Living in Southern California, I've always had a deep appreciation and love for the ocean and all the creatures that inhabit its waters. I'm also fascinated with the vast wonders of timeless space and am in constant awe of the moon and the stars and the clouds and the sun.

Christian Riese Lassen is a brilliant artist and he incorporates all those things in which I adore (although he has a popular motif for having whales and dolphins in his work), breathing life into the beautiful, mystical paintings. As I peruse this book, which I do quite often, it's as if I'm being pulled into the pictures. They're surreal yet familiar, like something from a distant dream, and ever so gorgeous.

I find it nearly impossible to choose a favorite among the 65 images provided here for my viewing pleasure but "Temple Of Light" seems to captivate me the most, causing me to stare the longest as I touch every inch with my seeking eyes, wishing I could step into the vibrant colors and live in the tranquil peace it exudes. But then I admire them all; especially how the full moon looks behind some thin pink clouds on "Home From The Sea" and how the intermingling of the cosmic universe and the majestic blue on "Whale Star" seem to go hand in hand, as if they belong together, which is used for the cover. There are also several pages of Christian talking about his passion for the sea and how it became the source of his art. A couple pictures are also included of him surfing and painting.

I tend to be mesmerized with fantasy art so I love how Lassen expresses that through reality with metaphysical standpoints and he's quickly become high in the ranks with some of my other favorite artists, such as Amy Brown, Brian Froud, David Delamare, and Josephine's Wall.

I love Lassen's work, and this book shows why. He is a master at beautiful scenic paintings. The colors are brilliant and keeps me wondering on how he gets his paintings to look like that. Although I think Wyland is the master when it comes to painting whales, Lassen is the master at painting dolphins. A must have to any art collector who loves oceanic art.

"LASSEN ISLAND" IS A MUST OWN! It includes "sixty-five of Lassen's most evocative works...[and Lassen] captures the romantic allure of the Hawaiian Islands where he makes his home and pays tribute to the sea's great and endangered mammals."[commentator] His work spans from 1983-1997. My (newest) favorites are: "GALAXY OF LIFE", "COSMIC VOYAGERS", "WHALE STAR", "OUR PLANET", "SERENITY", "SEA OF TRANQUILITY", "PARADISE", "ANCIENT MYSTERIES" and "TEMPLE OF LIGHT". (Just to name a few!)

Also included is a fascinating essay writen by Christian himself about "THE SEA AS THE SOURCE OF MY ART", "NATURE ENERGIZES ME AND MY ART", "THE HIGHLY DEVELOPED MAMMALS OF THE OCEAN", and "OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE FUTURE." Christian writes with such sensitivity and style that even if you already have all of his art (books) this essay alone gives you a reason to buy this.

"LASSEN ISLAND" is the culmination to date of Christian's expertise. I never thought he could get any better but I was wrong! He has taken his art to the outermost level that I can imagine. "The images I paint are no longer simply representations of the forms of animals but the representations of their spirit" Lassen states in his essay.

"Ranked the number nine surfer in the world, Lassen is intimately acquainted with the mother ocean's ever-changing moods and awesome power." [commentator] Christian is one-in-a-million; not to be compared with anyone else. That is what a true artist is; in a class by himself.

88 pages may seem small, but there is a color illustration on just about every page. The only problem I could think of is that there are no descriptions about any of the paintings, just the title. A small section in the back tells of how the ocean has inspired the artist. (It also says this book was originally published in Japan and was a bestseller there). The paintings often include ocean waves, sea life, or space. All are rendered in beautiful color. They are similar to the works of Jim Warren or Wyland. I recommend this book to anyone who is even slightly interested in art or the ocean.

treat yourself...feast your eyes upon visually stunning undersea landscapes and creatures...browsing through this book feels like an underwater adventure.