The Big Splash Wild in Art Trail 2022

What was The Big Splash?

From 27 May to 19 September 2022, Hospice Isle of Man held their summer art trail, The Big Splash. The trail showcased a pod of custom painted dolphin sculptures across many beautiful areas of the Island, with one dolphin - Mona - being sponsored by PwC Isle of Man.

Not only encouraging people to explore the Island over the summer, the fundraising event closed with a dolphin auction where vital donations were raised for Hospice's end of life and palliative care services.

Residents and visitors alike downloaded a free app which allowed them to collect every dolphin they visited, as well as unlock rewards.

PwC Isle of Man's dolphin sculpture, Mona

The oldest known name for the Isle of Man is Mona, translated as 'mountainous or hilly land'.

From her position at the southernmost point of the Island, The Sound, Mona was perfectly located overlooking the Calf of Man. You couldn’t miss her as Mona was very bright, bold and always ready to protect our community.

At auction, Mona raised a fantastic £6,000 which contributed to the pod total of £151,000!

Mona in her temporary home at The Sound. Photo credit: Digitalmanphotography on Facebook

Amy Bourbon, the fine artist who painted Mona

Meet the artist - Amy Bourbon

Amy is a fine artist who specialises in painting and drawing. A seasoned Wild in Art artist, she is originally from the UK but now lives in the Isle of Man.

Mona's bold design was inspired by the sea's colourful waves and suggested movement over the sculpture, highlighting the curves of the dolphin and the patterns on the sea surface.

Amy individually mixed the colours to create unusual tones that are intended to sit next to one another, often clashing, to form a vibrant dolphin design.

Limited edition Giclee print winner

As part of our sponsorship, we encouraged local residents and visitors to unlock Mona on The Big Splash app to be in with the chance of winning a limited edition Giclee printed artwork.

The artwork depicted a beautiful Isle of Man landscape by the fine artist who painted Mona, Amy Bourbon, and was won by local resident Alison Quayle.

Alison Quayle (winner), Amy Bourbon (fine artist) and Paul Jones (Corporate Responsibility Lead at PwC Isle of Man)