RIPPLE EFFECT: Art Work for the Salish Sea

There’s a ripple effect in all we do –
What you do, touches me;
What I do, touches you.” (author unknown)

Everyone has their breaking point. Ours is projecting ahead to a possible moment in the not too distant future when the Salish Sea could be devoid of orca. Think about that for a moment. Imagine telling your children or grandchildren about these majestic creatures who used to live in our waters.

This article lays out the grim reality http://bit.ly/2lZtbWh.

We at the Salt Spring Gallery can not fathom life without orca. Many of us take direct creative inspiration from the Salish Sea and the creatures in her waters. We can't let this happen.

In an attempt to do our part, we are making art work for the Salish Sea.

What does this mean? We are focusing our art making and art showcasing this summer on fundraising to support the Salish Sea and the remaining southern resident killer whales. We would love if you would join us by attending our events, making a donation or buying art that makes a difference.

Exciting partnerships!

There will be an Orca Festival this summer called Orca Soundings: An Art Event for the Last of the Southern Resident Orca. This is an art project using whale sculptures and their human guardians, in a performance that reflects the wide spread knowledge of orca—both traditional and scientific— and love for these whales. The Orca festival is also fundraising for the Raincoast Conservation Foundation who are focusing their efforts this year on supporting the orca. We plan to partner with the Orca Festival to offer some joint events and host some orca pod visitations. We will also be fundraising for Raincoast Conservation Foundation as they spearhead a legal campaign to protect the orca in the face of increased pressures that threaten their very survival.

Here is a letter to anyone interested in joining there first big event at the Walk 4 the Salish Sea.

Hello Fellow Friends of the Orcas

As you’ve shown interest in our Orca Soundings project, we have exciting news to share – we’ve set a date for our Super Pod event!

Our Super Pod event is a creative effort to express the vulnerability of our Southern Resident Orcas; to create a lasting visual in people’s minds, one that we hope will inspire action.

On May 28th, our whales will join the last leg of the Walk 4 the Salish Sea, marching on the Westridge Kinder Morgan Terminal in Burnaby, and celebrating with the Walk 4 the Salish Sea folks at Westridge Park for the Fossil Fuel Freedom Fest.

To bring our vision of 2D and 3D orca props and puppets swimming through a sea of blue and green umbrellas to life, we need help! If you are willing to stand up for our Southern Resident Orcas please join us in Burnaby on May 28th. And bring your friends!

Here is our (tentative) itinerary for the day, acknowledging that we have people coming from Salt Spring, Victoria and Vancouver:

6:30 - 10am: travel from Salt Spring, Victoria and Vancouver to Burnaby
- 6:15am ferry from Fulford to Swartz Bay
- 7am ferry from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen
- We’re organizing bus transportation from Tsawwassen to Burnaby and will need to know numbers
10 – 11am: arrive at North Burnaby Secondary School
- NBSS will be our muster point to gather, assign props (!) and hopefully practice some simple choreography to do our whales justice
12 – 12:30pm: “swim” to George Green Park to meet the rest of the Walk 4 the Salish Sea walkers
1pm: Join the Walk 4 the Salish Sea as they march on Westridge Kinder Morgan Terminal (approx. 3km)
2pm Fossil Fuel Freedom Fest at Westridge Park
4pm (ish) – bus back to Tsawwassen terminal (for those ready to leave)

Please share this invite amongst your “pods” and pass along my contact information (jktoynbee@gmail.com) if anyone has any questions or is keen to get involved. We’ll have more details as we approach the date.

And a few pictures, to help you visualize and share in the excitement! More pictures and further details can be found here.

Jessie Toynbee

Pod-Coordinator!