Ethan Estess is a Californian artist, surfer, and marine scientist who communicates about the challenges facing the ocean through sculpture. He holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in environmental science from Stanford University where he studied oceanography, mechanical engineering, and studio art. His artworks have been exhibited in the United States, Europe, and Japan at venues including the World Economic Forum and the San Francisco International airport, and he has created large installations for the Getty and Bishop Museums. Estess operates a studio and gallery in his hometown of Santa Cruz while continuing to work with the Monterey Bay Aquarium studying bluefin tuna ecology. Most recently, he has created a series of monumental wave sculptures from marine debris that have reached hundreds of thousands of in-person participants and millions of online viewers with a message of ocean stewardship.

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