Her LIVING OCEANS painting series is Betty Jo Costanzo’s response to her growing connection to the Humpback whales which she recalls as showing up with persistence in the spring of 2018. This project shifted dramatically in 2019 when first she met these whales in Maui then later swam with them in Tonga. These amazing mammals left their life on land and went back to sea over 50 million years ago and there slowly evolved to their present majestic, ocean-going forms. For the last 35 million years they have not significantly changed, but have traveled the oceans of the world, gathering and storing in their racial memories the secrets of life, which they now share freely with anyone who seeks them peacefully.

This series is a continuation of her TimeSCAPES, Landscapes In Motion project which primarily focuses on water and water reflections from ocean shorelines to lakes and beyond. What distinguishes the LIVING OCEANS series from previous work is also what connects it: Love and Respect for our Planet. Now more than ever, and in concert with the Humpback whales, Ms Costanzo declares her devotion to safeguarding the Oceans.

In January 2020 Betty Jo Costanzo implemented an exciting new program to help fund the agencies and scientists that are doing critical work to save our oceans. For each Living Oceans painting sold Betty Jo will donate a portion of the proceeds from that sale to a responsible agency chosen by the buyer from a short list of possible donees that Betty Jo has already vetted for their excellence in doing this work!