Portland, Oregon Wyland Whaling Wall 35

History of the Portland, Oregon Wyland Whaling Wall 35

-Orcas of the Oregon Coast

Wyland painted his first Whaling Wall in the state of Oregon in downtown Portland. The mural, appropriately, depicts a pod of orcas traveling along the state’s dramatic coast. I ve spent a lot of time over the past fifteen years enjoying Oregon’s Pacific coast,” Wyland recalled, “and I wanted to share that beauty inland with the visitors and residents of Portland.  The mayor of Portland proclaimed May 5, Wyland Day,” as the artist began to cover the 120-foot-long, 60-foot-high wall with masses of northwest
colors. Soon the state’s picturesque coastline began to appear, followed by a calm Pacific Ocean inhabited by beautiful pod of five orcas.

Did you know?

• Portland, though inland, is closely tied to the Columbia River, which connects to the Pacific Ocean. The health of this river system is essential for the survival of salmon, which in turn,
  sustains orca populations.
• Wyland’s mural raised awareness of the importance of protecting the region’s rivers and coastal waters to ensure the survival of marine species like orcas.

Whaling wall 35

Fox Theater, Portland, Oregon
120 Feet Long x 60 Feet High
Dedicated May 9, 1993
By Darlene Wyland, Artist’s Mother

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