Wyland will create co-branded products for distribution through art galleries, catalogues, wholesalers, etailers, and specialty stores, such as Disney Stores, throughout the United States, Japan, and Canada. Current product categories include limited edition giclee prints on canvas or paper, limited edition lithograph prints on paper, figurines cast of Lucite, bronze or recycled glass, and gold or sterling silver jewelry with precious stones. Additional categories are available for consideration to sublicensees pending approval.

"I always wanted to reimagine the characters from "Finding Nemo" in a classic marine life scene with a living coral reef, sea turtles, and dolphins,” Wyland says. “The artwork not only has the natural feel I wanted, but it retains the same adventurous spirit of the original film."

Other characters slated for interpretation by Wyland for future products include Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Pluto, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, Disney’s the Little Mermaid, Walt Disney’s Pinocchio, and Muppets characters.

About Wyland

For more than 30 years, marine life artist Wyland has been recognized as one of America ' s most unique creative influences and a leading advocate for marine resource conservation. He is best known for his historic international “Whaling Wall” project, a series of 100 monumental marine life murals seen by more than one billion people a year in 14 countries around the world. Listed in Who's Who in American Art, the Guinness Book of World Records, and many other national and international publications, the multi-faceted artist has hosted several series for television, including “Wyland’s Art Studio” for PBS and a recent one-hour documentary on Discovery Channel. Moreover, he is actively engaged through his non-profit Wyland Foundation and partners such as the U.S. Forest Service, NOAA, Rotary International, UNEP, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in teaching millions of students around the world about protecting our oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. He recently collaborated with the new Disneynature film studio on a 4,000 square foot painting for the U.S. premiere of Disneynature’s “EARTH.” Wyland licensed products are available at more than 10,000 retail locations nationwide. For more information, visit www.wyland.com

Michael Aw said, “Elysium Epic is about extraordinary explorers using advanced imaging technologies to document the last wilderness on our planet. The aim of the project is to provide a visual library that documents the flora and fauna of Antarctica, and to produce a documentary feature and book to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the heroic legendary expedition of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Trans Antarctic challenge in 1914. *”

The 2010 Elysium Epic team will explore the route Shackleton and his crew travelled after they lost the Endurance – from the Weddell Sea and across the treacherous Drake Passage to South Georgia. The team aims to capture the splendour of the fauna, the terrain, the sights and sounds of this enchanting region in a manner that no one has ever done before.

The Antarctic Peninsula has increased in temperature by 3°C in the last 50 years; that is more than twice the world’s average and the greatest increase in temperature of any place on Earth. It makes the peninsula an important and poignant indicator for climate change. But what implications does this rise in temperature have for the organisms that call the Antarctic home? Elysium tam scientists and photographers will document the present state of global warming as it affects this vulnerable and volatile region. Visual records will be taken every step of the way: photographic testimony, video documentation, samples and population estimates.

The 21st century team is no ordinary group of explorers; they comprise some of the world’s best wildlife photographers, film makers and marine scientists. The principal members include: David Doubilet, photographer in residence of National Geographic; Titanic and deep-sea vent discoverer Emory Kristof - also a National Geographic Photographer in residence; BBC Wildlife photographer of the Year winners Michael AW, Goran Ehlme, and Amos Nachoum; eight-time World Underwater Pictures festival Winner Leandro Blanco; and the master of black and white underwater imagery, Ernest Brooks II, acclaimed as the Ansell Adams of the Sea; Nature’s Best Wildlife Winner Jenny Ross; chief scientist Cabell Davis, PhD from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute; Steve Nichol, PhD of the Australian Antarctic Division and a specialist in the dynamics of Southern Ocean ecosystems; and fine-art artist Wyland, renowned as the Michelangelo of the Sea.

Jonathan Shackleton, cousin of his legendary Irish forebear is also part of the lead team and will be on site to tell the story of Ernest Shackleton – revealing how the hero managed heroic feats in one of the most inhospitable regions of the world. Other team members comprise medical doctors, geophysicists, oceanographers, marine biologists, professional film makers and technical diving practitioners. This is, by any visual or scientific standard, the ultimate dream team.

The production shoot will begin where Shackleton and his team fought to survive their unexpected situation. What will it be like 98 years later? Will there still be the expanse of ice shelf in this time of global ocean change? Will it be the same as when they first walked? Or has man’s destructive hand already irreversibly changed the landscape forever?

