Recently, I embarked on a challenge to illustrate as many of the fascinating organisms that call the Salish Sea, on the west coast of Canada, their home. The project that started during the pandemic is well under way and the collection of illustrations has grown substantially.
SPECIES LIST
- AS21-0001 Quillback Rockfish – Sebastes maliger
- AS22-0029 Copper Rockfish – Sebastes caurinus
- AS21-0006 Lingcod – Ophiodon elongatus
- AS21-0022 Kelp Greenling – Hexagrammos decagrammus
- AS21-0007 Starry Flounder – Platichthys stellatus
- AS22-0033 Pacific Halibut – Hippoglossus stenolepis
- AS22-0035 Red Irish Lord – Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus
- AS21-0005 Tidepool Sculpin – Oligocottus maculatus
- PLANNED Grunt Sculpin – Rhamphocottus richardsonii
- AS22-0042 Sailfin Sculpin – Nautichthys oculofasciatus
- PLANNED Plainfin Midshipman – Porichthys notatus
- PLANNED Northern Clingfish – Gobiesox maeandricus
- PLANNED Cabezon – Scorpaenichthys marmoratus
- PLANNED Wolf Eel – Anarrhichthys ocellatus
- PLANNED Pacific Lamprey – Lampetra tridentata
- PLANNED Pink Salmon – Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
- PLANNED Sockeye Salmon – Oncorhynchus nerka
- PLANNED Chum Salmon – Oncorhynchus keta
- PLANNED Coho Salmon – Oncorhynchus kisutch
- PLANNED Chinook Salmon – Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- AS21-0011 Surf Smelt – Hypomesus pretiosus
- AS22-0034 Pacific Herring – Clupea pallasii
- AS22-0038 Northern Anchovy – Engraulis mordax
- PLANNED Pacific Sardine – Sardinops sagax
- PLANNED Eulachon – Thaleichthys pacificus
- PLANNED Smootheye Poacher – Xeneretmus leiops
- PLANNED Pile Perch – Rhacochilus vacca
- AS22-0030 Pacific Sand Lance – Ammodytes hexapterus
- AS21-0004 Three-Spined Stickleback – Gasterosteus aculeatus
- AS21-0013 White Sturgeon – Acipenser transmontanus
- PLANNED Spotted Ratfish – Hydrolagus colliei
- PLANNED Basking Shark – Cetorhinus maximus
- AS21-0018 Pacific Spiny Dogfish – Squalus suckleyi
- PLANNED Big Skate – Raja binoculata
- AS21-0003 Spot Prawn – Pandalus platyceros
- PLANNED Dock Shrimp – Pandalus danae
- PLANNED Stiletto Coastal Shrimp – Heptacarpus stylus
- PLANNED Kincaid Coastal Shrimp – Heptacarpus kincaidi
- PLANNED Bay Ghost Shrimp – Neotrypaea californiensis
- AS21-0023 Northern Pacific Krill – Euphausia pacifica
- AS21-0008 Signal Crayfish – Pacifastacus leniusculus
- AS21-0028 Dungeness Crab – Cancer magister
- AS21-0010 Northern Kelp Crab – Pugettia producta
- PLANNED Cryptic Kelp Crab – Pugettia richii
- PLANNED Helmut Crab – Telmessus cheiragonus
- AS21-0009 Purple Shore Crab – Hemigrapsus nudus
- AS22-0037 Hairy Hermit Crab – Pagurus hirsutiusculus
- AS22-0044 Yellow Shore Crab – Hemigrapsus oregonensis
- AS21-0021 Acorn Barnacle – Belanus glandulus
- PLANNED Gooseneck Barnacle – Pollicipes pollicipes
- AS22-0043 Pacific Beach Hopper – Traskorchestia traskiana
- PLANNED Rockweed Isopod – Pentidotea wosnesenskii
- AS22-0041 Pacific Geoduck – Panopea generosa
- AS22-0039 Butter Clam – Saxidomus gigantea
- AS22-0040 Nuttall’s Cockle – Clinocardium nuttallii
- PLANNED Pacific Razor Clam – Siliqua patula
- PLANNED Manila Clam – Lajonkairia lajonkairii
- PLANNED Littleneck Clam – Protothaca / Leukoma staminea
- PLANNED Varnish Clam – Nuttallia obscurata
- PLANNED Blue Mussel – Mytilus edulis
