Reef Finds: Classic Fin 5 by Mark Ley

Acrylic on paper

14" h x 11" w image matted at 20" h x 16" w 

Growing up on Hawaii Island, Mark Ley has spent every spare moment in the ocean. Diving, surfing and exploring. When his daughter came along, he shared his love of the ocean with her and over the years, his ohana developed their own form of treasuring hunting. They scour the reefs and beaches, gathering the bits and pieces left behind by other ocean explorers. And surfboard fins, stuck in the reefs, became a favorite find.

But collecting them wasn’t enough.

These reclaimed surfboard fins are then used to create one-of-a-kind works of art. Using acrylic paints and carefully constructed color palettes, Mark dips the fin into the paint and then presses it onto paper—memorializing the board, the special time with his family, and cleaning the reefs—all while providing us with original works of abstract art.

“There’s an incredible scope of shapes and sizes of fins, each with its own story and genre,” shares Mark, and through his work we become ocean explorers ourselves.