The expedition serves two purposes. The first is to connect to Shackleton. But the second is to provide an in-depth scientific survey of the area as a reference to time and generations to come. Surveys of organisms above and below the ice will yield many new visual wonders. Hopefully the team will discover some as yet unknown treasures. Photos and videos of penguins, seals and seabirds will be collated into a publicly accessible index.

Elysium Epic aims to be the world’s only expedition of its kind, and will be entirely carbon neutral. The project team is working with experts in climate change science to calculate the carbon footprint of the expedition and to offset by means of purchase of carbon credits or/and by investing in offset schemes that yield measurable results.

The team will attempt to land on Elephant Island, an enchanting but notoriously difficult landfall to approach due to its ice-covered mountainous terrain, dense fogs, icebergs and a lack of safe anchorage. Attempting to land on Elephant Island could prove to be too difficult for the team. Throughout history just a handful of people have successfully landed on Elephant Island. Provided they accomplish their rendezvous with Elephant Island, the team will then sail to South Georgia. After collecting, collating, experiencing, and embracing the wonders of the Antarctic region and Shackleton’s journey, the explorers will land at Grytviken, where Shackleton is buried. Elysium Epic is a tribute to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Shackleton’s Trans Antarctic Epic.

The expedition will produce a feature documentary, a limited edition high quality book and, most importantly, an index of images for a climate change documentation of the Antarctic Peninsula. From 8 February 2010, the explorers will update their progress daily at ElysiumEpic.org; the team welcomes questions the public, especially students, about the adventure, climate change and ecological science of the Antarctic region. The team will respond live whenever and will update the expedition blog several times daily from 10 February to 2 March.

The partnership began not long after the winery opened. Wyland was at the time still working out of the gallery next door, and one day walked over and introduced himself, Huber said. Since then, the winery created several different Wyland varieties, each with a piece of his artwork on the label. Part of the proceeds go to the Wyland Foundation, which supports environmentalism, Huber said, and the winery tries to make eco-friendly choices, like using soy ink on the labels and working with some organic vineyards.

"Art and wine just naturally pair well together," Huber said.

That pairing is what got Wyland interested in working with the winery, said Gino Beltran, creative and licensing director at Wyland World Headquarters.

"During Wyland's art shows throughout his 20-plus galleries, we always serve wine," he said, adding the galleries will serve and sell the wines.

Wyland Cellars is starting nationally with a 2008 Chardonnay from Napa Valley and a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma Valley, and there are plans to add more products next year, Huber said. Since the wines will be made on a larger scale, actual production will take place in Napa. By using grapes from a variety of growers, Huber said he can focus on places that have had a good year. Relationships often go back for years, he said, and he only works with growers with a low tonnage, which means less planting per acre to create a higher quality product.

"You're still going to get that great quality from a boutique winery," said Huber, who first began making wine in the basement of his family's ranch in Canada.

Though the Wyland name and artwork draw customers in, the quality of the wines will stand up to the name, Paul agreed, adding he sees "tremendous amount of potential" for the brand.

"We go to proven, reputable growers," he said.

And though Paul stands behind the wines' quality, he also calls the two bottles a value. Sales for wine tend to trail off for bottles over $20, he said, so Wyland Cellars will work to keep prices below that mark.

As the two men work out deals with distributors and retailers across the country, they also have their eyes other avenues for the wine. Since Wyland has painted internationally, there has been interest in Japan and China, and the company will also be presenting its products to cruise ships. The two have already worked out a deal to be the house wine for Wyland Grille, which has two locations in Hawaii and will open a third in downtown San Diego.

And as the Wyland wines find their way into stores and restaurants, they will continue to be sold in Laguna Beach at Huber's 3,000-square-foot winery, where he works with his brother, Darren, on about 20 other varietals. The winery makes about 1,500 cases of wine a year on-site, bottling and affixing labels in the tasting room. Barrels are stored in a cellar adorned with Wyland's artwork next door, which also serves as an event space. Tasting parties take place on the first Friday of every month, and the cellar can also be rented for receptions.

Huber said his attention to detail in winemaking has brought his business to the point it's at today, and he said he hopes to reach at least 30 states in the next five years.

