In a small town on the Oregon Coast, there exists a constellation of emerging artists whose works ripple through the hearts of their viewers. This pulsating energy emanates from one sea-faring entity — Dancing with Sea Lions, a public art project anchored firmly in the traditions of fantastical voyages and sea faring adventures. Dancing with Sea Lions brings to life the art of visual storytelling, offering an escape into worlds woven with color. Its eclectic treasury is enriched by the unique narratives like “Gifts of the Sea  By Kim Pickell and “Green-Eyed Sue” By Matt Hawk. Each work tells a tale, and takes viewers on a voyage of its own.

“Gifts of the Sea By Kim Pickell”

Kim Pickell’s “Gifts of the Sea” is as fluid and enigmatic as the waters it describes. This masterpiece, one of twenty Dancing with Sea Lions sculptures, emerges from the abyss like a rare pearl, offering viewers an intimate view of the ocean’s vast and intricate universe.

An Ode to the Ocean’s Majesty

Through Pickell’s elegantly crafted work, she brings ocean conservation to the fore. “Gifts of the Sea” is not only a thrilling saga of discovery of the gifts of the sea, but also an impassioned plea for protecting the wondrous marine life it depicts. Viewers swim alongside endangered species and face the daunting reality of human impact on the natural world, emerging from the experience with a feeling of responsibility.

“Green-Eyed Sue By Matt Hawk”

On the other hand, “Green-Eyed Sue By Matt Hawk” presents an entirely different viewpoint. Matt Hawk’s work, a veritable emerald jewel in the Dancing with Sea Lions’ collection, takes viewers on an adventure on the high seas, with pirates battling the waves and seeking buried treasures hidden in the depths.

It is a story rich in folklore and mysticism, painted in the hues of nature. Hawk’s craftsmanship creates an immersive experience that holds a mirror up to the wild within us all.

Folklore and Fantasy Intertwined

Sue is a character as enigmatic as her jade-colored gaze. With a name suggesting simplicity but a spirit that whispers of complexity, she is a wanderer among ancient isles, a guardian of secrets that the waves whisper on the wind. The “Green-Eyed Sue” navigates the thin line between the reality we know and the legends that dance just beyond our perception. Hawk’s narrative is a tapestry of the real and the mythical, inviting viewers to question what they know of the world.

Dancing with Sea Lions: A Beacon of Creative Brilliance

For coastal travelers and art lovers seeking a refuge from the turbulence of everyday life, Dancing with Sea Lions serves as a beacon, guiding them to shores flush with intrigue and imagination. Both “Gifts of the Sea” and “Green-Eyed Sue” offer invaluable insights wrapped in creativity. Whether it’s Pickell’s ode to the ocean’s enigmatic creatures or Hawk’s wanderlust-driven exploration of the wild seas, each narrative channels the transformative power of visual storytelling.

The Invitation to Adventure

These Dancing with Sea Lions sculptures, with their distinct voices and thematic undercurrents, act as invitations to adventurers to embark on their own journeys. To behold Pickell and Hawk is to peel away the layers of one’s own preconceived notions and to see the world anew with eyes wide with wonder. By joining Dancing with Sea Lions’ pantheon of life size Sea Lion sculptures, we find ourselves part of an ever-expanding universe of possibilities, each more enriching than the last.

Conclusion: Embrace the Call of the Dancing Sea Lions

The visual tales told beneath the banner of Dancing with Sea Lions resonate with the beating heart of human experience, inviting us to venture beyond the shorelines of the ordinary. Through “Gifts of the Sea” by Kim Pickell and “Green-Eyed Sue” by Matt Hawk, we are reminded that art holds a power unmatched: the power to transform, to illuminate, and to unite. Like the hypnotic dance of sea lions in the wild, these works of art captivate and inspire, leaving an indelible mark on the soul of the viewer. So heed the call of the siren, and let the currents of Dancing Sea Lions’ exquisite visual storytelling sweep you into the vast, breathtaking ocean of human imagination.