Wyland

There's a painting of ocean life at the entrance hall of my office: pale sun in the mist of clouds, azure waves crushing rocky shores and under the mystic blue water, various tropical fish swimming around a humpback whale(?).

I've been acquainted with this painting for 15 months but never think much of it. After "Finding Nemo" craze, every time we walk by, my co-worker Tamyra would comment, "This looks like Finding Nemo scene."

"Yeah�" most of the time I reply rather unenthusiastically.

It seems ordinary to me. I've seen too many paintings or art prints of the same style. It probably is just some commercial print.

Things changed since last weekend after we went in Wyland's gallery in the heart of downtown La Jolla. We were drawn in by the dolphin sculptures. I had not known there were artists devoted their work to marine life and promote environmental protection. Robert Wyland is probably the most known environmental marine life artist.

We talked through the 2-floor gallery exhibiting mostly Wyland's work and admired every single piece. Yes, the mystic style was very familiar. I'd seen a lot of it. Could those paintings be Wyland's or some copycats?

Later I did a little search on Wyland on the Internet and learnt a little more about him. (You can too. :)

Monday I returned to work and immediately recognized that signature as soon as I passed the painting. It was one of Wyland's.

Now the ordinary painting distracts my attention -- every morning, noon, evening -- every time I'm in and out of the office.

It is still the same painting but my view has changed.

Does it really matter that it is painted by a famous artist?

Perhaps I never really slow down my "office" pace to take a good look at it.

Perhaps it's not Wyland's best.

Perhaps we had it hung at the wrong corner.

It hasn't calmed my working class nerves, nor have it soothed any "computerized" muscles.

Day in and day out, it hangs out there. Nobody cares. No art could give this office a facelift.

Ocean? Ocean belongs to the weekends.