Photo Transects on at least 5 x 20 meter 2-banded transect lines.
c)Mapping of the reef outline and ecological zones within using GPS satellite technology.
d)Identification and population counts for fishes and indicator invertebrate species.
e) Collection of coral cores for Earth Observatory, NY.
f) Turtle surveys and trash surveys on isolated islands.
Other responsibilities included becoming an able-bodied seaman with practical hands-on experience in all aspects of seamanship: navigation, rigging, sailing, diving, basic engineering, maintenance, cuisine, team management, data entry, report writing, instigating cultural exchanges, performances, slideshows and fundraisers in nearly all of the ports visited on the expedition.
1986-1994
Apprentice Scenic Artist to Master Scenic Artist, Mary Coxon, England, Ireland, and Scotland.
Scenic Artist – London, West End theater, National Tours, and Repertory theater, UK.
Designer and Chief Scenic Artist for the Academy of Live & Recorded Arts, London, UK.
Chief Scenic Artist for Apollo Leisure Theater Production Company, UK.
Co-founder of ‘Dandy Fellows’ – production design for rave & corporate ambient events, UK.
Two years travelling in India and Nepal.
Member of The 'Zippy Pronoia Tour to US'.
Ambient Architect (designer of spaces, settings, drapes, backdrops, lights, projections and costumed performers) – alternative arts/rave/information/fringe scene, UK.
House Manager- October Gallery, London, UK.
Educational Qualifications:
1980s
7 O-levels – Pelham High School, London, UK
3 A-levels – South Thames College, London, UK
Art & Design Foundation Diploma – Wimbledon School of Art, London, UK
BA (Hons) 3-Dimensional Theater Design – Nottingham, UK
Languages: Main- English; learning Spanish; some French, Gujarati, Hindi, & Swahili.
Computer program skills: Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Office.
Websites & Design:
Tropic Ventures Rainforest Enrichment & Sustainable Forestry Project
The Institute of Ecotechnics
Global Ecotechnics
Biosphere 2
The Spice Caravan
