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Description
So I have really mixed feelings about dolphins.

My first encounter with them didn't go quite as planned. I was living in Israel - 1998 maybe - and we took a weekend trip down to Eilat. Now, if you're a world traveler you must go scuba diving or snorkeling in the Red Sea before you die. [link] . It's the most beautiful place I've ever been to.

Anyway, my siblings and I got the chance to scuba dive with the dolphins. I'm so excited I'm giddy with joy, which makes learning to scuba dive even harder. Finally I get myself under control and my instructor and I slip into the water. Now this is no tank, it's a sectioned off cove from the Red Sea, and there's a window so that the dolphins can go in and out. My brother and sister were having a blast and the dolphins were swimming up next to them and rubbing their bodies against them. It was so cool.

I looked around for one - none in my area. My instructor would move me close to one and they would swim away. I though is going on here? I was starting to get frustrated. Finally, after like 15 minutes, one swam up to me. I got so excited I almost coughed and fucked up my breathing apparatus. When I controlled my breathing again the dolphin swam right by me, and proceeded to thwack me with his tail and swim by :giggling: as they do.

That was it. That was the extent of my dolphin encounters. My brother and sister were overjoyed, and I was pissed.

So I spent the next couple of years proclaiming “dolphins are bastards” every time they were brought up. Over the years I realized this was silly and started to feel neutral about them.

Then I heard about “The Cove.” [link] It’s actually out at Blockbuster, so go pick up a copy. I would go into more detail here but I don’t want to be preachy. Just don’t watch it if you have a weak stomach. Its brutal massacre and torture and one of the most hideous things I’ve ever seen a fellow human being do to an animal. (And if you know me this says a lot.)

This movie totally changed the way I feel about dolphins. I donated to [link] and started spreading the word to everyone I know. Luckily the movie has received many awards and is starting to get a lot of people’s attention. They said it themselves “If people find out what we’re doing here we’ll be shut down”. So if you’re an animal lover and have a heart go donate, or at least spread the word.

The title comes from Circles by Incubus: [link] Whenever I get angry at things like this, when I know there’s little I personally can do, I think about this song. I believe in Karma, so I believe the horrible things these people are doing to the dolphins will eventually come back around to them. I therefore go from being angry at them to feeling sorry for them, for it’ll be a harsh punishment they’ll have to pay.

On a (much) brighter note, this picture is dedicated to Rick O’Barry for his courageous efforts to save the dolphins of Taiji, and for his beautiful dolphin picture that inspired me to do this painting.

Reference pic:
Watercolor and white acrylic paint 2-3 hours

Description
So I have really mixed feelings about dolphins.

My first encounter with them didn't go quite as planned. I was living in Israel - 1998 maybe - and we took a weekend trip down to Eilat. Now, if you're a world traveler you must go scuba diving or snorkeling in the Red Sea before you die. [link] . It's the most beautiful place I've ever been to.

Anyway, my siblings and I got the chance to scuba dive with the dolphins. I'm so excited I'm giddy with joy, which makes learning to scuba dive even harder. Finally I get myself under control and my instructor and I slip into the water. Now this is no tank, it's a sectioned off cove from the Red Sea, and there's a window so that the dolphins can go in and out. My brother and sister were having a blast and the dolphins were swimming up next to them and rubbing their bodies against them. It was so cool.

I looked around for one - none in my area. My instructor would move me close to one and they would swim away. I though is going on here? I was starting to get frustrated. Finally, after like 15 minutes, one swam up to me. I got so excited I almost coughed and fucked up my breathing apparatus. When I controlled my breathing again the dolphin swam right by me, and proceeded to thwack me with his tail and swim by :giggling: as they do.

That was it. That was the extent of my dolphin encounters. My brother and sister were overjoyed, and I was pissed.

So I spent the next couple of years proclaiming “dolphins are bastards” every time they were brought up. Over the years I realized this was silly and started to feel neutral about them.

Then I heard about “The Cove.” [link] It’s actually out at Blockbuster, so go pick up a copy. I would go into more detail here but I don’t want to be preachy. Just don’t watch it if you have a weak stomach. Its brutal massacre and torture and one of the most hideous things I’ve ever seen a fellow human being do to an animal. (And if you know me this says a lot.)

This movie totally changed the way I feel about dolphins. I donated to [link] and started spreading the word to everyone I know. Luckily the movie has received many awards and is starting to get a lot of people’s attention. They said it themselves “If people find out what we’re doing here we’ll be shut down”. So if you’re an animal lover and have a heart go donate, or at least spread the word.

The title comes from Circles by Incubus: [link] Whenever I get angry at things like this, when I know there’s little I personally can do, I think about this song. I believe in Karma, so I believe the horrible things these people are doing to the dolphins will eventually come back around to them. I therefore go from being angry at them to feeling sorry for them, for it’ll be a harsh punishment they’ll have to pay.

On a (much) brighter note, this picture is dedicated to Rick O’Barry for his courageous efforts to save the dolphins of Taiji, and for his beautiful dolphin picture that inspired me to do this painting.

Reference pic:
Watercolor and white acrylic paint 2-3 hours