Oceanic 31
A celebration of art, sharks and conservation
Art for Sharks
Back in 2022 The Shark Trust reached out to me about an ambitious new art project they were planning to launch at the 'For the Love of Sharks' event. It didn't take much convincing for me to be involved, sharks, art, conservation - what is not to love? Artists from a variety of backgrounds, nationalities and mediums have been brought together with a common purpose of protecting the future of oceanic shark and rays.
The artists were given a list of 31 oceanic shark and ray species to choose from. Whilst I could have chosen any of the incredible sharks off the list, I have a special connection to the basking shark after working with them for three years in the Scottish Hebrides. Having the opportunity to be close to this species I have had the chance to study their intricate details, their movement and behaviour close up. Making this shark an obvious choice for me. Donating an art work of this species, to work towards its conservation is a privilege.
Basking Shark
The basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus, is the largest shark found in UK waters - and the second largest in the world. Growing up to an impressive 12 metres in size, these gentle plankton eating giants grace our shores in large numbers each summer. The marine protected area of the Inner Hebrides is specially designated for the protection of basking sharks, recognising the importance of this habitat for this species. Basking sharks have a long history with the Scottish islands, as they were hunted here up until the mid 1990s. These giants have long been part of the Scottish seascape, and I wanted to show their connection with the Scottish ecosystem which can be explored within the details of the sharks body.
The Art
The original art work is A1 in size, created in archival pigment inks and watercolour. Formed with a mix of pointillism techniques and line work, finished with a subtle wash of watercolour. It was first exhibited at the Royal Geographical Society in London with 16 other original art works all featuring different species of Oceanic shark and ray in 2022. It has since been touring aquariums and galleries across the UK to raise awareness of this project. This exhibition is intended to inspire and engage, as well as raising vital funds for the Shark Trusts Oceanic Programme. The original art has been sold at auction with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the Shark trust.
The Exhibition
The Oceanic 31 exhibition came to a close on the 29th November at the 'For the Love of Sharks 2024' event at the Royal Geographical Society. One of the art works was live auctioned by Steve Backshall, who I had the pleasure of guiding at sea in the Hebrides in search of basking sharks.
I hope this project will continue to inspire everyone who visited the exhibits and discovered more about the plight of oceanic sharks and rays.
