As a world-renowned artist, Wyland’s name is synonymous with coastal art culture, marine life and ocean conservation.
His vibrant seascapes and whale murals have made him one of the most recognizable marine-life artists in the world, with galleries in Hawaii, Florida, Las Vegas and his longtime hometown of Laguna Beach.
He has a following of 100,000 collectors across 120 countries, including celebrities such as Robert Redford, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, comedian Jon Lovitz and rapper Pitbull.
The average collector of his paintings and sculptures typically owns about eight or nine pieces.
While A-listers are among his top fans, Wyland told the Business Journal that his most generous clients are locals who are moved by his undersea world depictions of dolphins, whales, coral reefs and sea turtles.
“A good percentage of my collectors are from Orange County,” Wyland said while working at his Laguna Beach studio.
OC Collectors Moved by Ocean Art
Local clients and supporters of his namesake foundation over the years include the late Joan Irvine Smith and local philanthropist Sandy Segerstrom Daniels. The latter supported his charitable efforts, purchasing work at an auction to benefit wildlife causes, he said.
Original pieces start around $8,000, with his highest-priced painting having sold for $1.25 million – a private commission from a client with homes in Pittsburgh and Fort Lauderdale. An oil/acrylic dubbed “Lunar Breaching” is available currently for $28,560, according to his online gallery.
For his fans, price is rarely an obstacle.
“High-end clientele – the economy doesn’t affect them,” Wyland said.
What does affect his collectors is the feeling they get when they see his vibrant ocean paintings.
They are moved.
“It’s very peaceful. And you know, we kind of need that today. There’s so much crazy stuff going on. I think sometimes the art just kind of makes you feel, you know, something,” he said.
47 Years in Laguna Beach
Wyland, who turned 69 earlier this month, is a long way from his childhood home in Detroit.
He began painting at age four, starting with dinosaurs and eventually moving on to marine life scenes – inspired by the television adventures of Jacques Cousteau and a trip to Laguna Beach in 1971.
“I saw the ocean, and that was it for me,” he said. “The gray whales were migrating near shore, and that was it. I found my muse.”
Ten years later he would catapult to fame when he created his first life-size mural of a mother and baby gray whale migrating near the shore of Laguna Beach. He painted his 100th Whaling Wall mural in Beijing as the official artist for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
Today, his Laguna Beach gallery and studio remain at the heart of the brand where he continues to host private unveiling events for his most avid collectors.
Still, surprise walk-ins are common.
Last year, former Lakers superstar Shaquille O’Neal dropped by his Laguna Beach studio without an appointment.
“He bought a painting I did of Bob Marley,” Wyland said.
The affable artist then invited the 7-foot-1 sports icon to paint with him.
“I was doing some abstracts with a squeegee,” Wyland said.
Afterward, the sports legend posted on his social media that he just finished painting with Wyland.
“He taught me how to paint #abshaq art,” O’Neal wrote.
Wyland laughs, recalling the day. He realizes how lucky he is to share his passion with others.
“I’ve been painting since I was four,” he said. “It’s the greatest job on earth.”
