Deep Kinship | Prints, Canvas and Framed

I've always been drawn to Orcas. Not only because their patterns are striking, but because of their loyalty and intelligence. Moreover, they are incredibly social, and form lifelong bonds with others in their pods. Mothers and sons stay connected for decades. Grandmothers help raise calves. They hunt together, rest together, travel together. They don’t just survive in groups—they thrive because of them.

Deep Kinship was created to honor that connection. I imagined what it might look like from below as a pod slowly rises from the deep—moving in sync, heading toward the surface for air. I’ve only ever seen orcas from above, once on a ferry in British Columbia. But even that brief encounter left me with a sense of reverence. I remember thinking how small I felt and how big their world must be.

This painting is a reflection of that moment—and of the respect I have for these intelligent, emotionally complex animals. My hope is that it makes you feel a little of what I felt: wonder, admiration, and maybe a pull to protect what’s still wild.

Conservation Notes: Orcas face growing threats—noise pollution that interferes with how they communicate and hunt, declining salmon populations, and toxic contaminants that accumulate in their bodies. Some communities, like the Southern Resident orcas, are critically endangered. Protecting them means protecting the entire ecosystem they depend on. A portion of proceeds from this piece goes toward organizations working to do just that.