- AS21-0002 Pacific Oyster – Magallana gigas
- PLANNED Pink Scallop – Chlamys rubida
- AS21-0012 Stubby Squid – Rossia pacifica
- AS21-0024 Opalescent Squid – Doryteuthis opalescens
- PLANNED Giant Pacific Octopus – Enteroctopus dofleini
- AS21-0015 Northern Abalone – Haliotis kamtschatkana
- PLANNED Frilled Dog-winkle – Nucella lamellosa
- PLANNED Pacific Plate Limpet – Lottia scutum
- PLANNED Mask Limpet – Tectura persona
- AS21-0027 Mossy Chiton – Mopalia muscosa
- PLANNED Sand Dollar – Dendraster excentricus
- AS21-0014 Purple Urchin – Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
- AS21-0019 Ochre Sea Star – Pisaster ochraceus
- PLANNED Giant Sunflower Sea Star – Pycnopodia helianthoides
- PLANNED Dwarf Brittle Star – Amphipholis squamata
- AS21-0016 Giant Red Sea Cucumber – Apostichopus californicus
- AS21-0025 Red Tentacled Fish Eating Anemone – Urticina piscivora
- AS21-0026 Aggregating Anemone – Anthopleura elegantissima
- AS22-0031 Cloud Glass Sponge – Aphrocallistes vastus
- PLANNED Orange Sea Pen – Ptilosarcus gurneyi
- PLANNED Northern Feather Duster – Eudistylia vancouveri
- PLANNED Calcareous Red Trumpet Tube Worm – Serpula columbiana
- PLANNED Moon Jellyfish – Aurelia labiata
- AS22-0032 Phytoplankton
- PLANNED Zooplankton
- AS21-0017 Bull Kelp- Nereocystis luetkeana
- PLANNED Turkish Towel – Chondracanthus exasperatus
- PLANNED Sea Lettuce – Ulva lactuca
- PLANNED Pink Feather Coralline Seaweed – Corallina officinalis
- PLANNED Dead Man’s Fingers, Sea Staghorn – Codium fragile
- PLANNED Sugar Kelp – Saccharina latissima
- AS21-0020 Pacific Rockweed – Fucus gardneri
- AS22-0036 Eelgrass – Zostera marina
Borrowing from traditions of scientific illustrating, I’ve chosen to present my subjects in a more contemporary and approachable style. These original works of art are meant to invite curiosity by revealing details the average person may not get the chance to experience without getting wet. They are also meant to encourage people of all ages to get out and explore nature and the seashore in their own backyards.
I use black archival ink on 120lb cold press paper and present my subjects in black and white, so we can start to appreciate the subject’s form and better understand their functions and roles in the environment. I feel details like texture, patterns and scale are at the forefront when colour is omitted.
Throughout my process, I research and post information about each species in my blog and share step by step pictures of my progress.
As I continue to illustrate new species, I will make each available as a limited edition signed, 8.5 x 12 print. They will also be added to my Salish Sea Cards Collection available individually or in sets of five. I am also making my originals available for purchase.
Several people have also suggested I look into designing flash cards and a poster series for the classroom setting. I think these are exciting ideas, so stay tuned for that.
Finally, If you think I’ve missed one of your favourite Salish Sea denizens, and would like to make a request, please do so by sending me a message. You can check below to see if the critter(s) you are looking for has already made the list.
When I have amassed a collection large enough, my ultimate goal is to assemble the entire Salish Sea collection and make it available as a book.
BOOK COMING SOON
