The Marin City bus that whizzes by me is known as the whale bus for the large-scale humpbacks painted on the sides. My friend George Sumner painted them. He and I have an art space in the same building in Terra Linda. His is more of a gallery where he showcases his paintings of whales, dolphins and other sea life. He’s passionate about the subject. Marin's Golden Gate Transit commissioned George back in 1993 to create his bus mural as a way to send a message about preserving underwater species and their environment. George is the original master on this theme. He’s mentored others like Wyland, who’s gone on to much success. George earned a measure of fame back in 1990 when he gave a painting of twin dolphins circling the Earth in space to Mikhail Gorbachev at the opening of his Peace Institute in the Presidio. It also carried an ecological message. In a way, the world has caught up with George. There are now others like George finding creative ways to save the planet. The message is an important and beautiful one.
