2008 Olympics artist Wyland to paint Whaling Wall Mural in celebration of the International Year of the Reef 2008
Washington, DC. May 21, 2008 - Acclaimed marine life artist and conservation advocate Wyland has slated the city of North Lauderdale for the penultimate mural in his internationally renowned Whaling Wall art project. The artist's goal over the last twenty-five years has been to raise awareness about marine life conservation and global water issues through his Whaling Walls, a series of 100 murals - some as large as a hectare in size — in more than 70 cities throughout the world.
"This has been a fantastic journey," the artist said. "When I started this project more than two decades ago, I never would have dreamed the project would be where it is today."
An avid SCUBA diver, Wyland has seen changes among the reefs he has dived over the last thirty years. His 10 foot by 1000 foot mural at 7399 McNabb Road will be seen by millions of people every year, as a testament to the importance of protecting coral reefs around the world for future generations. The artist will paint this mural to celebrate the ICRI International Year of the Reef 2008, a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs and threats to their sustainability, and to motivate people to take action to protect them.
The artist's work has garnered him a place in the Guinness Book for World Records, his own show on Discovery Channel's "Animal Planet Network," and a place on the front lines for preserving marine life throughout the world. He is the author of more than 18 books, including "Hold Your Water: 68 Things You Need to Know to Keep Our Planet Blue," and his non-profit Wyland Foundation is actively involved in clean water education. He has been recognized by the United Nations for his conservation efforts, and recently finished the fourth year of a fiveyear campaign promoting clean water issues throughout the United States. This year, as an official artist for the 2008 United States Olympic Team, Wyland has raised awareness about the "Green Olympics," an international movement to focus attention on the environment during the Olympic year.
An opening ceremony will kick-off Wyland's work at 12 p.m. on June 6, followed by a dedication ceremony upon completion of the mural at 12 p.m. on June 14.
The event streaming live on a webcam is available at: http://skyicam.truelook.com/skyicam/face/newface.jsp?name=/skyicam/unit1&func=live&skin=Wyland99&overlay=default
Relevant Web Sites:
- International Year of the Reef 2008: http://www.iyor.org
- International Coral Reef Initiative: http://www.icriforum.org/
- Wyland Foundation: www.wylandfoundation.org
Editors:
For images, articles, and background, visit the media pages www.wylandfoundation.org
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