Deep Blue

2019
Acrylic and mixed materials on fiberglass
72 x 60 x 36 in
182.9 x 152.4 x 91.4 cm

Deep Blue in her full deep-blue glory.
Indanthrone and phthalo blue glory, to be exact.

Deep Blue

2019
Acrylic and mixed materials on fiberglass
72 x 60 x 36 in
182.9 x 152.4 x 91.4 cm

The left side of Deep Blue, where you can see a coral reef, sea turtles, dolphins, and the southern end of the sea lions’ seasonal migration paths.

And hey, who’s that peeking out from behind Deep Blue?

Detail: Jellyfish

A few strokes of the artist’s brush, and a jelly appears on Deep Blue’s flank. A few others followed afterwards, too.

Detail: Manta Ray

A manta ray spreading its vast fins across the back of Deep Blue.

Detail: Yellow Margin Moray Eel

The yellow margin moray eel (Gymnothorax flavimarginatus) hanging out on Deep Blue’s left side was inspired by Aria Luna’s second-ever snorkeling trip, at Molokini crater in Maui just a month before she painted the sea lion.

The first day we went out, Aria Luna was a bit unnerved by the deep water (150 feet and way too clear). But instead of running away and never doing it again, we booked another trip the very next day. No time to waste when you need to face your fears!

It took a few minutes but she did it. She dipped her face in the water and was hooked. A full hour exploring the water with mama, and she was granted the special blessing of seeing a live moray eel wind along the ocean bottom. Magical.

Detail: The rock

Even this massive chunk of fiberglass rock wasn’t big enough to paint the full extent of the migratory water routes the sea lions follow. From British Columbia all the way down to Baja California.

Imagine swimming all that way?? We humans are lucky if we manage 20 laps in the pool…