[Art] Orca as Totem

[moonvoice]

Orca as Totem

A personal note: Orca is a shadow totem for me, or an animal I irrationally fear / dislike. I see their beauty, and I respect them very much, but none-the-less this picture was quite challenging to do. So I'm glad I did it!

The Orca, or 'killer whale' (a misnomer, since it is a dolphin first), is the largest member of the dolphin family. It is perhaps best known for its appearances in films like Free Willy, and among most people for its great intelligence, fierce and innovative hunting techniques, and distinctive black and white appearance. There are five different 'types' of killer whale, depending on where they live, how they hunt, and so on. Killer whales have distinctive language dialects per pod and region, and have been described to have their own cultures. Killer whales are apex predators, and some will even target larger whale species for food; killing them through suffocation.





Orca as a totem animal can represent: (not an exhaustive list)

Energy of change and changing, adaptability, clinical and detached intelligence, balancing ‘black and white,’ rejecting simple truths, polarity, dialect and language, being a predator to get what you want, socialising, needing others around you, wolf of the sea.

Original AVAILABLE - $75 USD
18.5 x 20.5cm (or 7.4 x 8 in)
illo's board, fineliner, aquarelle, pencil, allic and iridescent paint

Comments

[silere.livejournal.com]

I've had some epic dreams about Orca in the past. Intimidating, powerful, beautiful. This is awesome, i am glad you made it. <3

[zenosaur.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS!

As you know, Orca is my personal totem, even thought it's been silent for a while, and I know it took a little personal strength from you to do this, so, thanks!

*huggles*

[mutantenemy.livejournal.com]

Orca is one of my dream guides. She always takes me into the deep and dark waters, yet lets me ride beside her, never letting me go as I gently grasp one of her massive teeth so we can swim side by side.

I love this. Thank you.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Ooo, I don't think I've ever had a good dream about Orca, but they're amazing animals.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I wondered if you'd like this one. :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

What an amazing dream guide. :)

[elinox.livejournal.com]

You've really depicted the orca's beauty and grace here. However, the pinks, at least for me, really don't seem appropriate. But then, I don't really like that color. The greens are reminiscent of the ocean but I personally would have liked more blues or purples in this piece. Just thought I'd voice my critiques, hope you don't mind!

And thank you for mentioning that orcas are DOLPHINS!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

*nods* The pink is what Orca wanted, if it were my choice, I would have gone with a more muted palette of blues / greens / purples. But alas, the colouring is never my choice. I see it as an Orca rising up from a large body that it has been feasting from, so this reading is probably closer to shadow totem than regular totem, perhaps.

And hey, I always like people to voice their opinions, it makes sense to me if you don't feel the pink is appropriate. :)

[earthguardian.livejournal.com]

I really like Orca, they're so cute! :D For a long time I thought that the white part was their eye, but then discovered that this is not true.

Also. Did not know that Orca were dolphins. What's the significant difference between whale and dolphin that makes Orca a dolphin? :o

[singingnettle.livejournal.com]

These are local animals to me, and I've had a few personal encounters. They are amazing creatures. And I don't think there's ever been a documented attack on humans, although watching them torment seals, penguins, or other prey is pretty horrific.

I have an orca story: I've been conservationist in ideas since I could talk. My parents, who both lived their entire lives in New York City and believed that nature should be kept outside where it can't bother decent people, always thought I was stone crazy. My mother's attitude on cetacean endangerment was, "So we don't have whales. So what?"...Fast forward; I moved to the Pacific Northwest when I was 30. My parents visited me a few times. Several years after I got here, I took my parents out on a whale watch. It was a cold day and we saw no whales, although we saw some of those beautiful little black-and-white dolphins whose name I forget but look like tiny orcas, and my parents huddled downstairs in the boat most of the way.

Then...my mother went up to the deck. She was the only one out there when a big orca who had somehow evaded the sonar tracking surfaced a yard from the boat. She rolled over, turned and stared straight into my mother's eyes. They gazed at each other until everyone else began running upstairs, at which point the orca broke the eye contact slid silently and gracefully under the boat. On the other side of the boat, she slapped the water, laughed, and disappeared, leaving my mother incoherent with excitement.

My mother was an ardent is somewhat vague conservationist from that moment on, 'til she died a few years later.

Mama Orca is still probably out there, stalking whale-boats for converts.

[ariestess]

such a playful looking orca! I love the colors, too -- so bright and playful with shifting water aspects.

I've gotten to go whale watching and our boat got about 100-150 feet from an orca from one of our 3 local pods. It was fantastic...

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

They're overall in the cetacean family - which includes whales, but they are in the Odontoceti suborder; which is all the toothed dolphins (31 of them).

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Wow, local animals? How awesome.

And I don't think there's ever been a documented attack on humans, although watching them torment seals, penguins, or other prey is pretty horrific.

There are some references (books) given on a Wikipedia article about them. And I have a book in my collection which actually talks about documented attacks (though no deaths). So there is information out there.

Your story about Mama Orca is awesome. :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I love whale-watching too! Though I've never seen orcas.

[singingnettle.livejournal.com]

Yes, local. We see them all the time in Puget Sound. I live right on Puget Sound, and every so often we see them. A few years ago, a calf wandered into the waters right off Alki Beach, where I live, and spent several weeks here being very visible and following boaters around. There was much anxiety about her until a pod came by and picked her up. We're very protective of our cetaceans in Puget Sound and much worried about their decreasing populations and naval testing that is probably contributing to it.

[sidheblessed.livejournal.com]

I love the almost cuteness in this piece - I can almost see them smiling!