Art Gallery

Arctic Bliss

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:05:11 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 36

Bottlenose Bolero

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:18:50 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 36

Few dances are as sensual as the Bolero. Few species are as sensual as the dolphin. They glide effortlessly through their "oceanic ballroom" with grace and poise; enough to leave championship dancers wishing for weightlessness.

Dolphins by nature caress one another; teasing and taunting their mates, engaging them in a "dance" we can only dream of ever performing. When they dance, we as spectators can simply take notes.

Bubble Streams

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:42:41 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 18

Dolphin calves stay close to their mothers for quite a while when they are young. One purpose of a bubble stream is not only to keep their little ones in line, but also to teach them about survival and the other ways of the world.

This piece was created for a friend and fellow Dolphin lover who had just graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in special education (FAU was my alma mater, as well - GO OWLS).

It only made sense for me to create a piece that not only had a mother and calf, but placing them in context to her life as well. Good luck, Jaimie, I know you'll do great!

Dining with Friends

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:45:02 GMT

Acrylic 12 x16

Dolphin Trio

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:50:44 GMT

Acrylic 40 x 30

Dolphins' Light

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:46:49 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 36

The warmth of a dolphin's smile far exceeds even the warmth of the morning sun's first light.

This was a piece that was custom designed with a client. Her love of dolphins and request for a sunrise was all I needed to hear.

Gifts from the Deep

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:48:48 GMT

Acrylic 18 x 24

Similarities between humans and dolphins are anything but rare. The overlap is uncanny. It has also been both observed and documented that dolphins are capable of "gift giving". They have been known to bring items they have found such as shells and seaweed to other dolphins and even humans on occassion. Whatever it is, at least you know they'll give it with a smile.

Heaven and Nature Sing

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:13:38 GMT

Acrylic 18 x 24

As the Christmas star rises in the East, even God's animal kingdom lift their praises on this holiest of nights.

Matriarch's Guidance

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:06:51 GMT

Acrylic 36 x 30

The Matriarch, who can live up to 80 years or more, is the leader of the Orca family unit. Accompanied by up to four generations beneath her, it is her responsibility to respond to changes in the condition of life that can change from year to year. She bases her decisions on her experiences and knowledge of the past to insure her family's longevity.

Off to the Races

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:30:29 GMT

Acyrlic 14 x 11

When opportunities arise......just play!

Sea Wolves

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:38:49 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 36

Orcas are among the elite of nature's hunters. They work in organized packs; corraling hopeless sea lions and seals, immense Humpback Whales, Manta Rays and giant schools of herring. Their size, speed, and agility, coupled with the actions within a group, make them an entity not to be reckoned with.

Having heard of at least one recorded incident where Orcas had overtaken a Great White, my creative juices were pumping. I had immediate visions of what it must have been like. Sea Wolves is just that.

Southern Cross

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:59:00 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 36

Music is, to say the least, very important to my creative processes. My studio is never quiet! One song that always gets me fired up is 'Southern Cross", specifically, Jimmy Buffett's live version. From the first line of the song, I am always transported out to Sea.

Being on the water is always magnificent; at night, it's magical. Constellations you forgot existed are there to welcome you back with arms wide open. This piece was just the beginning for me. Since then, I've started designing other paintings about the experiences I've had at night on our mother ocean.

Southernmost Point, Key West

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:01:30 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 48

Key West has always held a sense of mystique for me. It's laidback charm and island setting make it "the ultimate rest stop" in our fast paced world. I've chosen to show it as just that, by depicting it during rural days gone by. I've included the Southernmost Point Marker, the Southernmost House, and one of the islands original inhabitants in the foreground.

Spirits

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:54:59 GMT

As the cow and calf make their migratory journey, they are escorted by the spirits of their ancestors that have made that trip since the beginning of time.

Sweet Simplicity

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:36:13 GMT

Acrylic 36 x 24

Tenderness

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:03:20 GMT

Acrylic 36 x 24

I can't always take complete responsibility for my pieces. A dear friend of mine who is an avid whale lover said she always envisioned the word Tenderness to describe a mother and baby Humpback at the moment of "first breath".

Just after the baby is born, the mother pushes her newborn joy to the surface to experience its first breath. It's from this first moment that the bond begins between mother and child.

The Eye of the Ocean

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:16:40 GMT

The "Eye Series" are very different for me. Typically depicting our environment as a "colorful playground", I steer away from making a political statement unless I absolutely have to. In this case, I had to.

Meant to be viewed from both far and near, each tells it's own story. From a distance, they simply appear as stately portraits executed with some detail in brushstroke and paint application. It isn't until one comes closer that the reality sets in. Not only do the eyes hold a painful reflection of what their worlds have become, but the brushstrokes have changed as well. A painting that appears to have an organized beauty from a distance, is actually haphazard and a bit of a mess, much like our ecosystems.

It's painful to think about how they must feel.

The close up of eye shows fellow dolphins in a tuna net.

(See also matching pieces "Eye of the Everglades", "Eye of the Waterways", and "Eye of the Keys")

NOTE: "Eye of the Waterways" and "Eye of the Keys" were created almost 8 years after the first two. Originally intended to be a series of four; time and circumstances finally brought them all together.

Tummy Rides

admin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:11:17 GMT

Acrylic 12 x 12

A mother dolphin will periodically give its young a break from swimming by taking the effort onto herself; giving them an opportunity for a restful "tummy ride".

Here, a newborn calf, still exhibiting fetal folds, is given that well deserved rest by his mother.

Welcoming the New Millennium

admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:56:03 GMT

Acrylic 24 x 48

January 1, 2000, 6:55am:

Anyone who has seen the movie, City of Angels, can picture what the beach looked like that morning. Hundreds of people waiting for the sun to rise on what was to mark the beginning of a new year, century, and millennium. The sky began it's metamorphosis in fiery beauty; the mysterious Mother Ocean, highlighted with purples and gold, began to come alive.

Seeing how all the people cheered, with a standing ovation for the sun, made me somehow feel connected to the ancient cultures form of sun worship. I also knew that somewhere on that golden sea, we weren't alone in our celebration. These great creatures also knew that this morning was like no other.

-Doug Bolly at Deerfield Beach, FL