The majestic Orca is an animal close to my heart. 
 
12 years ago I heard a news story about Loilita the Orca. She was captured as a baby in the waters of Puget Sound Washington,  near my hometown of Seattle. She was sold to Seaquarium in Miami, Florida where she has been held captive for 51 years in a small swimming pool in the hot sun.  Orcas can live 80-90 years in the wild. Her family pod still swims free here along our shores. I spent a year doing activism to bring awareness to her plight. I'm haunted and saddened she is still in captivity. 
 
Her story reinforces my belief that all lives are sacred. Not just cats and dogs, but all lives, big and small.
 
If you have ever seen an Orca in the wild, their beauty and magic brings tears to your eyes.  I could never fully do justice to replicate their beauty, but my passion and love for animals is infused with every brush stroke. 
 
Orcas
6"x6"
Acrylic, mixed media on canvas