Painting an orca

This is a bit of an odd one for me, as I am not usually into painting animals. But a few months ago I saw a TV news report about some orcas that were frolicking in the sea near where I live on the Kāpiti Coast.

There was something about this film that captivated me – the blueness of the water, the clear outline of Kāpiti Island, the orca’s glossy skin above the surface, and its fin and markings clearly visible under the water.

I mentally filed the image away for a potential future painting if I ever felt the urge for a change from ships, planes and trains.

So when the Kapiti Arts and Crafts Society announced recently that the theme of their annual awards exhibition this year would be ‘New Zealand flora and fauna’, here was the perfect excuse!

So there it is, my first wildlife painting! I’m no marine biologist, so there are probably some awful anatomical anomalies in my orca!

Hopefully you might see this painting if it makes it into the awards exhibition, which will run from 13 July to 6 August at the Kāpiti Gallery, 192 Matai Road, Raumati.