Wyland’s Whaling Walls have been painted in 13 countries around the world and 31 states across America. Wyland is highly recognized for his amazing attributes to the arts as a painter, sculptor, photographer, and philanthropist. The extraordinary works of Wyland capture the beauty of our great whales and remind the residents of the cities they’re created in of their existence and importance.

Two themes of Wyland’s work are the magnificence of marine life and environmental conservation. Through his artwork, he conveys the grace and magnificence of marine creatures and aims to inspire curiosity and appreciation for the diversity and grandeur of sea life. With his Whaling Walls, he invites his viewers to connect with the aquatic world and develop an appreciation for the creatures and environments found under the sea. While prompting his viewers to gain an appreciation for our ocean environments, he also stresses the importance of preserving them. Through his murals, he raises awareness about the fragility of these creatures and the necessity of conservation.

Wyland’s story begins in Laguna Beach, California. Although he is a Michigan native, his artistic journey began on a childhood trip to Laguna Beach where he had his first experience with the ocean and its great whales. This trip inspired his artistic journey, beginning with sculptures, then paintings, then his decades-long journey of painting 100 Whaling Walls around the world; including the 3 pieces featured in this book. The first of these featured pieces was “The Gray Whale Family”, which like the same suggests; depicts a gray whale pod. This mural was painted in 1984 and is located in White Rock, Canada. It was made in honor of the Gray Whale species and Wyland’s conservation movement. The next of these murals was “A-5 Pod”, inspired by the unique and majestic orcas that inhabit the waters surrounding Victoria, British Columbia. It was painted in 1987, just a couple of years after his first mural, but was the 13th complete wall in its lengthy succession. The last of the 100 Whaling Walls to be painted was the international piece, “Hands Across the Oceans”. This mural was part of a collaborative project for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to celebrate the creativity children of children, the arts, and our marvelous oceans. Today, all these murals serve as a reminder to the cities they’re located in of the brilliance and significance of our oceanic environments, and the importance of preserving the life that inhabits them and conserving them for future generations.

Wyland and his murals play an integral role in inspiring conservation amongst his viewers. With his murals often being located in urban environments, he gives the opportunity for passers-by to be momentarily transported away from their bustling city lives to a serene world of aquatic solitude. With today’s society being more enveloped in their work in order to meet their rigid means of survival, the fate of their oceans is the furthest thing from their minds. This medium of narration, although unconventional, is effective in reminding his audience of the significance of marine conservation, internationally.