Ballet of The Pink Meanie - The Untold Story

 

In September of 2022, as Hurricane Ian’s swell rolled into the Gulf of Mexico, I encountered something I never thought possible: hundreds of rare Pink Meanie jellyfish drifting in crystal-clear water.

At first, I only saw a small cluster of ten as the sun was setting. Too late for underwater photography, I left the beach with a question—would they still be there tomorrow?

The next morning, I woke up before sunrise, assembled my camera housing, fins, and snorkel, and went searching. What I found stunned me: not ten jellyfish, but hundreds. Massive, three-foot-wide bells with tentacles stretching nearly thirty feet, flowing like silk through the blue. Schools of fish swirled around them as if part of an underwater ballet.

For two days, I shot relentlessly—nearly 10,000 frames, completely immersed in the moment. By the third morning, they were gone. I haven’t seen them in such numbers since.

 

 

The Birth of a Series

 

From that fleeting encounter came Ballet of the Pink Meanie No. 1, a piece that quickly sold out in its limited edition. But behind that single image lay thousands more—frames of beauty, depth, and movement that told a much larger story.

Three years later, I’m releasing the full 20-piece series. Eighteen of these works have never been seen until now. Together, they preserve a phenomenon that may truly have been once-in-a-lifetime.

 

 

In the Artist’s Words

 

“There are moments in life when you know—deep down—that they’ll never happen again. This was one of them. My gut told me: cancel everything, dive in, and give it my all. And that’s what I did. Two days later, they were gone. Maybe forever.”

 

 

Main Takeaways from the Film

 

 

• Seize the moment. When intuition tells you something is once-in-a-lifetime, trust it fully.

• Reframe perception. Most people see jellyfish as dangerous or ugly. I saw beauty, grace, and femininity — and I wanted to show that to the world.

• Art is about connection. My goal was never just to take a photograph, but to create a window into the divine — to make the viewer feel the same awe and presence I felt underwater.

• Beauty is always there. Sometimes you just have to change your perspective to see it. As one of my favorite quotes says: “We see the world not as it is, but as we are.”

 

 

 

Watch the Story

 

This 20-minute documentary shares the full story — what it was like to be there in the water, the creative vision that drove me, and the lessons I carried forward as an artist. My hope is that it transports you into that rare moment of awe, where beauty, fragility, and power converged in the Gulf of Mexico.

Explore the Collection

 

 

 

Visit or Contact

Jonah Allen Gallery
📍 4771 E County Hwy 30A, Unit B101, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
🕒 Hours: Vary seasonally – check online or call ahead
🌐 www.jonahallen.com