Noel Ashton A Lifetime with Whales

A lifetime in search of the whale has enabled Noel to speak of these mysterious ocean mammals in an original and unique voice. He has spent over 25 years studying whales and dolphins, specialising as a cetacean scientific illustrator and sculptor. Years in the field observing and studying cetaceans has given him an in-depth understanding of whale and dolphin morphology, and he has amassed an extensive database of the world’s species and their anatomical details.

Scientific illustration requires the synthesis of two very distinct worlds, the precision of science and the fluidity of art. If these two disciplines are combined effectively, illustrations can fill the gap where photo-graphs are either difficult to obtain or drawings are insufficient to tell the whole story, as with whales and dolphins. Over the years Noel has developed a complex process of morphologically mapping the worlds species, with comparative field data being condensed and averaged in order to determine exact proportions of comparative measurements, such as the height and position of a dorsal fin, or the exact position of the eye or length of beak. This attention to detail has enabled Noel to create extremely accurate illustrations which many consider as artworks in their own right.

Noel has worked with a number of respected cetacean scientists and his work has appeared in numerous journals and publications, with his scientific illustration of a Heaviside’s dolphin Cephalorhynchus heavisidii for the International Whaling Commission being the first published scientific illustration of the species.

He was a member of Dr Peter Best’s research team compiling sea observations of the endemic Heaviside’s dolphin on the South African west coast.

His illustrations were used on the MTN Whale Route information boards and through IFAW, he has created a range of whale and dolphin outdoor signage for both the southern African west and east coasts.

For a number of years Noel worked as a consultant for the Hermanus Whale Festival and was involved within whale tourism through his Bay of Whales initiative. He frequently takes groups down to Hermanus on whale-watching trips, including the annual MTN ScienCentre and Two Oceans Aquarium outings.

Through his programme Oceans of Africa, which he runs with his wife Belinda, he combines his science, research, art, and environmental philosophy within inspirational conservation initiatives. Over the years these have included the well-known IFAW Whale Walk along the seafront in Hermanus; the Benguela Dolphin Project on the west coast; and the acclaimed Whale Show, shown daily in Hermanus. Exhibitions, such as ‘Windows on the Ocean’ gave a unique insight into the oceans.

Noel’s paintings and sculptures are held in private collections locally and overseas.

He is also engaged actively as a public speaker around South Africa. His popular talks include a wide range of topics around whales and dolphins, and include ‘Close Encounters with Whales and Dolphins’ and the instructive “Strandings and the Human Response’, which looks at the science and human involvement in the recent Kommetjie stranding event.

His books and lectures are a blend of his unique experiences and narratives, and are based on his academic training in Environmental and Geographical Science from the University of Cape Town.

As a specialist, Noel consults for the film industry and recently worked on the creation and characterization of the new killer whale for Warner Bros ‘Free Willy 4’.

In 2009, Archbishop Desmond Tutu launched Noel’s Sacred Ocean initiative, an anti whaling campaign based around his iconic 3,5m sculpture which is permanently positioned in the foyer of the Two Oceans Aquarium, and includes the innovative Great Whaling Debate.

Noel has recently launched the second phase of Sacred Ocean, a compelling Audio-Visual presentation titled ‘Journeys in Search of the Whale - Rethinking Our Place in a Changing World’, which has been created in collaboration with the Two Oceans Aquarium.