We Love Laguna Beach
2023-02-01 · 4 min read
Marine artist Wyland has painted more than 100 life-sized whale murals across the globe — but it was a single sighting off the Laguna Beach coast that changed his life forever.
Wyland is one of the world's most recognized marine artists, celebrated for his strikingly realistic paintings of ocean life. His most ambitious project, the Whaling Walls, consists of over 100 life-sized murals featuring whales and sea creatures painted on buildings across six continents. One mural on the Long Beach Convention Center spans 116,000 square feet and holds a Guinness World Record.
A Vision Born on the Laguna Coast
Wyland's artistic journey began at age four when a teacher recognized his talent and encouraged him to develop it. Growing up in Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes, he developed an early fascination with water and sea life. But it was a family trip to Laguna Beach at age 14 that proved transformative. Standing at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, he witnessed two gray whales breach the surface — an experience that would define his artistic vision for life.
"It was like looking at dinosaurs. The whale really became iconic in my art from that point on."
Ten years later, approximately 100 yards from that original sighting, Wyland painted his first Whaling Wall on the Hotel Laguna parking lot. The mural launched a global movement.
Building a Home in Laguna Beach
Wyland established the first Wyland Galleries in Laguna Beach in 1978, creating a space to support both emerging and established artists.
"I definitely wanted to showcase the artists that I really respected and wanted to support."
The galleries became anchors of the local art scene, reflecting the kind of community investment that has defined Wyland's relationship with Laguna Beach over nearly five decades.
Art as Conservation
Beyond commercial success, Wyland founded a nonprofit focused on art, conservation, and community engagement. He draws a direct line between protecting the ocean and protecting freshwater habitats inland.
"To protect the ocean, you have to protect the fresh water habitat."
His work has inspired millions of people around the world to think differently about marine ecosystems — and about the responsibility artists carry to the world they depict.
On His Adopted Home
"It's the best little city on the planet — a real community, and it's an art colony."
For Wyland, Laguna Beach is not just where he lives. It is the place that made him the artist he became.
