Leviathan I and Humpback Whale are recent etchings which continue with an ongoing theme of representing the magnificent humpback whale. The scarred marks on the skin from the etching process portray the journey they make as they navigate through the oceans. Humpbacks are known to travel in a straight line for thousands of miles during migration by using the sun, the stars and Earth’s magnetism as a compass. Initially inspired by a trip to Newfoundland, Canada where I first saw large scale whale etchings by David Blackwood, I’ve since gone on to observe them from whale watching trips. The scale is important for representing these mammals. I work directly onto large sheets of copper from my initial sketches before building up layers.Although process plays a part its the desire to portray the splendour of the whale and the mystery surrounding it which is primary.
