LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., March 22, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- You don't need to live near the ocean to care about it. That's the message behind a world famous ocean muralist's efforts to inspire thousands of students around the nation to show off their art skills — and their concern for the future of our ocean planet.
Marine life artist Wyland, teaming up with the upcoming Disneynature motion picture OCEANS, Volvo Cars of North America and Fredrix Artist Canvas will inspire more than 10,000 students, grades 5-8, across the nation for Earth Day to create life-size ocean murals, as part of community campaign to raise awareness for ocean conservation. The goal of the movement, organizers say, is to inspire students everywhere to develop a better understanding of the ocean through art, science, and creativity. "Children are fascinated by the ocean no matter where they live," says Wyland, who is best known for his series of 100 monumental marine life murals around the world. "This campaign not only provides them with artistic tools to express their interest in marine life, but the murals share that message with communities that have a direct impact on these resources."
National Contest
More than 300 classrooms will each receive a 50-square foot Fredrix artist canvas, art lessons based on national education standards and a DVD with breathtaking footage from OCEANS for artistic inspiration and an instructional how-to-paint-the-ocean video by Wyland. Wyland currently hosts "Wyland's Art Studio," an ocean-theme art instruction series for adults on PBS.
A contest will be held among the participating classrooms. The class whose mural best expresses the beauty of the ocean world and the need to protect it will receive a grand prize from Wyland, Fredrix Artist Canvas and Disneynature's OCEANS. The first 300 teachers to respond will be invited to participate in the contest. Deadline to RSVP is April 5, 2010. Winners notified April 28, 2010.
Eight-City West Coast Tour
To celebrate Environmental Education Week, the Wyland Foundation, Disneynature's OCEANS, and Volvo Cars of North America are bringing the "One Ocean, One Planet" mobile education tour to eight lucky middle schools on the West Coast, April 5-22. Touring ensemble includes the Wyland Clean Water Mobile Learning Center, a 1,000 square foot biodiesel powered mobile theater / science center and the "One Ocean, One Planet" Volvo Art Car, a teacher supply vehicle wrapped in the image of the Wyland designed stamp for the United Nations 50th Year Anniversary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Exhibit transportation provided by National Van Lines. Artists, conservationists, and scientists from the U.S. National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuaries will host on-board tours of the Clean Water Mobile Learning Center and discuss the relationship of inland and coastal communities to the ocean. Students will have the opportunity to paint a collaborative ocean-themed mural featuring coral reefs with tips and guidance from local artists. Topics will include protection of watersheds, marine life conservation, and the relationship of art, photography and film to understanding our oceans.
| Tour Cities include: | ||
| 4/5 | Seattle | |
| 4/7 | Portland | |
| 4/9 | Sacramento | |
| 4/12 | San Francisco | |
| 4/13 | San Jose | |
| 4/14 | Fresno | |
| 4/16 | Ventura | |
| 4/22 | Anaheim | |
About Fredrix Artist Canvas
Since 1868, Fredrix® Artist Canvas has been serving artists around the world providing unsurpassed quality and the broadest range of artist canvas available. Fredrix® has proudly donated thousands of square feet of canvas over the years for community mural painting projects and other arts education programs. The Fredrix® canvas offering includes many sizes and styles of stretched canvas, roll canvas, print canvas, stretcher bars, picture frames and art accessories. For more information about Fredrix® Artist Canvas visit www.FredrixArtistCanvas.com
About Wyland
Marine life artist Wyland has done more than any other artist to raise awareness of the beauty of life on our blue planet. His Wyland Foundation, in partnership with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Ocean Institute of Dana Point, Calif, is actively engaged in teaching millions of students around the country about our oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. His latest project, FOCUS (Forests, Oceans, Climate — and US) brings together the U.S. Forest Service, NOAA, the Wyland Foundation, and numerous non-profits to teach young people about our forests and ocean - and how these two irreplaceable resources hold the key to the future of our water supplies, climate, and global health. For more information, visit www.wylandfoundation.org.
About the Movie
Disneynature, the studio that presented the record-breaking film "Earth," brings OCEANS to the big screen on Earth Day, 2010. Nearly three-quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water and OCEANS boldly chronicles the mysteries that lie beneath. Directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud dive deep into the very waters that sustain all of mankind—exploring the harsh reality and the amazing creatures that live within. Featuring spectacular never-before-seen imagery captured by the latest underwater technologies, OCEANS offers an unprecedented look beneath the sea in a powerful motion picture that unfolds on April 22, 2010. "See OCEANS, Save Oceans" is an initiative in which Disneynature will make a contribution to The Nature Conservancy to save coral reefs in honor of every guest who sees OCEANS during opening week (April 22-28, 2010). For more information, visit disney.com/oceans or become a fan on Facebook: facebook.com/Disneynature.
About Volvo Cars of North America:
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, (www.volvocars.us) is a subsidiary of Volvo Car Corporation of Gothenburg, Sweden. VCNA provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to Volvo automobile retailers in the United States, and oversees Volvo operations in Canada. Dating from the early 1970s, Volvo Cars' commitment to the environment covers the entire lifecycle of the car, from design, engineering and production to useful life, service and recycling. Efficient energy and resource utilization and reduced emissions are important elements of this commitment, as is a healthy in-car environment.