Clearwater's Dolphins Meet Their Artists

A , a public art project to be in place along Clearwater Beach in time for the Republican National Convention, .

Kyle and Daniele Vohland, owners of Icon Poly Studio, the Gibbon, Neb. company that fabricated the 38 dolphins, is delivering them for artists to pick up Friday at the Clearwater Special Events Armory.

The finished, painted dolphin sculptures will be shown from Aug. 6 to Sept. 4 at Pier 60 Park during the Republican National Convention. Each fiberglass sculpture is 6 feet tall and weighs 80 pounds.

The convention is expected to bring about 50,000 visitors to the Tampa Bay area. Some of the  and resorts during the convention, which is Aug. 27-30.

There is an artist honorarium of $500 for each approved dolphin design selected for exhibition. The Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce with support from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the City of Clearwater launched the project to artistically showcase the bottlenose dolphin.

The artists and sponsors of the 38 dolphins:

Artist Sponsor Hook Tribe Baystar Restaurants Priscilla DiBlasi Bill Edwards, Mortgage Investors Corp Cathe Bain Bright House Networks St. Pete Art Camp/Haley Kukoleck Bright House Networks Doug Wright Carlin Gillen To be announced City of Clearwater Kumpa Tawornprom Clear Sky Beachside Cafe Silas Beach Clearwater Beach Chamber Don Scali Clearwater Beach Chamber To be announced Clearwater Gas System To be announced Clearwater Jazz Holiday Winter and Friends at CMA Clearwater Marine Aquarium Garden Fairies Clearwater Solid Waste Brooke Allison Coldwell Banker To be announced D-Mar General Contractor and Developer FKQ Creative Team FKQ Advertising and Marketing Kumpa Tawornprom Frenchy's Restaurants Dawn Klyczek Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort John Martin Holiday Inn and Suites/Pier House 60 Hotel Doug Wright Hooters St. Pete Art Camp/Haley Kukoleck Hyatt Clearwater Beach Resort Barbara Lewis Lange Eye Care Bonnie Bowman & Surface Design Guild Dr. Zena Lansky & Warren Rodgers Lynn Parrish Palm Pavilion UPARC, Harborside Studios PDR, Certified Public Accountants Robert Daltry Phillies/Threshers Liquid Sol Inc. Plumlee Gulf Beach Realty UPARC, Harborside Studios Progress Energy Jerry Messman Sandpearl Resort Morgan O'Brien Shephards Beach Resort Emily Harris & Alyssa Neuman Sheraton Sand Key Resort Tony DiFalco Sunsets at Pier 60 Daily Festival Betsy Hawkins-Maher Tampa Bay Times Dee Rodriques Treiser Collins, Attorneys at Law  Lenne Nicklaus Ball Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Wyndham Gardens Clearwater Beach Robert Daltry To be announced Clearwater Regional Chamber Anonymous