"Each one of those barrels is our baby," he said. "I think that's really important."
Full Article from OCregister.com

“I recently had the opportunity to view “The Cove” and watched it with great admiration, knowing the risk involved in documenting the dolphin and whale slaughter. The film sheds light on one of the most devastating atrocities facing dolphin and whale conservation. A perfect storm is occurring today with pollution, overfishing, development to such a point that even the killing of one dolphin or whale can create an imbalance in the health of the oceans. Taiji’s dolphin drive is the worst possible scenario. At best this is unsustainable. At worst, this type of hunting threatens the very survival of these animals. The other issue that the film raises is the high level of toxins found in these animals. This alone should stop the killing of dolphins, not only in Japan, but throughout the world. No longer can a group or city continue to kill a species that is intelligent and important to the balance of nature. I commend the director and all who gave their effort to bring this issue to the public. I condemn, along with most of the world, the killing of great whales, dolphins, and other aquatic life. Yes, it was once Japan’s tradition to kill whales. America also killed whales. These traditions, however, are no longer in step with today’s world. It is time to stop the slaughter and rethink our relationship with these marine mammals. Taiji and other coastal cities could immediately change from whale killing to whale watching, create more jobs and revenue for the cities, not to mention the good will from its global neighbors. I call on Japan to end this slaughter and announce to the world that it joins the international community to end the dolphin hunt and commercial whaling for scientific or any other reason.

I should also give some background on my own personal experience in the region several decades ago. In 1987, I was invited by Mr. Ono, president of the Tokyo Bay Fishing Association, to paint one of my Whaling Walls on Tokyo Bay. Mr. Ono and a group of scientists explained that by painting one of my conservation murals featuring sperm whales, it would call needed attention to not only protection of whales, but conservation of Tokyo Bay.

The Japanese government was filling in part of the bay to accommodate the growing population of the city. This was having a negative impact on fish populations. I completed the mural featuring two life size sperm whales as part of an effort to raise about issues regarding Tokyo Bay and Japan’s continued hunting of whales. Afterwards, I was invited to the Whaling Town of Taiji to meet with city officials and discuss the possibility of painting a Whaling Wall in Taiji, “The City of Whales.” Having met with the mayor and other city officials, I had hoped to raise the issues of commercial whaling. I discussed the idea of Taiji transforming from a whale hunting city to a whale watching city. They were receptive, but non-commital. I agreed to return in the future and paint a life-size portrait of a right whale and calf on Taiji’s historic whaling museum. I felt that art could play an important role in teaching the people of Taiji, as it had in other communities, to appreciate the living whales. Through art and science, I had always hoped to inspire a change in the paradigm from whale killing to whale appreciation. I knew this was going to be a great challenge in Taiji and felt their resistance, but there was a strong support from the young people in the area who had experienced the thrill of whale watching excursions in Hawaii and other destinations. Slowly, the general public was becoming sensitized to the importance of these whales, dolphins, and other cetaceans to humanity.

I, too, had the opportunity to witness the drive of thirty-one pilot whales into “The Cove” back in 1988. At the time, I could not sleep after learning of a pod of more than thirty short finned pilot whales that had been herded into the cove for slaughter the next day. Determined to do something, I rounded up some friends in the area, including Kevin Short, a writer for the Japan Times, and at four a.m. we made our way down to the edge of the cove where I swam out for a final moment with these doomed whales. All the whales were surrounding a large male in a circle. The only thing I could think of was to try to untie the net that imprisoned them. Kevin dived in after me. After much arguing, he convinced me that my most effective contribution to the cause would be to continue to use my art to have a stronger impact on the people of Taiji and all the people of Japan.

I was not convinced at first. But the sun was coming up and the whaling boats were heading towards us. I decided to take Kevin’s advice and return one day to paint a public mural that would confront all the citizens of Taiji and all who visited it for years to come. To this day, I still feel guilty that I did not save those thirty-one whales. At the same time, I feel strongly that I have had a more important impact by returning to Taiji to complete the mural on the whaling museum and paint a total of four Whaling Walls in Japan.

On behalf of the wyland foundation and our conservation partners, we applaud the efforts of the filmmakers of the Cove and people everywhere working on the front lines to save our fragile marine life and the health of our entire environment.”

