It was as a young boy that Noel saw his first whale, an adult southern right from the shores of Walker Bay in Hermanus. Since then he has returned each year to witness the arrival of these incredible ocean travellers, spending many hours at the edge of the sea, observing the whales and their underwater lives. What began as a childhood interest turned into a focused career, with Noel specialising as a whale and dolphin scientific illustrator, and in more recent years, as a sculptor of the world’s whales and dolphins.

“I was born with the ocean in my blood, and therefore painting, sculpting and writing about whales seemed a natural extension of my inner ocean soul. Of course with this passion comes responsibility, for on a daily basis I experience the threats to these magnificent ocean mammals, so now much of my time is spent raising awareness around their plight, and using my abilities to try to make a difference. I hope that my work will inspire you, that you will sense the ocean in the sculptures and that you will join me in protecting the magnificent whales and dolphins.”

Years in the field observing and studying cetaceans has given Noel 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. His work has a strong scientific basis and through each piece, he captures the unique essence of individual species, from breaching humpback whales to the graceful symmetry of a southern right whale mother and calf rising gently to the surface.

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 being the first published scientific illustration of the species. He has published various books, including a field guide of the southern African species, a field guide of the Benguela Dolphins, and an anecdotal introduction to whale watching and identification in ‘The Whales of Walker Bay’. His audio-visual presentation, the Whale Show, is on daily in the Whale Museum in Hermanus.

His passion for whales and dolphins and the conservation of marine habitats is the foundation to all his work and he strives to contribute meaningfully towards opening people’s eyes to the wonder of the world’s oceans and the incredible diversity of species that inhabit these waters.

“It is my mission to captivate people with evocative marine images, to educate them with fascinating facts and information, and to inspire them to view the oceans as an integral part of man's heritage that should be protected for generations to come.” Noel Ashton.