Marine wildlife artist Guy Harvey reflects on art, racing, conservation at One Daytona
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When the name Guy Harvey is mentioned, visions of marlins, mahi mahi, sharks and tuna swimming in vivid, deep-blue waters come to mind, along with tropical places like Jamaica, the Caiman Islands and Bahamas.
But it’s unlikely that very many would pair the world-renowned marine wildlife artist and conservationist with NASCAR or One Daytona, the entertainment/retail/dining complex across the street from Daytona International Speedway.
But those unique partnerships were in the forefront last weekend when Harvey headlined the fifth annual One Daytona Art Festival. He shared stories and autographed his books, shirts, paintings and prints in Gallery500, where his marine wildlife art has been on display since it opened in 2019. About 90% of his featured work was sold, plus clients placed numerous orders, according to Gallery500 Director Amber O’Neal.
Harvey, 68, has had more than a decade-long relationship with NASCAR. He has designed racing apparel and logos, and had race cars wrapped in his artwork that were auctioned for charity in 2013 at Homestead-Miami International Speedway.
In 2015, a licensing agreement with the International Speedway Corporation brought Harvey’s ocean conservation message to tens of thousands of race fans.
To him, a partnership with NASCAR is not an unlikely pairing.
“Think about it,” Harvey reflected. “Many racing fans love fishing and hunting, and they also enjoy my artwork.”
Harvey’s artistic skills for recreating marine life have earned him numerous awards and a lot of fame, but his original career path was doctor of fisheries management.
A 10th generation Jamaican, he graduated with highest honors in marine biology from Aberdeen University in Scotland in 1977 and earned a doctorate in fisheries management from the University of the West Indies in 1982 in Jamaica.
In the late 1980s, he started painting full time, and his expert knowledge of sea life became evident in his work, produced on water-color paper, canvas and wall murals.
“My perfect day would be getting stuck in a really big painting… or fishing,’’ Harvey said before regaling his audience with a story of one Father’s Day in 2008 when his wife, Gillian, agreed to let him fish for an hour, and he hooked two blue marlins at once. “The moral of the story,'' he teased, "is take your wife fishing.”
While his works of art and fishing endeavors have made him famous and bring him immense joy, Harvey’s wildlife preservation efforts are always at the forefront.
“Traditional conservation isn’t working,’’ explained Harvey, who has written and illustrated six books. “So, we’re working with kids and in schools to make sure the next generation cares about protecting our waters.”
The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation has funded more than $7 million for research and conservation groups, schools and educational programs around the world.
While many people think of conservation efforts on a local level, for Harvey, it’s on a worldwide scale. One of his biggest worries is “the monumental loss of sharks,’’ which he attributes in part to the fin consumption in Asia and the fact that many species only give birth to a few pups at a time.
On a lighter note, sharks are one of his favorite subjects to paint, especially tiger sharks. And, just about anyone could guess that his favorite color is blue ― cobalt, turquoise and deep blue ― the most prominent colors of the oceans that he’s working so hard to protect.
“There’s a lot of work to be done, and I’m very lucky that I have my son, Alexander, on the business side, and my daughter, Jessica, running the foundation.’’ Harvey said. “Their being involved at that level allows me to concentrate on my art.”
Festival winners
More than 130 artists and vendors participated in the fifth annual One Daytona Art Festival. The two-day event awarded monetary prizes to top artists, and donated $8,000 to Volusia County Public Schools, and another $8,000 to the Daytona State College Foundation.
Best in Show was awarded to Ken Orton, of Venice, for his oil paintings. Awards of distinction went to: Mike Nelson, of New Smyrna Beach, for clay; David Mallory, of Port Orange, for wood; Michelle Chang, of Rowland Heights, California, for mixed media; and Barbara Umbel, of Indian Harbor Beach, for jewelry.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Artist Guy Harvey reflects on racing, marine wildlife at One Daytona