Produced by Chris Morrow, a freelance journalist and iReporter for CNN, the 30-minute documentary, “Wyland: Earth Day,” chronicles the creative process of painting ultra-large scale art atop the Long Beach Convention Center and Sports Arena. Wyland is best known for his Whaling Wall murals, a series of 100 monumental paintings on the sides of sports arenas, skyscrapers, and public buildings in cities throughout the world. The non-profit Earth project was part of the artist’s restoration work on the iconic “Planet Ocean” mural on the walls of the sports arena. Morrow came across the artist’s effort while covering the behind-the-scenes activity of the 2009 Long Beach Grand Prix for CNN.

“I asked him what he was going to do for Earth Day and he thought about it and said, ‘I want to paint the world’s largest earth on top of the arena. A few minutes later, the mayor of Long Beach showed up and the deal was done.”

Named the world’s largest painting by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1992, the addition of the rooftop mural doubled the total painted surface, bringing the project to six acres. The project was made possible by SMG, Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, the city of Long Beach, and the Wyland Foundation. Dunn Edwards provided over 1,250 gallons of eco-friendly, low VOC water-based acrylic paints for the project. Like all of the artist’s Whaling Wall murals, Wyland donated his time and effort as a gift to the city of Long Beach. Public art projects are one of the community outreach programs of his non-profit Wyland Foundation, which teaches people throughout the world to become informed stewards of oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands.

“I’ve always tried to do something special to call attention to Earth Day over the last thirty years,” Wyland says. “"With more people and more demands on a limited supply of resources, this was a way of celebrating what we have and a reminder that we all have to work together to protect it."

About Wyland:

Marine life Artist Wyland is a leading advocate for marine resource conservation. He has hosted television programs for PBS and Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet Network and is founder of the nonprofit Wyland Foundation. He is best known for the Whaling Walls, a series of 100 monumental marine-life murals in cities throughout the world.

Additional comments by Wyland:
“If an artist really thought about painting a nearly 3-acre portrait of the planet earth in 24 hours he would probably throw down his paint brush and make a run for it. For me it was the exact opposite. After the original mural, “Planet Ocean,” was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest mural in history, I still thought it was unfinished. After a complete restoration of the original mural, I was given a chance by Bob Foster, the mayor of Long beach, to celebrate Earth Day by painting a giant image of earth on the roof. But I only had 24 hours to accomplish the impossible. Fate played an important role. After completing the landmasses of North and South America, I painted the Gulf of Mexico completing that portion just before sundown on the day before earth day. The next morning we arrived early to find that it had rained all night and the paint featuring the Gulf of Mexico had not dried and in fact had run over the roof. At first, I was upset and then I realized that this was the answer to completing the giant canvas. I decided to go with the flow and ask my volunteers to keep handing me five-gallon buckets of different shades of blue, which I continuously launched across the three-acre ceiling. Fortunately, there was a giant push broom left on the roof, which we could use to push the different shades of blue across large stretches of what was to become the Pacific Ocean. It worked perfectly with the wet surface. It looked like Jackson Pollock had an epic paint fight up there. Although I was so close to the building, I could see the image I was working on in my mind – the perfect view from space of the water planet. Our goal was to complete the project by 6 pm on Earth Day for a dedication ceremony with city officials. With five minutes to spare, we put the final touches of paint down. I dedicated the project to President Obama and all seven billion people of the planet in hopes that people everywhere would appreciate the role of water in connecting all the continents and people of the world.”

Free and open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 1 through Sunday, October 4, the 1,000-square foot Mobile Learning Center contains educational, interactive displays that encourage visitors to engage, play, experiment and learn what they can do to preserve the planet’s oceans, lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands. It will be located at the Sheridan Community Center, located at 12111 Pardee Rd. in Taylor. The visit coincides with the city of Taylor’s Fall Fest held at the same location on Saturday, October 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Sharing the Wyland Clean Water Challenge Mobile Learning Center with the city of Taylor and area communities presents a terrific opportunity to educate our citizens – especially our children – on the importance of water conservation and the effect that pollution has on the watershed,” says Melonie Colaianne, president of Masco’s Foundation. “We’re pleased to support an instructive program that aligns with our corporate values of improving the quality of life, and the quality of water, in our region.”

“This mobile classroom-on-wheels is a powerful tool for teaching children – and parents – how their actions have a direct impact on the world’s water resources and ecosystems,” says Wyland, world-renowned environmental artist. “We hope everyone in the Metro Detroit area will come out and learn how they can protect and conserve their water supply for generations to come.”

