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It's a great opportunity to watch a mural artist at work as Michael Cole begins painting floor-to-ceiling murals for the upcoming Enchanted Seas exhibit at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The undersea murals contaôøíð
)in hidden treasures with educational clues-a virtual "Where's Waldo" of marine conservation. Cole's work the last 30 years includes museums and visitor centers in Alaska, California, Oregon and the prestigious Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. His mural painting may be observed in the Aquarium now through mid-May.
NEWPORT, Ore--Very much like Michelangelo and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, mural artist Michael Cole is converting walls at the Oregon Coast Aquarium into new works of art for the upcoming "Enchanted Seas" exhibit, and the public may watch. Cole has started prepping and painting walls in the changing exhibit area of the Aquarium, presently home to "Jellies: Jewels of the Sea". He is painting deepsea murals that will take visitors into the underwater world of the seven seas and showcase seahorses, sea dragons, cuttlefish and a host of other coral reef and tropical fishes.
The floor-to-ceiling murals will contain hidden "treasures" with educational clues for the undersea adventurer-a virtual "Where's Waldo" of marine conservation. While some animals will be hard to find and some easy, each will relate to a specific marine conservation message-such as preventing coral reef destruction-as well as linking to the exhibit's overall theme that all marine animals are magical and should be protected.
The new "Enchanted Seas" exhibit opens Memorial Day weekend, replacing the "Jellies: Jewels of the Sea exhibit". Jewels has been located in the changing exhibit since December 1998. The Aquarium's permanent jellyfish display-featuring the larger, moon jellies and Pacific sea nettles-will remain in the Coastal Waters Gallery. A number of jellyfish species will also be rotated through the new "Enchanted Seas" exhibit on a seasonal basis.
Cole has been producing museum and visitor center exhibits and murals since 1973. His work includes a Tongas Forest mural at the Alaska State Museum in Juneau, Alaska; prehistoric murals for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana; and native American and birds of prey murals for the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon.
Marine art created by Cole is on display at the UCLA Ocean Discovery Center in Los Angeles, the Interpretive Center on Catalina Island in California, and the Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. He has also created a shark poster for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and has illustrated the book Sharks of Hawaii.
Located just south of Newport, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is named one of the top 10 aquariums in the nation by Parade magazine. Immerse yourself in Passages of the Deep and walk beneath the waves through a 200-foot clear underwater tunnel that snakes through three ocean habitats. Encounter sharks, rays and thousands of other fish swimming around you, while you solve "The Great White Mystery: What Happened to Surfer Bob?" Experience an exhilarating sensation when you look around and realize you're completely surrounded!
Outdoors, rugged cliffs, caves and pools showcase the many fascinating fish and invertebrates of Oregon's coastal shores. Discover curious seals, sea lions and sea otters. A giant Pacific octopus lurks in an undersea coastal cave, and cartoonlike tufted puffins and other seabirds make their homes in one of the largest walk-through aviaries in North America.
Indoors, take a peek "Under the Lily Pad" at the Ocean Exploration Station for an up-close view of frogs, newts and salamanders as you discover the mysteries of pond life and explore the role these soggy spaces play in a healthy ecosystem. Visitors dip into the microscopic life of a pond community and see if they can identify the many creatures in the "duck soup" found in a pond ecosystem. Learn what's lurking beneath the pond's surface as you watch bluegills, compare newts and salamanders and search for tree and red-legged frogs. You'll be ribbetted!
Oregon Coast Aquarium admission is $10.25 for adults, $9.25 for seniors (65+), and $6.25 for children (4-13), children three and under are free. Advance tickets can be purchased on-line at www.aquarium.org. Group rates are available when arranged in advance. The Aquarium is open every day except December 25. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. up to Memorial Day weekend.
For additional information about the Oregon Coast Aquarium, surf www.aquarium.org or call 541-867-FISH.
The links below open digital images of the mural production work underway at the Oregon Coast Aquarium:
www.aquarium.org/press/pictures/EnchantedSeasExhibitPictures/MichaelColePaintingEnchantedSeasMuralbyAllenBlevins040802A.jpg
www.aquarium.org/press/pictures/EnchantedSeasExhibitPictures/MichaelColePaintingEnchantedSeasMuralbyAllenBlevins040802B.jpg
For more information, please contact:
Guy Di Torrice Oregon Coast Aquarium http://www.aquarium.org 541-867-3474 x 5224 guyd@aquarium.org
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