http://www.ocean-institute.org
Wyland Paints in Studio
Renowned artist and conservationist, Wyland, in partnership with GCA Santa Barbara and Richmond Productions, received four Silver Telly Awards in the People’s Choice category, the highest award issued. For its 31st season, The Telly Awards joined forces with YouTube to give the public the power to view and rate videos for the first ever People’s Telly Awards.
“It was great to win the People’s choice awards,” remarked Wyland, “and it was even greater to win with my friends at the Ocean Institute: [Institute President] Dan Stetson, [filmmaker] Earl Richmond and [GCA head] Greg Goggin. They made it happen.”
The short videos capture Wyland, who is best known for his giant marine life murals around the world, painting beautiful simple lines on a canvas of glass. Describing his marine life subjects while painting, Wyland delivers messages of natural history and conservation concerns like no one else can. The “People’s Choice” awards recognized a series that included a shark, blue whale, wave and a music video with environmental musician and long-time Laguna Beach resident, Nick Hernandez (Nick I).
Wyland’s glass art series was also accepted into the 2010 International Blue Ocean Film Festival held in Monterey, California and is finalist in the non-broadcast category. “A lot of really great people will be there to celebrate great films and my boyhood hero Jacques Cousteau,” commented Wyland. Other finalists joining the Wyland and Ocean Institute team include National Geographic Television, Disney Nature and BBC.
The inspiration for the Wyland Glass Art Series came from a 1950 black and white film of Picasso painting on glass. Sixty years later, Wyland picked up the brush and painted whales, dolphins, sharks and more, in a special studio constructed at the Ocean Institute.
To add to Wyland’s creative palette, a green screen was used as a backdrop in this modern version of educational art. Earl Richmond’s high definition marine life images are added in postproduction and the end result is a short environmental message presented as art and supported by science.
“The kids really love them and we’re adding them to our message brought to Orange County schools through the Wyand Ocean Institute Mobile Learning Center. I’m proud that I can blend art and science in a way that’s always fun, and at best inspiring.”
Founded in 1977, the Ocean Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to ocean preservation through education, setting the standard for educational excellence and serving as a leading resource for universities, museums, teachers and all others seeking to increase their knowledge of the ocean. The Ocean Institute is open to the general public on weekends, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Cost: $6.50 adults, $4.50 children (ages 4-12), Ocean Institute members free. Unique maritime and ocean-themed items are available in the Chambers Gallery everyday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Institute address: 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr., Dana Point. Website: www.ocean-institute.org. Phone: (949) 496-2274.
