Turtles

The collection of artworks displayed on this page are from my PhD study at the Durban University of Technology andfrom which I graduated in September 2024. The thesis title is:

I LOVE TURTLES! A VISUAL ART PRACTICE-BASED EXPLORATION OF THE EMERGENT ENDANGERED SEA TURTLES OF THE KWAZULU-NATAL COAST

I made a video that shares the creative process of the series of paintings and it is available on YouTube via this link below:

Nic Human PhD Painting Series On YouTube

Here is a link to download the thesis PDF from the DUT Open Scholar website:

Nic Human PhD thesis

In May 2025, a public exhibition of large format prints of selected artworks from my PhD project was launched on the Durban promenade, in collaboration with the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR). It is for me the greatest honour.

The series of original paintings was exhibited in January 2025 at the Durban University of Technology Art Gallery, as well as in October 2025 formed part of a group exhibition in a collaboration between Asisebenze Gallery and Origin Art in Johannesburg. Here are a few exhibition photos.

Here are the nine final paintings that feature in the project. The preliminary sketches and small paintings that led to each of these paintings can be seen in the YouTube video and in Chapter 4 and 5 of the thesis document. The links are at the top of this page. 

Shared | 117cm x 96cm | Oil onto stretched canvas

Wonder | 91cm x 110cm | Oil onto deep-frame stretched canvas

In this painting: A nesting loggerhead and a common genet in the vegetation at Bhanga Nek.

Primitief | 1m x 1m | Oil onto stretched canvas

In this painting: A nest of loggerhead turtle hatchlings as Iobserved at Bhanga Nek 

Green | 1m x 1m | Oil onto stretched canvas

In this painting: A green turtle and hawksbill turtle amidst my trash. 

I love turtles | 1m x 1m | Oil onto stretched canvas

In this painting: A polluted beach north of Durban as photographed during a beach cleanup. 

Power | 90cm x 120cm | Oil onto stretched canvas

In this painting: My hand holding a baby turtle – to protect or crush? Coastal development and activities are current threats to the nesting grounds of turtles on the eastern coast of South Africa. Innovative and decisive policy making and regulations should aim to protect these lifeforms as well as further enable economic prosperity.

Second Chance | 80cm x 80cm | Oil onto stretched canvas

In this painting: A woman's hand holding a 2-month old loggerhead turtle that was rescued after washing up on the beach and cared for by uShaka staff. This little guy received a second chance when it was released back into the ocean after regaining enough strength.

Mother | 150cm x 200cm | Oil onto deep-framestretched canvas

In this painting: Female loggerhead turtles emerging from the water to nest under the moonlight with the ever-present ghost crabs. As observed at Bhanga Nek and Cape Vidal.

Surveying | 1m x 1m | Oil onto stretched canvas

In this painting: An adult loggerhead turtle; three-spot pompanos (silver fish); blue-streak cleaner wrasse (little impressions) 

© Copyright Nic Human Art