- Wyland
Robert Wyland (born. 1956 in
Detroit, Michigan ), known simply as Wyland, is an artist best known for painting large, outdoormural s ofwhale s and other ocean life.He grew up in
Madison Heights, Michigan and attendedLamphere High School . His 25th "whaling wall" is in the pool area of the high school. His parents Darlene Wyland and Bob Wyland divorced when he was four. He has brothers Steve, Bill, and Tom.Wyland also painted a dome on the roof of his alma mater at Lamphere High School during the fall of 1999. That same fall, the dome was vandalized by members of Lamphere's rival high school, Madison High School. Wyland's vandalized painting was consequently covered up with a white coat of paint, and remains that way to this day.
Wyland divides his time between
Oahu ,Hawaii ;Laguna Beach ,California ; andFlorida . He had established a goal of painting 100 Whaling Walls by2011 . He reached his goal in 2008 by creating his 100th Whaling Wall in Beijing China to celebrate the [Green Olympics] .In June 2006, Wyland painted a mural on a wall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds for the annual "Del Mar Fair" while locals watched him work.
Since 2003, the Wyland Foundation has embarked on a five-year touring schedule to promote art, science, and conservation. The program has reached children along the East Coast, West Coast, and the Mississippi River regions. To date, the Wyland Foundation has conducted tour events in more than 35 states, Mexico, and Canada, reaching more than 50 million people. In 2007, the artist, along with science educators and volunteers, conducted a national tour for clean water, themed, "From Pike's Peak to the Chesapeake Bay — Every Drop Counts," to raise awareness through art and science about protecting watersheds nationwide. Activities include water quality testing at rivers, bays and lakes, a pledge drive to reduce water waste, mural painting with children, life-size mazes about water conservation, and a 1,000 square foot clean water learning center on wheels, featuring exhibits about the future of river management, lake regions, estuaries, and wetlands.
Background
As a child he started to have interest in painting and being an artist at the age of 3. One of the people that influenced Wyland was Captain
Jacques Cousteau . Wyland as a child also wanted to be a scientist and study marine life just like Captain Cousteau, which he is also today. Captain Cousteau is still the main influence in Wyland’s belief in caring for the environment. Wyland first encountered the adoration of whales when he saw a TV show hosted by Captain Cousteau about whales. After watching the show he said he wanted to know how to dive and visit the whales in their environment. Wyland became known as an artist when he began painting large whale murals. In college Wyland majored in painting and sculpting. His teacher in college recommended that Wyland should move on and travel to California where he could develop his art. Wyland currently lives in Hawaii, which is where he spends much of his time. In Hawaii, he once swam with whales that were 40 ton giants.ee also
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List of Whaling Walls External links
* [http://www.wyland.com Wyland's official website]
* [http://www.wylandfoundation.org Wyland Foundation official website]
* [http://www.wylandoceanchallenge.org/index.cfm Wyland Ocean Challenge]
* [http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/ Birch Aquarium at Scripps]
* [http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/ Scripps Institution of Oceanography]
* [http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-10-6/60435.html Epoch Times article about "Every Drop Counts" Tour]
* [http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/14461893.htm Wyland asked to pay for giving art work for free.]
*(http://www.wylandsayville.com Newest Wyland Gallery opens in Sayville, NY)
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