Ocean Art

In this brilliantly fun and expertly written book, Helen Scales tells crucial human stories about the development of our relationship with the ocean. She takes us on a tour through some of the most compelling, rare, and diverse works of art that have been inspired by sea life, from ancient artifacts and found fossils to modern paintings and scientific illustrations. Marine biologists: this is the ideal book for your artsy side! Artists and historians: you’ll find no more appealing way to learn more about all that grows, crawls, slithers, and swims in the ocean! * Richard J. King, Visiting Associate Professor of Maritime History and Literature, Sea Education Association, and author of Ocean Bestiary and Sailing Alone *In her latest book, Helen Scales intricately intertwines the wonders of marine life with the power of art. Her expert knowledge and vivid storytelling masterfully weave together the beauty of the ocean and the creativity it inspires, making this an essential read for anyone passionate about art, nature, and the mysteries of the sea. * Miranda Krestovnikoff, broadcaster, diver and author of The Sea: Exploring Our Blue Planet *The oceanic world Helen Scales has meticulously summoned in this exquisite book holds an extraordinary variety of species. Scales asks that we not only see this realm, but also listen to it, attuning ourselves to the memory of sound in water. For her, observation does not end on the page; rather, it evokes our capacity to enter salt water, that “skin we are not in” which covers seven-tenths of the planet. * Ellen Gallagher *For lovers of the sea and of art, this book is a dream come true: a round-the-world, through-the-ages gallery tour in the company of one of the world’s top experts on the lives of ocean creatures. Writing with both authority and affection, Helen Scales makes canvasses, cave art and sculpture literally come to life as she imbues the images with the animals’ natural history – and the artists’ viewpoints as well. This is a book to be savored and celebrated! * Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus *

Helen Scales is a marine biologist, acclaimed author and broadcaster who teaches at the University of Cambridge. Her books include What the Wild Sea Can Be (2024), which was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize and Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.