The MLC is the creation of Wyland, who founded the Wyland Foundation in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and preserving the world’s oceans, waterways and marine life. The foundation encourages environmental awareness through education programs, life-size public arts projects, and community events. Please visit www.wylandfoundation.org and www.wylandoceanchallenge.org for more information.

Headquartered in Taylor, MI, Masco Corporation is one of the world's leading manufacturers of home improvement and building products, as well as a leading provider of services that include the installation of insulation and other building products. Please visit www.masco.com for more information.

MRA, Inc. – a Taylor, MI, company that specializes in mobile exhibit and experiential marketing – is coordinating the logistics of this visit. Questions? Please contact Heidi Korte, vice president of program development, at 586.567.1276 or visit www.gomra.com.

A few minutes later, the mayor showed up and they made a deal. Wyland would paint and Morrow would document the entire process. 24-hours after announcing his goal, Wyland put the finishing touches on "Earth: The Blue Planet:" a three acre interpretation of our world atop the Long Beach Convention Center.

What neither of them knew, was that the documentary would be featured during this week’s San Diego Film Festival. "Wyland: Earth Day" takes you inside the creative process behind the artist and his mission.

“He’s a genius and I’m glad to have been able to document that. People are going to be talking about him for a long time,” Morrow said.

The photographer is a freelance journalist and shoots for CNN. She lives in Little Italy in San Diego with her husband.

“I love it. It’s so fantastic. My husband and I decided to go on a little adventure… and ended up in San Diego. We got transferred over here and it’s just a fantastic thing to live downtown,” she said.

See images of Earth here.

WHAT:
In celebration of their new partnership, environmental artist Wyland and the Ocean Institute of Dana Point, Calif., will host a family-themed fundraiser with an array of environmentally themed, hands-on art activities. Activities include a scavenger hunt, dunk tank, and an opportunity to paint a 160 square foot mural with Wyland. Other local artists will provide demonstrations on creating environmental art using recycled materials. The event includes food, live music, refreshments, and a live and silent auction.

WHEN:
4-8 pm, Saturday, Oct. 3

WHERE:
Ocean Institute
24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr.
Dana Point CA 92629

BUY TICKETS
Tickets are $75 a person. Children under 12 FREE.
Tickets on sale now at www.wyland.com Or call 1-800-Wyland-0
All proceeds to benefit the non-profit Wyland Foundation.

WHY:
The Wyland Foundation provides environmental themed art education programs for more than 100,000 children a year. Now, in partnership, with the Ocean Institute, the two organizations will tour a new 1,000 square foot, bio-diesel powered clean water mobile education center. The exhibit, which includes a 40-person on-board theater, video microscopes, and a running river, will tour Southern California to promote understanding of water as a shared resource. Funds raised at the event will support children’s environmental education programs at a time when education budgets are being cut across the country.

ABOUT THE WYLAND FOUNDATION:
The Wyland Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean, waterways, and marine life through classroom education, public art, and community events.  The Wyland Foundation is working with children and families to reduce water waste by 8 billion gallons over the next year. For more information, visit www.wylandfoundation.org.

Founded from the vision of Wyland's environmentally themed artwork, Wyland Cellars carefully crafts wines that celebrate art, nature, and life. The award-winning 2005 Wyland Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon endears itself with an earthy spiciness and hints of dark black currant and black cherry. A toasted oak bouquet adds another dimension that makes this wine a perfect pairing with a favorite steak or aged cheese. Wyland Raspberry sparkling wine offers subtle hints of delicate raspberry that's perfect for celebrations or any occasion. Wyland brut offers a clean crisp whisper of grapefruit, against a nutty, vanilla finish.

To purchase Wyland Cellars wines, visit www.lagunacanyonwinery.com or stop in at Laguna Canyon Winery at 2133 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.

Congratulations!

Visit http://www.ocean-institute.org/raffle/wyland.html for your chance to win a Laguna Beach home or $1 million in cash and hundreds of other prizes - all the while supporting children, the ocean and the environment.

The first film in the Disneynature series, EARTH, narrated by James Earl Jones, tells the remarkable story of three animal families and their amazing journey across the planet we call home. EARTH combines rare action, unimaginable scale and impossible locations by capturing the most intimate moments of our planet’s wildest and most elusive creatures.

This epic adventure begins nationwide on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. Buy a ticket for opening week and Disney will plant a tree in your honor. For more information about this stunning movie, visit http://disney.go.com/disneynature/earth/