The Art of Robert Wyland
Robert Wyland (born. 1956 in Detroit, Michigan), known simply as Wyland, is an artist best known for painting large, outdoor murals of whales and other ocean life.
He grew up in Madison Heights, Michigan and attended Lamphere High School. His 25th "whaling wall" is in the pool area of the high school.
Wyland divides his time between Oahu, Hawaii; Laguna Beach, California; and Florida. He has a goal of painting 100 Whaling Walls by 2011.
In February 2007 Wyland painted mural #95 in Key Largo, Florida, a wrap-around on a three-story building. It is dedicated to nearby John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and also to his friend Steve Irwin. This will be his last "whaling wall" in the United States.
Wyland is the current Guiness World Record holder for having painted the largest mural in the world. Whaling Wall #33, "Planet Ocean", covers the entire surface of the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA. At 1280 feet long x 105 feet high, the 116,000 square foot mural depicts migratory gray whales and other aquatic life that can be found in the waters off Long Beach.
Wyland is also very accomplished at sculpture, particularly dolphins and whales.
