The Big Splash art trail will see more than 30 individually designed dolphin sculptures and some 40 dolphin calves installed at landmark sites around the island – an inspirational public art project not only providing opportunities for people to reconnect with nature and enjoy the island’s life-enhancing countryside, but also to raise awareness of Hospice’s transformational work in the community.

Each week we will be meeting some of the many artists who have painted the Dolphins of the Big Splash Trail.

This week, we will have a look at the work of Eve Adams (pictured), who has painted one of the dolphins.

Eve is very much a community artist, living and working in Castletown. She is a multidisciplinary artist and she has been closely involved in many community projects in and around the south of the island.

She is well-known for creating the popular ‘Ballycashtal Beg’ project around Castletown, which has seen many tiny fairy doors created and placed around town.

A matching map and trail invites children and families to explore the streets and landmarks of the ancient capital. She has also recently completed work on the ‘Basking Shark Trail’, which takes people on a trek along the places of interest in Port Erin.

She likes to use recycled, re-invented and re-purposed materials wherever possible within her 3D work and likes to highlight and celebrate the natural world and the environment.

Eve also painted one of the Wallabies on the recent Wallaby art trail, that took place in 2019.

Her creation, entitled ‘Myn’changaroo Ferrishyn’, or The Fairy Wallaby, can be seen as you drive over the bridge into Castletown.

Eve has one of the large dolphin sculptures, entitled ‘Clockwork’, on behalf of Capital International, and we will get our first glimpse of it when the statues are unveiled tomorrow (Friday).

We have already had a sneak preview of the dolphin created by Jade Boylan, on behalf of the Isle of Man Arts Council.

Jade’s Dolphin ‘Splash’ was unveiled at the launch of the Big Splash art trail.

Jade’s dolphin is decorated in colourful splodges of bright primary colours.

‘The colourful design was inspired by childhood art classes, when the goal wasn’t to be neat and careful but to just have fun and get messy with paint,’ said Jade.

‘Ironically the painting process itself was quite painstaking using acrylic paint and spray paint, but that may just be because I’m a perfectionist.

‘The end result is bright and eye-catching and hopefully ‘Splash’ will encourage people of all ages to get creative and have a go at some colourful artwork of their own.’

The trail opens on Friday, May 27, and runs until September 19.

More details are available from thebigsplash.im