From Art Student to Ocean Advocate: How Orcas Inspired a Creative Journey Beneath the Waves

When I started university, my first project was to create a book using text. The text I chose was the sea shanty, The Wellerman. I made a parody of the tv show The Office,  about whaling and its effects, which spiked my initial interest in marine life. My second project was a sequential illustration using any animal, I chose the orca and focused on the difference between wild orcas and orcas in captivity. From all of this research I discovered one of my favourite mammals. Their intelligence captured my attention and I was completely captivated. 

I decided to continue with my research on orcas after I had finished my project, which led to social media algorithms throwing more and more marine facts on my feed. It was after this that I realised that life in the sea isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I learnt about the deterioration of sea beds, hunting sharks for their fins, and so much more that upset me. This is where I got the inspiration for my current book, Alphabet of the Ocean. The ocean is a beautiful place and full of so many wonderful species and I want to educate young people on how the many different species help, not only our ocean, but our planet too.

Marine life is the main inspiration for my art and it is important to me that everything I produce is factually correct. I would love to do a Masters in Marine Biology but at this time I, unfortunately, don’t have access to do so. Consequently I aim to teach myself as much as I can, continuing to use different resources such as social media profiles, watching documentaries, reading plenty of articles, and aquarium visits. 

One day I want to get my diving certificate, as I feel this would enhance my research. It is my life long dream to go diving with orcas in Norway, they are such beautiful, intelligent creatures and to dive with them would be the most amazing experience.